MCKENZIE COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA

'McKenzie County' is a county located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of 2000, the population is 5,737. Its county seat is Watford City⁶. The county is named after early North Dakota politician Alexander McKenzie.

Contents

Geography

Townships

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Places

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated community

Sites of interest

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 7,410 km² (2,861 mi²). 7,102 km² (2,742 mi²) of it is land and 308 km² (119 mi²) of it (4.16%) is water. This makes it the largest county in the state in terms of total area.
The McKenzie County landscape features a wide diversity of physical features, ranging from sugarbeet fields bordering the Missouri River at the northwest corner of the county to rugged badlands near the Little Missouri River in the south, where Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Little Missouri National Grassland are located. Between the two rivers is a large area of prairie, ranging from gentle rolling terrain to rocky, rugged pastures. The southeast corner of the county, bordering on the Little Missouri badlands of neighboring Dunn County, is abundant in wildlife, quaking aspen groves, and bur oak groves, interspersed in places with western red cedar on the north-facing slopes of the badlands.

Townships

★ Alex ★ Antelope Creek ★ Arnegard ★ Blue Butte ★ Charbon ★ Elm Tree

★ Grail ★ Grassy Butte ★ Hawkeye ★ Keene ★ Randolph ★ Riverview

★ Sioux ★ Tri ★ Twin Valley ★ Yellowstone

Adjacent counties

★ Williams County (north)

★ Mountrail County (northeast)

★ Dunn County (southeast)

★ Billings County (south)

★ Golden Valley County and Wibaux County, Montana (southwest)

★ Richland County, Montana (west)

Major highways

★ U.S. Highway 85

★ North Dakota Highway 22

★ North Dakota Highway 23

★ North Dakota Highway 58

★ North Dakota Highway 68

★ North Dakota Highway 73

★ North Dakota Highway 200

★ North Dakota Highway 1806

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 5,737 people, 2,151 households, and 1,548 families residing in the county. The population density was 1/km² (2/mi²). There were 2,719 housing units at an average density of 0/km² (1/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.36% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 21.18% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,151 households out of which 34.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.60% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,342, and the median income for a family was $34,091. Males had a median income of $26,351 versus $20,147 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,732. About 13.70% of families and 17.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.10% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.

Places

Cities

★ Alexander

★ Arnegard

★ Rawson

★ Watford City
''Note: all incorporated communities in North Dakota are called "cities" regardless of their size.''

Census-designated places

★ Four Bears Village

★ Mandaree

Unincorporated community

★ Keene

Sites of interest

★ Theodore Roosevelt National Park

★ Little Missouri National Grassland