Ask A Researcher

March 2024

North Dakota Compass Releases the 2024 Compass Points

Launched in 2013, North Dakota Compass, a statewide social indicators program, unique to North Dakota, was developed to support, empower, and enable North Dakota nonprofits, community leaders, government agencies, educators, foundations, and policymakers to meet their goals and objectives to positively impact their communities and the state. ND Compass continues to be a centralized source for current, curated, accurate, and unbiased actionable demographic and socio-economic data, placed in context, to support decision making and community engagement in North Dakota. This article highlights the notable trends and data points that appear in the newly released 2024 Compass Points.

 

Compass Points 2024, ND Compass’ signature publication sponsored by Dakota Medical Foundation, just launched, and continues to capture the current state of North Dakota, how North Dakota fares in relation to other states, and measures of progress over time in key topic areas. The goal of this publication is to provide data and analysis to better identify and build understanding about the issues and opportunities facing the state of North Dakota.
Below are several of the notable trends highlighted in this year’s edition of Compass Points.

North Dakota continues to gain population in 2023

North Dakota’s population reached 783,926 in 2023. A look at the components of change over the past three years reveals notable trends. Although annual births saw a slight decline (from 10,019 in 2020-2021 to 9,649 in 2022-2023), a corresponding decrease in deaths resulted in an overall growth in natural change (births minus deaths).

North Dakota also experienced a positive net migration in 2022-2023, which deviates from the negative trends in the previous two years. This positive shift is attributed to an increase in international migration (2,298 people) and minimal domestic out-migration (-9 people) compared to previous years. Maintaining a positive natural increase and the ability to attract and retain residents contributes to North Dakota’s continued population increase.

North Dakota’s poverty rate is down slightly from 2010 but varies greatly by county

In 2022, North Dakota's poverty rate was 12 percent, just below the national average of 13 percent. While the 2022 poverty rate represented a slight decrease from 13 percent in 2010, North Dakota's ranking worsened among states dropping from 16th lowest poverty rate in 2010 to 21st in 2022.

While 36 counties in North Dakota had poverty rates below the national average in 2022, significant disparities existed among counties. Mercer County had the lowest poverty rate at 7 percent, followed closely by Ransom and Steele counties. Conversely, Benson (25%), Rolette (26%), and Sioux (33%) counties had poverty rates exceeding one-quarter of the population. On a positive note, among all North Dakota counties, Benson and Sioux counties experienced the largest decreases in poverty rates from 2010, with declines of 10 and 8 percentage points, respectively.

Some unhealthy behaviors decreased among North Dakota high school students in the past decade

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) administered to high school and middle school students throughout the U.S., the percentage of high schoolers in North Dakota who currently drink alcohol (at least one drink of alcohol, on at least one day during the past month) decreased from 39 percent in 2011 to 24 percent in 2021.

In addition, 6 percent of high school students in North Dakota reported currently smoking cigarettes (at least one day in the past month), down from 19 percent in 2011. However, in 2021, 21 percent of high school students reported currently using an electronic vapor product (at least one day during the past month).

Many young people engage in sexual behaviors that can result in adverse health outcomes, such as unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. The proportion of high school students who ever had sex decreased from 45 percent in 2011 to 37 percent in 2021.

New on ND Compass

New this year, Compass Points showcases a number of new features added to the website in the past year, such as the Social Determinants of Health Toolkit, the State Legislative Districts Dashboard, and the most recent PRAMS Points Dashboards that feature analysis of data on Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences, Postpartum Depression and Car Seat Awareness.

Social Determinants of Health Toolkit

IHealth and well-being are essential building blocks to personal fulfillment, thriving communities, and a stronger state. A 2022 study sponsored by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation and conducted by the Center for Social Research at North Dakota State University examined how the Social Determinants of Health in North Dakota shape the health of North Dakotans and the communities where they live. The Social Determinants of Health Toolkit presented on ND Compass is a supplement to the study and presents county-level data from the statewide report to better visualize the rich data presented in the report. The toolkit is updated regularly with new and current data and information.

