June 5, 2003

 

With Births Up, Outmigration Continues to Fuel North Dakota Population Loss

North Dakota’s population decreased by 1.3 percent between 2000 and 2002, according to population estimates recently released from the U.S. Census Bureau. As of July 1, 2002, the state’s population was 634,110, a decrease of 8,090 people since the 2000 Census.

Change in population is the result of three components: births, deaths and migration. According to the recent Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, between 2000 and 2002, North Dakota experienced more births than deaths, adding approximately 3,500 persons to the overall population. However, during this same time frame, 11,621 more persons moved away from North Dakota than moved into the state. The overall result is a loss in population of 8,090.

"Although North Dakota counties continue to lose residents through out-migration, the pace of loss has slowed," said Richard Rathge, director of the North Dakota State Data Center. "Between 2000 and 2001, only three counties in the state had net in-migration, while between 2001 and 2002 there were eight counties. In addition, the total number of births in the state was up in 2002, the first time since the early 1980s," said Rathge.

The majority of North Dakota counties reported more deaths than births between 2000 and 2002. At the same time, all but two North Dakota counties experienced a net out-migration. As a result, only five counties showed an increase in population over the last two years.

Cass and Burleigh counties, both metropolitan areas, were the only two counties in the state to experience more births than deaths as well as net in-migration during the last two years.

For population estimates or components of change data for other states and counties in the nation as well as more information on terms, definitions, and methodology, visit the Population Estimates Division of the U.S. Census Bureau at: http://eire.census.gov/popest/estimates.php.

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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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