January 3, 2002

Household Size Declines in North Dakota

North Dakota had 257,152 households in 2000. According to the latest Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, nearly two-thirds, 64.1 percent, of these households were comprised of one or two persons only.

The number of one and two-person households in North Dakota rose 33 percent between 1980 and 2000. Thus, the average households size declined from 2.75 persons per household in 1980 to 2.41 in 2000. The increase in the proportion of one and two-person households in North Dakota is a result of the growing proportion of elderly in the state. Nearly half of all 1-person households in North Dakota were elderly living alone.

"This highlights our need to be aware of the potential concerns of the elderly in our state," said Richard Rathge, director of the State Data Center. Many seniors living by themselves are in isolated areas. The legislature recognized this growing concern and funded an elderly needs assessment to gain insight into how to more efficiently address this issue."

Nationally, North Dakota had the third lowest proportion of persons per household in 2000.

Reservation counties, in general, had the largest households in North Dakota. Sioux County ranked first in the state, averaging 3.6 persons per household in 2000. Nearly one-third of all households in Sioux County had five or more persons.

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Source: Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard.rathge@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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