North Dakota is the 18th largest state, but in population it ranked 47th in 2000, with 639,715 people. Its population density was just 3.6 persons per sq km (9.2 per sq mi). In 1930 the state had 681,000 inhabitants, but the population then declined to 620,000 in 1950. The population grew by about 2 percent in the 1950s, then fell 2 percent in the 1960s. From 1970 to 1980 the population grew by 5.7 percent, only to fall again by 2.1 percent between 1980 and 1990. It grew by just 0.5 percent between 1990 and 2000.
In 2000 only 56 percent of North Dakotans were classified as urban dwellers. The rural population has dropped markedly, however, since 1950 and undoubtedly will continue to do so as farmers seek employment in the cities. Some of North Dakota’s cities have shown sharp population increases. Bismarck more than doubled in population between 1950 and 1990.
