Jury Pool Profile
Nelson County, North Dakota
- County seat
- Lakota
- Judicial district
- Northeast Central Judicial District Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 2,963
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 3,016.
At a glance
Nelson County is a 2,963-person venue. The county population is 93% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $69,654, $10,478 below the ND state median of $80,132; 29.4% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 4.8% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home. The largest employment sector is Education & health services, at 34.3% of covered employment, average pay $45,559/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 2.23%, below the 2.49% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking 60% to 65% of the vote across the three.
- Population
- 3,016
- Median household income
- $67,193
- Unemployment
- 2.2%
Who sits on a jury?
≥70% White (race-alone) and <20% Black. This county: 93% / 0%.
Nelson County has a population of 3,016, with a median age of 50.1. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 92.7%; Black residents 0.5%. Independently, 3.0% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median household earns $69,654; 29.4% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 11.0% live below the federal poverty line.
Economic context
Largest sector in BLS QCEW, even counting every withheld job toward the other sectors: Education & health services, about 34% of covered jobs.
Education & health services is the largest employment sector at 34.3% of covered employment, followed by Trade, transportation & utilities at 21.9%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 2.23%, below the North Dakota state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 63%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Nelson County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 65.0% in 2024, 64.2% in 2020, 60.5% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 60% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 4.8% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
4.8% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Russian, Polish, or other Slavic, Spanish, Tagalog. Veterans account for 8.8% of the adult civilian population (210 individuals).