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August 4, 2005 North Dakota Housing Units Continue to Rise Despite Small Change in Population North Dakota’s population has seen relatively little change during the past six decades. Housing units, however, have nearly doubled throughout the state since 1940. This month’s “Population Bulletin,” a monthly publication from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, presents the July 1, 2004, housing unit estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau’s population division. These current estimates reveal a continuing increase in North Dakota’s established housing trend. In 1940, housing units totaled 162,881 statewide, compared with 289,677 in 2000. This represents a 77.8 percent increase during this six-decade period. Current estimates suggest another 3.8 percent growth between 2000 and 2004. The state’s population, on the other hand, grew by less than 1 percent between 1940 and 2000 and dropped 1.2 percent between 2000 and 2004. Changes in household composition help explain the apparent contradiction between a stable population and a substantial increase in housing. In 1940, the average household size was 4.2 people. Today there are 2.4 people per household. In addition, in 1940, 7.9 percent of households had only one person, compared with 29.3 percent today. This, in part, reflects a growing proportion of elderly in the state. In 2000, nearly 40 percent of people living alone were ages 65 and older. “The importance of this upward trend in housing units underscores the need for policy makers, planners and developers to think outside the box when developing future housing,” says Richard Rathge, North Dakota State Data Center director. “Demand projections for housing indicate the need for elderly housing will explode in the next 10 years with demand from those ages 55 to 74 growing by 49.5 percent, and 38.2 percent for those older than 75.” Larger metropolitan areas within North Dakota account for much of the housing unit growth. Fifty percent of all housing growth between 1940 and 2000 took place in Cass and Burleigh counties. Between 2000 and 2004, 71.6 percent of all growth statewide was attributed to Cass and Burleigh counties. Nationally, housing grew 5.8 percent between 2000 and 2004, with states in the Southwest and Southeast having the largest percentage gains. ### Source:
Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, Richard.Rathge@ndsu.edu
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