McHenry County, North Dakota

Not to be confused with McHenry, North Dakota.

McHenry County
County
The McHenry County Courthouse in Towner
The McHenry County Courthouse in Towner
Map of North Dakota highlighting McHenry County
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 48°14′02″N 100°38′00″W / 48.233842°N 100.633267°W / 48.233842; -100.633267
Country United States
State North Dakota
FoundedJanuary 4, 1873 (created)
October 15, 1884 (organized)
SeatTowner
Largest cityVelva
Area
 • Total
1,911.519 sq mi (4,950.81 km2)
 • Land1,873.942 sq mi (4,853.49 km2)
 • Water37.577 sq mi (97.32 km2)  1.97%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,345
 • Estimate 
(2024)
5,135 Decrease
 • Density2.740/sq mi (1.058/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code701
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitemchenrycountynd.com

McHenry County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,345.[1] The county seat is Towner, and largest city is Velva.[2]

McHenry County is part of the Minot, ND Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on January 4, 1873, with territory annexed from Bottineau County. It was named for James McHenry, an early settler of Vermillion (in present South Dakota). The county government was not organized at that time, nor was the county attached to another county for administrative and judicial purposes. The county organization was effected on October 15, 1884. The county boundaries were altered in 1885, 1887, 1891, and in 1892. It has retained its present boundaries since 1892.[3][4]

When the county was organized in 1884, Villard was named as county seat. In 1885 this designation was moved to Scriptown. In 1886 the designation was again moved, to Towner, which has remained the seat to the present time (the two former sites are now ghost towns).[5]

Geography

The Souris River loops through the county before turning north to its eventual discharge into Lake Winnipeg. The Wintering River drains the southern part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, partly devoted to agriculture (including limited use of center pivot irrigation).[6] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point on the west boundary line near the southwest corner, at 2,156 ft (657 m) ASL.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,911.519 square miles (4,950.81 km2), of which 1,873.942 square miles (4,853.49 km2) is land and 37.577 square miles (97.32 km2) (1.97%) is water.[8] It is the 8th largest county in North Dakota by total area.[9]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Lakes

Source:[6]

  • Bromley Lake
  • Buffalo Lodge Lake
  • Connia Slough
  • Erickson Lake
  • Heringen Lake
  • Horseshoe Lake (part)
  • Lake George
  • Lake Hester
  • Lauinger Lake
  • Martin Lake
  • North Lake
  • Potters Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Smoky Lake (part)
  • Stevens Slough
  • Stink Lake

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18901,584—
19005,253231.6%
191017,627235.6%
192015,544−11.8%
193015,439−0.7%
194014,034−9.1%
195012,556−10.5%
196011,099−11.6%
19708,977−19.1%
19807,858−12.5%
19906,528−16.9%
20005,987−8.3%
20105,395−9.9%
20205,345−0.9%
2024 (est.)5,135[10]−3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[1]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in McHenry County was $151,728.[15]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 5,345 people. 2,818 houses.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,395 people, 2,377 households, and 1,527 families in the county. The population density was 2.88 people per square mile (1.11 people/km2). There were 2,948 housing units at an average density of 1.57 units per square mile (0.61/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.8% white, 0.6% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 55.3% were of German, 39.5% Norwegian, 5.3% English, 3.6% Swedish, 3.5% American, 2.4% Russian and 1.7% Dutch ancestry.

Of the 2,377 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.8% were non-families, and 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 46.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,944 and the median income for a family was $54,350. Males had a median income of $36,625 versus $26,205 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,911. About 6.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Source:[6]

  • Berwick
  • Cole Ford
  • Denbigh
  • Funston
  • Genoa
  • Guthrie
  • Kottkethal[16]
  • Milroy
  • Newport
  • Norfolk[16]
  • Norwich
  • Rangeley
  • Riga
  • Rising
  • Rose Hill
  • Simcoe
  • Verendrye
  • Willowdale[16]
  • Willow Vale[16]
  • Willow Valley[16]
  • Willow Creek

Townships

  • Anamoose
  • Balfour
  • Bantry
  • Berwick
  • Bjornson
  • Brown
  • Cottonwood Lake
  • Deep River
  • Deering
  • Denbigh
  • Egg Creek
  • Falsen
  • Gilmore
  • Granville
  • Grilley
  • Hendrickson
  • Karlsruhe
  • Kottke Valley
  • Lake George
  • Lake Hester
  • Land
  • Layton
  • Lebanon
  • Little Deep
  • Meadow
  • Mouse River
  • Newport
  • Normal
  • North Prairie
  • Norwich
  • Odin
  • Olivia
  • Pratt
  • Riga
  • Rose Hill
  • Round Lake
  • Saline
  • Schiller
  • Spring Grove
  • Strege
  • Velva
  • Villard
  • Voltaire
  • Wagar
  • Willow Creek

Notable people

Politics

McHenry County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. In 2024, Donald Trump received the highest percentage of the vote for any presidential candidate in McHenry County's history, receiving over 80% of the vote, breaking his own record that he set in 2020.

United States presidential election results for McHenry County, North Dakota[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 2,223 80.78% 479 17.41% 50 1.82%
2020 2,364 78.72% 564 18.78% 75 2.50%
2016 2,050 72.70% 490 17.38% 280 9.93%
2012 1,678 61.87% 943 34.77% 91 3.36%
2008 1,374 56.87% 981 40.60% 61 2.52%
2004 1,744 61.84% 1,030 36.52% 46 1.63%
2000 1,682 61.45% 888 32.44% 167 6.10%
1996 1,187 43.07% 1,096 39.77% 473 17.16%
1992 1,321 38.90% 1,173 34.54% 902 26.56%
1988 1,888 52.69% 1,665 46.47% 30 0.84%
1984 2,485 65.38% 1,283 33.75% 33 0.87%
1980 2,922 71.20% 939 22.88% 243 5.92%
1976 2,043 49.70% 1,994 48.50% 74 1.80%
1972 2,765 63.62% 1,554 35.76% 27 0.62%
1968 2,226 54.21% 1,595 38.85% 285 6.94%
1964 1,728 39.46% 2,643 60.36% 8 0.18%
1960 2,715 54.87% 2,231 45.09% 2 0.04%
1956 3,019 62.12% 1,825 37.55% 16 0.33%
1952 4,227 76.60% 1,228 22.25% 63 1.14%
1948 2,578 56.45% 1,770 38.76% 219 4.80%
1944 3,141 61.44% 1,934 37.83% 37 0.72%
1940 3,894 63.07% 2,225 36.04% 55 0.89%
1936 1,619 26.24% 3,294 53.40% 1,256 20.36%
1932 1,396 25.08% 3,937 70.73% 233 4.19%
1928 2,914 53.04% 2,535 46.14% 45 0.82%
1924 1,692 36.89% 264 5.76% 2,631 57.36%
1920 3,534 74.09% 848 17.78% 388 8.13%
1916 692 31.33% 1,316 59.57% 201 9.10%
1912 589 23.61% 959 38.44% 947 37.96%
1908 1,772 56.16% 1,296 41.08% 87 2.76%
1904 1,807 73.54% 556 22.63% 94 3.83%
1900 595 70.00% 222 26.12% 33 3.88%

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  3. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  4. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  5. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "McHenry County · North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  7. ^ ""Find an Altitude/McHenry County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 23, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  8. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: McHenry County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  10. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  13. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  15. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e Genealogy Trails: North Dakota (accessed February 23, 2019)
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
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