Overview

Quickly access key measure data from throughout the site that show differences based on race, income, gender, age, and Native American reservation area and find ideas to take effective action.

In North Dakota, we take pride in our belief that all people have opportunities to become successful.  We also know that our future as a state depends upon the strength and well-being of all who live here, especially our younger people.

What's happening

  • All young people living here in North Dakota, from birth through early adulthood, need to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in jobs essential to our economy. Reducing income and racial disparities in early childhood and education is key to maintaining a strong workforce.
  • While the root causes of disparities lie in historical experiences of oppression and exclusion, many gaps illustrated by current data can be explained by insufficient income, unhealthy environments, and inadequate access to opportunities.
  • The Native American population experiences poverty at a rate two to four times higher than the state average. From 2015 to 2019, 10.6 percent of the North Dakota total population lived below the poverty level, while the poverty rate for the Native American population was 32.2 percent. The Spirit Lake reservation shows the greatest poverty level at 43.8 percent, while the Fort Berthold had the lowest at 19.1 percent.

Making connections

By highlighting disparities across important quality of life topics such as education and health, we hope that practitioners and policymakers will gain a broader understanding of the issues we face and use objective data to make sound decisions that will lead to a higher quality of life for all North Dakota residents. 


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Ina Cernusca: North Dakota’s Women study: A brief overview

"North Dakota is one of few states where males outnumber females. While the U.S. population of males and females of all ages increased consistently from 2000 to 2014, with females outnumbering males, the male population in North Dakota increased at a higher rate than the female population. From 2000 to 2014, the male population in North Dakota increased by 18 percent compared to a 12 percent increase in the female population. In 2014, the male population outnumbered the female population with 95 females for every 100 males."

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Jonix Owino: Social Isolation: Experiential Narratives of African Refugee Women in the Fargo-Moorhead Community

"A recently concluded North Dakota State University thesis study on “Integration of African Refugee Women into the Fargo – Moorhead Community” aimed at understanding the background experiences of African Refugee Women, how the women perceive and understand the Fargo – Moorhead community, and their integration challenges."

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North Dakota Compass

Center for Social Research
North Dakota State University

Compass created by:
Wilder Research

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