Population

Is population growing or shrinking?

Updated annually
It shrank by 3 between 2023 and 2024. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Nelson County, ND’s 0.1% annual decrease was primarily driven by deaths outpacing births.
In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Nelson County, ND’s population shrank by 0.33%.

-3

population change (2023 to 2024)

-0.1%

percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Nelson County, ND’s population increased 5 out of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2019 and 2020, when Nelson County, ND gained 143 residents. Its largest decline occurred between 2001 and 2002 when there were 137 fewer residents.

Nelson County, ND lost 3 residents between 2023 and 2024.

Annual population change

A county’s population is influenced by three factors:
  • Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 and 2024 natural population change was negative in Nelson County, ND, with deaths exceeding births by 23.
  • Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a county: If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Between 2023 to 2024, Nelson County, ND’s population change from immigration was positive with about 30 more people coming from another country directly to Nelson County, ND than leaving.
  • Domestic migration, moving between counties: Between 2023 to 2024, Nelson County, ND’s population change from domestic migration was negative with about eight more people moving to any other county in the US.

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Between 2023 and 2024, natural change was the primary driver of population decline in Nelson County, ND.

Components of population change

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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.