North Dakota
North Dakota sets new population record as state approaches 800,000 residents
BISMARCK — North Dakota’s population count is gaining momentum as it reaches a record of 796,568 in 2024, an increase of over 7,500 people since last year and more than 2% since 2020, according to census data.
According to population estimates released Thursday, Dec. 19, by the
U.S. Census Bureau,
Cass County exceeded the 200,000-resident mark by 945 people and Burleigh County hovered over 100,000 residents with a count of 103,107.
The two counties combined accounted for over 58% of the state’s growth in the last year.
“People continue to discover North Dakota’s abundant job opportunities, low taxes, strong education and health care systems, and unmatched quality of life with world-class outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing,” Gov. Kelly Armstrong said in a Thursday release.
The release also noted a net population increase of more than 18% since 2010, calling North Dakota one of the fastest-growing states in the country, though the Midwest overall had the lowest net population increase.
Contributed / U.S. Census Bureau
Most of the 43 states that grew in 2024 were southern states.
North Dakota’s population rise is part of a nationwide trend the Census Bureau attributes broadly to international migration and “natural increase” — when births outnumber deaths.
North Dakota had a natural increase of 2,725, with 6,867 deaths and 9,592 births in 2024.
While the state lost nearly 300 people to domestic migration, it gained 5,126 people by international migration for a net gain of 4,835 people moving into the state in 2024.
Contributed / U.S. Census Bureau
The U.S. population surpassed 340 million and grew by nearly a full percent between 2023 and 2024, the highest growth in decades, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Nearly 84% of the nation’s 3.3 million new residents are associated with international migration.
Natural increase accounted for about 15.6% of national growth in the U.S. in 2024, with 519,000 more births than deaths — up from the historic low in 2021 when births outpaced deaths by 146,000.
“An annual growth rate of 1.0% is higher than what we’ve seen over recent years but well within historical norms,” Census Bureau Demographer Kristie Wilder
said in a Thursday release.
“What stands out is the diminishing role of natural increase over the last five years, as net international migration has become the primary driver of the nation’s growth.”
Since the last Census release, the bureau adjusted its migration estimate to account for a “notable” increase in “non-U.S.-born immigration” — the number of refugees, people released by U.S. Border Patrol and by those held on parole by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations.
As a result, the 2024 international migration totals appear inflated in retrospective comparison to totals from previous years.
North Dakota officials see “legal immigration” as an opportunity to address statewide workforce shortages,
as recent population growth isn’t enough to fill the state’s nearly 30,000 job vacancies.
“We look forward to working with the state Legislature in the upcoming session to set North Dakota up for even greater success and population growth, including addressing much-needed property tax reform and relief,” Armstrong said in the Thursday release.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
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