New PRAMS Points

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a collaboration project of the North Dakota Health and Human Services Agency and the Center for Social Research at North Dakota State University. PRAMS focuses on gathering state-specific data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy to improve the health of mothers and infants – with the overall goal of reducing infant morbidity and mortality. To help disseminate project results, a series of dashboards referred to as PRAMS Points have been developed, on a variety of topics including oral health, existing and gestational diabetes, safe sleep, adverse childhood experiences, postpartum depression, and car seat awareness, with the last three added in 2023.

North Dakota State Legislative Districts Dashboard

North Dakota Compass launched a new interactive dashboard feature with the 2024 State Legislative District Profiles update. The profiles are intended to encourage dialogue among legislators, members of government agencies, community-based organizations, educators, individuals, and businesses about how to best support communities and residents in North Dakota. The newly created dashboard makes it easy to visualize the variation in individual and household characteristics among North Dakota’s districts and simple to compare specific districts.

State of the State
The state of the state segment of Compass Points provides key metrics in all topics on the ND Compass website, highlighting how North Dakota compares (ranking) to other states and how the state is trending.
North Dakota ranked among the top 5 states for…

  • The percentage of adults (age 16-64) who are working (79.2% - first place, highest percentage)
  • The percentage of households who are cost-burdened from housing (25.0% - 4th lowest)
  • Babies born at low birth weight (7.1% - 5th lowest)

North Dakota ranked among the bottommost states for…

  • The percentage of children (3 and 4 years old) enrolled in preschool (29.1% - rank 50th out of 50 states, lowest percentage)
  • Annual change in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (-1.3% - rank 47th out of 50 states)

Compared to the previous year, North Dakota improved on ...

  • 3rd graders proficient in reading (increased from 38.8% in 2022 to 40.3% in 2023)
  • 8th graders proficient in math (increased from 33.7% in 2022 to 34.6% in 2023)
  • Homeownership (increased from 63.1% in 2021 to 65.1% in 2022)
  • The proportion of adults working (increased from 77.2% in 2021 to 79.2% in 2022)
  • The percent of people without health insurance (decreased from 9.2% in 2021 to 7.5% in 2022)

Compared to the previous year, North Dakota trended unfavorably on ...

  • Residents (age 16 and older) who volunteered in the past year (decreased from 35.2% in 2019 to 29.2% in 2021)
  • Percent of eligible voters who voted in the mid-term election (decreased from 58.7% in 2018 to 42.9% in 2022)
  • Students who graduate high school on time (decreased from 84.3% in 2022 to 82.7% in 2023)

Data for the 2024 Compass Points is provided by North Dakota Compass with the most recent data updated in February 2024, unless defined otherwise. Data sources, years, margins of error, and additional notes are available on ndcompass.org.

Download the 2024 Compass Points.
Browse ndcompass.org for more data and trends.

 

Ask a researcher archive

North Dakota Compass. North Dakota Compass Releases the 2024 Compass Points
March 2024

Nicholas Bauroth. City Governance: Commission or Council for Fargo, North Dakota?
February 2024

Ina Cernusca. 2024 Brings a NEW Visualization Tool and Data Updates to the North Dakota State Legislative District Profiles.
January 2024

Samuel Faraday Saidu and Chelsey Hukriede. Strapped for Safety: Exploring Insights into Car Seat Knowledge Among North Dakota Mothers.
December 2023

Debarati Kole and Kendra Erickson-Dockter. A Comprehensive Look at the Multifaceted Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression
October 2023

Valquiria F. Quirino and Avram Slone. COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota: Significance, progression, and government response.
September 2023

Karen Olson. The Lasting Impact of Maternal Childhood Trauma
August 2023

Avram Slone. The Social Variability of COVID-19 Mortality in North Dakota between March 11th, 2020 and February 13th, 2022
July 2023

Nancy Hodur and Dean Bangsund. Agriculture a Key Driver in the North Dakota economy
June 2023

Karen Olson. Health and Well-Being in North Dakota. Understanding how the five social determinants of health are impacting the ability of North Dakotans to thrive
May 2023

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. North Dakota Compass: 10 years of Measuring Progress and Inspiring Action.
April 2023

Hannah Hanson & Grace Njau. Every Dad Counts: North Dakota Fatherhood Experiences Survey
March 2023

Nancy Hodur. Housing Market Conditions and Declining Homeownership Rates
February 2023

