How many people live in McKenzie County, ND?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 14,800 people living in McKenzie County, ND. That makes McKenzie County the 10th-most populous county in North Dakota. It is home to 1.8% of people living in the state.
14.8K
population of McKenzie County, ND (2024)
1.8%
County share of the North Dakota population (2024)
About 14,800 people lived in McKenzie County, ND in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are McKenzie County, ND’s age demographics?
About 1,600 McKenzie County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 10.5% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 17.5% of North Dakota’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 4,700 McKenzie County residents, or 31.5% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 23.5% of North Dakota’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of McKenzie County, ND's population is aged under 18 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are McKenzie County, ND’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 73.1% of the McKenzie County population, higher than the national share of 57.5%. McKenzie County also has a larger share of people identifying as non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (6.7%) than the US overall (0.72%).
In contrast, McKenzie County’s non-Hispanic Black or African American population accounts for 1.8%, below the 12.6% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 14% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
McKenzie County, ND has a higher share of a Hispanic population than North Dakota as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in McKenzie County is Watford City with about 6,200 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in McKenzie County, ND ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Watford City | 6,207 |
| 2. | Central McKenzie UT | 2,258 |
| 3. | Fort Berthold UT | 1,886 |
| 4. | North McKenzie UT | 1,181 |
| 5. | Yellowstone | 457 |
| 6. | Southeast McKenzie UT | 328 |
| 7. | Alexander | 317 |
| 8. | Arnegard | 289 |
| 9. | Alex | 287 |
| 10. | Southwest McKenzie UT | 278 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
