HomeNorth DakotaMcKenzie County
McKenzie County, North Dakota: commercial real estate data.
McKenzie County, North Dakota had an estimated 14,782 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,707, across 2,760 square miles. County output reached $4.35 bn in 2024, 594 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $9.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
McKenzie County
How many people live in McKenzie County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,321
- Households5,997
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$93,404
- Median age31.5
- Median gross rent$1,284 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$349,600
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree3.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,974
- Population under 184,450
- Share under 1831.1 percent
- Population 65 and over1,336
- Share 65 and over9.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 648,535
- Civilian labor force7,162
- Unemployment rate1.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over72.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Dakota counties10th of 53
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2197th of 3,222
McKenzie County is the 10th largest of 53 North Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 31.1 percent against 9.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
McKenzie County
Is McKenzie County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,782
- Census 2020 base population14,707
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.51 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024500
- Births, 2024217
- Deaths, 202494
- Natural change, 2024123
- Net domestic migration, 2024334
- Net international migration, 202447
- Total net migration, 2024381
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-575
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1652nd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.51 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
McKenzie County
Where are people moving to McKenzie County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving545
- People arriving, from those returns1,092
- Tax returns filed by households leaving551
- Net household movement-6
- Adjusted gross income arriving$34.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-8.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,569
- Average income of a leaving household$77,078
- Largest single originWilliams County (46 households)
- Largest single destinationWilliams County (65 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 46 | 78 | $3.4 m |
| Richland County | 27 | 52 | $1.8 m |
| Mountrail County | 24 | 56 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $14,509 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Williams County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
McKenzie County
What is the McKenzie County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.1 percent
- GDP change over five years62.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Dakota areas BEA publishes6th of 53
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes767th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$304,090
Output grew -1.1 percent in the latest year and 62.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
McKenzie County
Employment by industry in McKenzie County
- Covered employment, annual average11,484
- Establishments reporting819
- Average annual pay$90,997
- Average weekly wage$1,750
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment2,031
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$129,141
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,352
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$128,388
- Retail trade, employment649
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,379
- Wholesale trade, employment561
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$116,124
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment365
- Real estate and rental and leasing, employment338
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 2,031 | 104 | $129,141 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,352 | 115 | $128,388 |
| Retail trade | 649 | 48 | $38,379 |
| Wholesale trade | 561 | 45 | $116,124 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 365 | 77 | $100,013 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 338 | 36 | $116,828 |
| Other services, except public administration | 232 | 53 | $75,726 |
| Finance and insurance | 116 | 15 | $104,830 |
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 2,031 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
McKenzie County
How many businesses are in McKenzie County?
- Establishments, all industries594
- Employment at those establishments6,861
- Annual payroll$646.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents41.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
McKenzie County
Building permits in McKenzie County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202438
- Declared construction value permitted$15.4 m
- Single family units authorized38
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$404,309
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.3
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
McKenzie County
SBA loans in McKenzie County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$668,493
- Median 7(a) approval$313,100
- Largest single approval$2,800,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)131
- Jobs per approval9.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer35.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSupport Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (3)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.1 m
- Average 504 approval$566,889
- Median 504 approval$610,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval9.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.9
- Most active CDCDakota Business Lending (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$14.5 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
McKenzie County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in McKenzie County
Do SBA loans in McKenzie County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
McKenzie County
SBA lending by place in McKenzie County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Watford City, approvals8
- Alexander, approvals2
- Fairview, approvals2
- Arnegard, approvals1
- Cartwright, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Watford City | 8 | $7,358,700 |
| Alexander | 2 | $762,200 |
| Fairview | 2 | $94,000 |
| Arnegard | 1 | $794,000 |
| Cartwright | 1 | $350,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
McKenzie County
How large is McKenzie County?
- Land area2,760 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Dakota counties1st of 53
- Width, east to west69.3 mi
- Height, north to south56.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land5
- Establishments per square mile0.22
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
McKenzie County
Flood risk in McKenzie County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community McKenzie County, unincorporated areasNot participating, community 380054
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in McKenzie County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated McKenzie County (community 380054), does not participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places McKenzie County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 75.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a McKenzie County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a McKenzie County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,321
- Households5,997
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$93,404
- Median age31.5
Common questions
McKenzie County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in McKenzie County, North Dakota?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,782 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,321, in 5,997 households, ranking 10th of 53 North Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is McKenzie County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.51 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,707, to 14,782 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 217 births against 94 deaths, with net migration of 381. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in McKenzie County?
$93,404. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $349,600, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,284 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in McKenzie County?
594 establishments, employing 6,861 people with an annual payroll of $646.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in McKenzie County?
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 2,031 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,484 jobs at an average annual pay of $90,997, or $1,750 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in McKenzie County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $9.4 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $313,100, plus 9 504 approvals worth $5.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in McKenzie County?
38 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.4 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for McKenzie County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to McKenzie County come from?
The largest single origin is Williams County, with 46 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,569 against $77,078 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for McKenzie County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for McKenzie County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
McKenzie County
Cities and places in McKenzie.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in McKenzie County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watford City | city | 6,039 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Mandaree | CDP | 620 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alexander | city | 255 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Arnegard | city | 201 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Four Bears Village | CDP | 154 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Fairview | CDP | 137 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 14 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in McKenzie County, the largest being Fairview (2), Cartwright (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.