McLean County, North Dakota

McLean County (/məˈkleɪn/ mə-KLAYN) is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,771,^[1] and was estimated to be 9,845 in 2024.^[2] The county seat is Washburn and the largest city is Garrison.^[3]

McLean County
County
Historic McLean County Courthouse, now Historical Museum.
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 47.653206°N 101.421914°W / 47.653206; -101.421914
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	March 8, 1883 (created) November 1, 1883 (organized)
Named after	John A. McLean
Seat	Washburn
Largest city	Garrison
Area
• Total	2,327.961 sq mi (6,029.39 km2)
• Land	2,110.272 sq mi (5,465.58 km2)
• Water	217.689 sq mi (563.81 km2)  9.35%
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,771
• Estimate  (2024)	9,845
• Density	4.665/sq mi (1.801/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	701
Congressional district	At-large
Website	mcleancountynd.gov

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 8, 1883, with areas partitioned from Burleigh, Sheridan, and (now-extinct) Stevens counties. The county was named for John A. McLean, the first mayor of Bismarck.^[4] The county organization was completed on November 1 of that year. Its boundaries were altered in 1885, in 1892, and in 1908. It has retained its current configuration since November 3, 1908, when a portion of its previous territory was partitioned to recreate Sheridan County (Sheridan had been dissolved on November 8, 1892, with its territory annexed to McLean).^[5]

Geography

The county's western boundary is delineated by Lake Sakakawea, created in 1956 by construction of Garrison Dam at the county's southwestern edge. The southwestern boundary of the county is delineated by the Missouri River as it continues its southeastward flow from the lake. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion. The area is largely devoted to agriculture.^[6] The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point on the north boundary line near its NW corner, at 2,201 ft (671 m) ASL.^[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,327.961 square miles (6,029.39 km²), of which 2,110.272 square miles (5,465.58 km²) is land and 217.689 square miles (563.81 km²) (9.35%) is water.^[8] It is the third-largest county in North Dakota by total area.^[9]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 83
• North Dakota Highway 28
• North Dakota Highway 37
• North Dakota Highway 41
• North Dakota Highway 48
• North Dakota Highway 53
• North Dakota Highway 200
• North Dakota Highway 200A
• North Dakota Highway 1804

Adjacent counties

• Ward County - north
• McHenry County - northeast
• Sheridan County - east
• Burleigh County - southeast
• Oliver County - south
• Mercer County - southwest
• Dunn County - west
• Mountrail County - northwest

Protected areas

Source:^[6]

• Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
• Camp Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• De Trobriand State Game Management Area
• Douglas Creek Public Use Area
• Hiddenwood National Wildlife Refuge
• Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge
• Lake Otis National Wildlife Refuge
• Lake Susie National Wildlife Refuge
• Lost Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• McLean National Wildlife Refuge
• Riverdale State Game Management Area
• Totten Trail Park
• Wilton Mine State Game Management Area (part)

Lakes

Source:^[6]

• Blackwater Lake
• Blue Lake
• Brumwell Slough
• Camp Lake
• Cherry Lake (part)
• Cottonwood Lake
• Crooked Lake
• Lake Audubon
• Lake Brekken
• Lake Holmes
• Lake Margaret
• Lake Nettie
• Lake Ordway
• Lake Williams
• Lost Lake
• Minehan Slough
• Nelson Lake
• Otis Lake
• Painted Woods Lake
• Pelican Lake
• Peterson Lake
• Postel Lake (part)
• Strawberry Lake
• Turtle Lake
• Wildwood Lake
• Yanktonal Lake

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	860		—
1900	4,791		457.1%
1910	14,496		202.6%
1920	17,266		19.1%
1930	17,991		4.2%
1940	16,082		−10.6%
1950	18,824		17.1%
1960	14,030		−25.5%
1970	11,251		−19.8%
1980	12,383		10.1%
1990	10,457		−15.6%
2000	9,311		−11.0%
2010	8,962		−3.7%
2020	9,771		9.0%
2024 (est.)	9,845	[10]	0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[2]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in McLean County was $246,982.^[15]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,261 estimated households in McLean County with an average of 2.26 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $81,847. Approximately 9.9% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. McLean County has an estimated 58.8% employment rate, with 23.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.6% holding a high school diploma.^[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (97.3%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.4%).

The median age in the county was 47.4 years.

McLean County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic)	Pop. 1980[16]	Pop. 1990[17]	Pop. 2000[18]	Pop. 2010[19]	Pop. 2020[20]
White alone (NH)	11,741 (94.82%)	9,857 (94.26%)	8,592 (92.28%)	8,115 (90.55%)	8,372 (85.68%)
Black or African American alone (NH)	2 (0.02%)	3 (0.03%)	2 (0.02%)	6 (0.07%)	32 (0.33%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	548 (4.43%)	549 (5.25%)	508 (5.46%)	585 (6.53%)	766 (7.84%)
Asian alone (NH)	13 (0.10%)	9 (0.09%)	11 (0.12%)	12 (0.13%)	48 (0.49%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	—	—	1 (0.01%)	2 (0.02%)	7 (0.07%)
Other race alone (NH)	14 (0.11%)	1 (0.01%)	10 (0.11%)	3 (0.03%)	17 (0.17%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)	—	—	106 (1.14%)	128 (1.43%)	381 (3.90%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	65 (0.52%)	38 (0.36%)	81 (0.87%)	111 (1.24%)	148 (1.51%)
Total	12,383 (100.00%)	10,457 (100.00%)	9,311 (100.00%)	8,962 (100.00%)	9,771 (100.00%)