North Dakota Compass. 2022 Recap: Data highlighted throughout the year
January 2023

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. A Look into a Chronic Condition and Pregnancy: Preexisting Diabetes PRAMS Points 2022
December 2022

Nancy Hodur and Karen Olson. Lower-income households and baby boomers, main drivers for North Dakota housing needs in the near term
November 2022

Avram Slone. The Impact of COVID-19 on Group Quarters in North Dakota
October 2022

Chelsey Hukriede. Safe Sleep PRAMS Points 
September 2022

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. Gestational Diabetes PRAMS Points – A NEW Dashboard Format!
August 2022

Aastha Bhandari, Debarati Kole, Dr. Nancy Hodur. Mission Of Mercy: Giving hope through a smile.
July 2022

Ina Cernusca.Households with children have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the first year of the pandemic.
May 2022

Andy Wiese and Karen Olson. One Health System’s Approach to Improving Community Health. Understanding what the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment Conducted by Sanford Health means for population health
April 2022

Mariel Lopez-Valentin and Grace Njau. North Dakota Title X, Family Planning Needs Assessment
January 2022

Nancy Hodur and Dean Bangsund. North Dakota Lignite Energy Industry Workforce
December 2021

Ina Cernusca. Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in North Dakota
October 2021

Nancy Hodur and Karen Olson. Rural Communities Will Benefit from a New Cooperative in Walsh County
September 2021

Matt Schmidt and Grace Njau. COVID-19 Trends Among North Dakota Children, March 2020 – March 2021
August 2021

Kendra Erickson-Dockter and Ina Cernusca. COVID Hardship on North Dakota Households: New study on the impacts on North Dakota households that lost employment income during the pandemic
July 2021

Chelsey Hukriede and Kendra Erickson-Dockter. NEW! PRAMS Points – A Brief Infographic using North Dakota PRAMS Survey Data
May 2021

North Dakota Compass: A look inside the 2021 Compass Points
April 2021

Ina Cernusca: Households with children are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
March 2021

Ina Cernusca: Differences in COVID-19 Risk Factors at District Level
February 2021

Kendra Erickson-Dockter, Chelsey Hukriede, and Grace Njau: An Introduction to the North Dakota Study of Associated Risks of Stillbirth (SOARS)
October 2020

Karen Ehrens: North Dakota Families are Facing Food and Other Hardships in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, and Helpers Respond
September 2020

Ina Cernusca: Taking the pulse of North Dakota households during the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020

Nancy Hodur:Challenges of Grocery Stores in Rural North Dakota
May 2020

North Dakota Compass:2020 Compass Points: Measuring progress. Inspiring action.
March 2020

Amy Tichy:Student Veterans in the College Classroom.
February 2020

North Dakota Compass:North Dakota Compass launches the 2020 State Legislative District Profiles
January 2020

Grace Njau, Nancy Hodur:&Chelsey Hukriede: Risk Behaviors among Women with a Recent Live Birth in North Dakota: Findings from the 2017 North Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
November 2019

Ina Cernusca:& Karen Olson: Behind the scenes – The story of the North Dakota State Legislative District Profiles
October 2019

Ina Cernusca: Key demographic trends in North Dakota.
August 2019

Karen Olson: The 30th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT® Data Book finds that 175,772 children will shape the future of a more diverse North Dakota.
July 2019

Shweta Arpit Srivastava & Dr. Ann Burnett: “Giving rope and pulling it back”: Parental dilemmas to prevent adolescent substance use
June 2019

Ina Cernusca: 2019 Compass Points: Setting direction for improving the quality of life in North Dakota
May 2019

Joshua Marineau and Onnolee Nordstrom: Learning from Fargo -- An Exploration of the Fargo-Moorhead Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
March 2019

Nancy Hodur: Improving Oral Health for Older Adults in North Dakota
November 2018

Rachelle Vettern: Engaging Volunteers across Generations
October 2018

Karen Olson: The 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book reveals strengths and challenges for children in North Dakota – and emphasizes that an inaccurate census in 2020 threatens to worsen existing challenges for North Dakota youth
July 2018

Lori Capouch: Is food access a concern in rural North Dakota?
May 2018

Deb Nelson: Williston Basin 2016: Employment, Population, and Housing Forecasts – An Overview
January 2018

