March 6, 2003

 

Number of Housing Units Up in North Dakota, But Down in Rural Counties

The number of housing units in North Dakota rose 4.8 percent during the last decade reaching 289,677 in 2000, up from 276,340 in 1990. According to the recent Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, this growth in housing units was confined largely to the state’s urban counties. In fact, 41 of the state’s 53 counties actually lost housing units between 1990 and 2000.

The concentrated growth in North Dakota housing units over the last decade varied by type of structure. While the number of single-family homes rose 4.8 percent, housing in multiple-unit structures (such as apartments and condominiums) rose 12.7 percent. Nonetheless, there were 2.7 single-family homes in North Dakota for every apartment and/or condominium in 2000, down only slightly from 2.9 in 1990.

"An interesting trend that exists in the larger populated counties, however, is the heavy concentration on multiple-unit structures," said Richard Rathge, Director of the State Data Center. "For example, single-family units represent only 52 percent of all housing units in Cass County, 54 percent in Grand Forks County, and 59 percent in Burleigh County. The large concentration of apartments and condominiums in the metropolitan areas reflect the transitional nature of growth in these areas," said Rathge.

The increase in multiple-unit homes during the last decade in North Dakota was concentrated in larger structures. Between 1990 and 2000, multiple-unit homes in structures of at least 20 units rose 54.9 percent, giving North Dakota the seventh highest percent increase in the nation for this type of housing.

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

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