2024 estimate

As of the 2024 estimate, there were 9,845 people and 4,261 households residing in the county. There were 5,862 housing units at an average density of 2.78 per square mile (1.1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.3% White (88.3% NH White), 0.6% African American, 7.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.3% of the population.^[21]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,771 people, 4,129 households, and 2,712 families residing in the county.^[22] The population density was 4.63 inhabitants per square mile (1.8/km²). There were 5,728 housing units at an average density of 2.71 per square mile (1.0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.02% White, 0.33% African American, 8.27% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from some other races and 4.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.51% of the population.^[23]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 8,962 people, 3,897 households, and 2,600 families residing in the county. The population density was 4.25 inhabitants per square mile (1.6/km²). There were 5,590 housing units at an average density of 2.65 per square mile (1.0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.03% White, 0.09% African American, 6.97% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from some other races and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.24% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 54.4% were German, 24.6% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Irish, 5.6% were Swedish, 5.1% were English, and 3.6% were American.

Of the 3,897 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 49.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,922 and the median income for a family was $62,686. Males had a median income of $48,906 versus $29,431 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,029. About 6.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

• Benedict
• Butte
• Coleharbor
• Garrison
• Max
• Mercer
• Riverdale
• Ruso
• Turtle Lake
• Underwood
• Washburn (county seat)
• Wilton (partly in Burleigh County)

Census-designated place

• White Shield

Unincorporated communities

Source:^[6]

• Falkirk
• Merida
• Raub
• Roseglen

Townships

• Amundsville
• Andrews
• Aurena
• Blackwater
• Blue Hill
• Butte
• Byersville
• Cremerville
• Deepwater
• Dogden
• Douglas
• Gate
• Greatstone
• Horseshoe Valley
• Lake Williams
• Longfellow
• Loquemont
• Malcolm
• McGinnis
• Medicine Hill
• Mercer
• Otis
• Roseglen
• Rosemont
• Saint Mary
• Snow
• Turtle Lake
• Victoria
• Wise

Communities flooded by Garrison Dam

• Beaver Creek
• Charging Eagle
• Elbowoods
• Independence
• Lucky Mound
• Nishu
• Red Butte (Mandan community)
• Shell Creek

Politics

McLean County voters have voted Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for McLean County, North Dakota^[24][25]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	4,231	78.05%	1,093	20.16%	97	1.79%
2020	4,198	75.83%	1,230	22.22%	108	1.95%
2016	3,860	72.62%	1,081	20.34%	374	7.04%
2012	3,141	63.61%	1,670	33.82%	127	2.57%
2008	2,767	58.42%	1,867	39.42%	102	2.15%
2004	3,014	63.45%	1,664	35.03%	72	1.52%
2000	2,891	62.23%	1,465	31.53%	290	6.24%
1996	1,988	45.39%	1,759	40.16%	633	14.45%
1992	2,124	40.05%	1,808	34.09%	1,371	25.85%
1988	2,906	53.85%	2,428	45.00%	62	1.15%
1984	3,673	62.82%	2,062	35.27%	112	1.92%
1980	4,234	67.79%	1,613	25.82%	399	6.39%
1976	2,729	48.17%	2,815	49.69%	121	2.14%
1972	3,575	66.23%	1,703	31.55%	120	2.22%
1968	2,764	54.95%	2,050	40.76%	216	4.29%
1964	2,204	39.73%	3,339	60.19%	4	0.07%
1960	3,398	55.05%	2,771	44.89%	4	0.06%
1956	3,653	58.17%	2,609	41.54%	18	0.29%
1952	5,184	68.62%	2,295	30.38%	76	1.01%
1948	2,762	50.10%	2,283	41.41%	468	8.49%
1944	2,822	53.37%	2,326	43.99%	140	2.65%
1940	4,113	58.99%	2,666	38.24%	193	2.77%
1936	1,732	25.24%	4,018	58.55%	1,112	16.21%
1932	1,369	23.92%	4,354	76.08%	0	0.00%
1928	2,730	47.51%	2,855	49.69%	161	2.80%
1924	1,651	36.02%	194	4.23%	2,738	59.74%
1920	3,724	74.23%	748	14.91%	545	10.86%
1916	1,054	41.64%	1,210	47.81%	267	10.55%
1912	505	25.63%	583	29.59%	882	44.77%
1908	2,273	67.83%	927	27.66%	151	4.51%
1904	1,928	88.44%	219	10.05%	33	1.51%
1900	587	83.74%	110	15.69%	4	0.57%

Education

School districts include:^[26]

• Drake Public School District 57
• Garrison Public School District 51
• Lewis and Clark Public School District 161
• Max Public School District 50
• Parshall Public School District 3
• Turtle Lake-Mercer Public School District 72
• Underwood Public School District 8
• Velva Public School District 1
• Washburn Public School District 4
• White Shield Public School District 85
• Wilton Public School District 1

Riverdale School District 89 had portions in McLean County and in Mercer County. The Associated Press described the district as "divided equally" between the counties. In 1993 members of the Riverdale School District school board voted to abolish their school district, with the Underwood and Hazen districts to obtain pieces of it.^[27]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in McLean County, North Dakota