What do you think will happen to the population in rural North Dakota?

Answer 1

Rural North Dakota, like the rural areas of most of the upper plains states, has been losing population over the years. A large part of the loss is due to the decline of small family farms in favor of huge mechanized farms; each square mile of land requires fewer workers today. However, most of this trend has been completed and this would tend to cause the population to level out about where it is now.

The North Dakota data center shows the largest rural counties with projected very slight population declines out to 2020. McLean County, for example, now has only 4.4 people per square mile. Stutsman County has 9.9 people per square mile. Both project very slight declines over the next ten years.

Answer 2

It is difficult to predict with certainty, but population trends in rural North Dakota are likely to continue declining due to factors such as limited job opportunities, outmigration to urban areas, and an aging population. However, efforts to diversify the economy and attract new residents could potentially stabilize or even reverse the population decline in the long term.