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North Dakota Housing Units Continue to Rise Despite Little Change in Population

Current estimates reveal a continuing rise in North Dakota’s established housing trend.

North Dakota’s population has seen relatively little change during the last 56 years. However, housing units in North Dakota have grown by three-fourths since 1950.

This month’s “Population Bulletin,” a monthly publication from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, presents the July 1, 2006, housing unit estimates released from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Division.

These current estimates reveal a continuing rise in North Dakota’s established housing trend. In 1950, housing units totaled 175,769, compared with 289,677 in 2000. This represents a 65 percent increase during this 50-year period. Current estimates suggest another 6 percent in growth from 2000 to 2006, reaching 307,802 housing units. In contrast, the state’s population grew 4 percent from 1950 to 2000 and dropped 1 percent from 2000 to 2006.

Changes in household composition help explain the apparent contradiction between a stable population and a substantial increase in housing. In 1950, people living alone made up 9 percent of all households. By 2006, that percentage more than tripled to 31 percent. In part, this reflects a growing proportion of elderly in the state. In 2006, half of all people living alone were 55 and older.

“This is why elderly housing is such an important concern in North Dakota, especially when one realizes that, in 26 of the state’s 53 counties, those age 65 and older account for more than 20 percent of the county’s total population,” says Richard Rathge, State Data Center director.

As a result of more people living by themselves, North Dakota’s average household size has declined. In 1950, North Dakota’s average household size was 3.7 people, compared with 2.2 people in 2006 (the lowest among all 50 states). Although a drop from 3.7 to 2.2 people per household may not sound impressive, it is substantial when you realize there were 272,352 households (occupied housing units) in the state in 2006, according to Rathge. This means that if North Dakota had the same household size in 2006 as it did in 1950, the state’s population would be 1,007,702 people, compared with the 635,867 reported by the Census Bureau.

Larger metropolitan areas are the largest contributors to growth in housing throughout the state. From 2000 to 2006, 71 percent of all growth statewide was attributed to Cass and Burleigh counties.

Nationally, housing grew 9 percent from 2000 through 2006. States in the Southwest and Southeast had the largest percentage gains.


NDSU Agriculture Communication

Source:Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard.rathge@ndsu.edu
Editor:Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu

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