Karen Olson: North Dakota among Top 10 States in Country for Child Well-Being
July 2017

Nancy Hodur: SEAL!North Dakota: A School Dental Sealant Program
June 2017

Grace Njau: A Brief Introduction to the North Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
April 2017

Ina Cernusca: North Dakota’s Women study: A brief overview
March 2017

Dean Bangsund: Effects of Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion on Spring Planting for Producers
February 2017

Deb Nelson: Vision West: Leading, Educating, and Collaborating to Mobilize the 19 Western North Dakota Counties Towards Resilience and Prosperity
December 2016

Nancy Hodur: North Dakota Statewide Housing Needs Assessment: A Brief Overview of the Population and Housing Forecast component
November 2016

Social Isolation: Experiential Narratives of African Refugee Women in the Fargo-Moorhead Community
September 2016

Sean Brotherson: Father Involvement and the Future of Children and Families
July 2016

Carol Cwiak: Bakken Oil: What Have We Learned and What Will We Do Differently Next Time
June 2016

Jessica Creuzer: The Changing Face of Western North Dakota: What are the Effects of Increased Travel from Energy Development
April 2016

ND Compass: City Profiles
February 2016

ND Department of Health: Making Change Happen
January 2016

Jennifer Weber: A Bold New Direction for the North Dakota University System - The NDUS Edge Dashboards
December 2015

Wendy Troop-Gordon: What Has Science Taught Us About Bullying?
November 2015

ND Compass: A Look at the Youngest North Dakotans
October 2015

Kendra Erickson-Dockter: Growing Older in North Dakota
September 2015

Michael Ziesch: Data You Can Trust: The Labor Market Information Center
August 2015

Malini Srivastava and Troy Raisanen: efargo: City Scale Sustainability
July 2015

Kevin Iverson: The State Repository of Census Information- The North Dakota Census
June 2015

Wonwoo Byun: Reducing Sedentary Behavior is a Key for Obesity Prevention in Children
May 2015

Kathryn Gordon: The Science of Suicide Prevention
April 2015

ND Compass: Tell a Story with Data! The Importance of Crade-to-Career Success
March 2015

Abby Gold: Community Food Systems: Food Charters and More
February 2015

Heather Fuller-Iglesias: The Importance of Recognizing the Role of Social Support in Human Development Across the Lifespan
January 2015

Michael Carbone: Using Data to End Homelessness
December 2014

Randal Coon: Tribal Colleges Contribute to the State's Economy
November 2014

Deb White: Women's Representation in Elected Office
October 2014

Randal Coon: Pull Factors Measure Retail Trade Performance
September 2014

Karen Olson: North Dakota ranks Well Nationally with Regard to Overall Child Well-Being; However, Substantial Opportunities for Improvement Exist
August 2014

Julie Garden-Robinson: Guard Against Grilling Gaffes: Healthy Grilling and Food Safety Tips
July 2014

Michael Noone: Extreme Weather Patterns- North Dakota Has It All
June 2014

Kathleen Tweeten: Why All Community Development Decisions Should Use the Community Capitals Framework
May 2014

Clayton Hilmert: Stress effects on pregnancy: The impact of the 2009 Red River flood on birth weight
April 2014

Karen Ehrens: Food Deserts and how they impact North Dakota
March 2014

Gretchen Dobervich and Kendra Erickson-Dockter: New Geographic Profiles: How they can work for you
February 2014

Compass Staff: "New Compass Team Brings Changes in 2014"
January 2014

Donna Grandbois: "Fargo-Moorhead American Indian Community-Sponsored Health Needs Assessment"
November 2013

Karen Olson: "North Dakota KIDS COUNT - why it counts for you
October 2013

Nancy Hodur: "Western North Dakota School Administrators Face Challenges"
August 2013

Megan Chmielewski: "Annual population estimates tell interesting stories about North Dakota's growth patterns"
July 2013

Ramona Danielson: "Learn how to make the ND Compass website work for you"
May 2013

Karen Olson: "About the American Community Survey (ACS)"
February 2013

North Dakota Compass

Center for Social Research
North Dakota State University

Compass created by:
Wilder Research

© 2024. All rights reserved.