Benson County, North Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benson County
U.S. county
Benson County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	March 9, 1883 (created) June 4, 1884 (organized)
Named for	Bertil W. Benson
Seat	Minnewaukan
Largest community	Fort Totten
Area
• Total	1,439 sq mi (3,730 km2)
• Land	1,389 sq mi (3,600 km2)
• Water	51 sq mi (130 km2)  3.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,964
• Estimate  (2022)	5,770
• Density	4.1445/sq mi (1.6002/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Benson County is a county located in the state of North Dakota in the United States. In 2020, about 5,964 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Minnewaukan.

The county was created on March 9, 1883, by the government of the Dakota Territory. It was named after Bertil W. Benson, who was a lawmaker at that time. The county officially started its government on June 4, 1884.

A large part of the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation and the White Horse Hill National Game Preserve are found within Benson County.

Geography of Benson County

Much of the eastern border of Benson County is along the shore of Devils Lake. This is a special type of lake that doesn't flow into other rivers unless it overflows. The North Fork Sheyenne River also flows through the southwestern part of the county.

Benson County has rolling hills with many lakes, ponds, and small streams. The land gently slopes towards the east. The highest point in the county is about 1,624 feet (495 meters) above sea level, located on its western border. The county covers a total area of 1,439 square miles (3,727 square kilometers). About 1,389 square miles (3,597 square kilometers) is land, and 51 square miles (132 square kilometers) is water.

Neighboring Counties

These are the counties that share a border with Benson County:

Main Roads

These are the most important highways that pass through Benson County:

Protected Natural Areas

Benson County is home to several protected natural areas, including:

Lakes in Benson County

Here are some of the lakes found in Benson County:

People and Population

The number of people living in Benson County has changed over the years. Here's how the population has grown and shrunk:

2020 Census

According to the census in 2020, there were 5,964 people living in Benson County.

2010 Census

In 2010, the census counted 6,660 people in the county. The population density was about 4.8 people per square mile.

The people living in Benson County were made up of different groups:

• 55.0% were American Indian
• 43.4% were white
• 0.2% were from other races
• 1.4% were from two or more races

About 1.2% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.

The average age of people in Benson County was 31.6 years.

Population Changes Over Time

This chart shows how the population of Benson County has changed from 1890 to 2022.

Communities in Benson County

Benson County has several cities, towns, and smaller communities. The largest community is Fort Totten, followed by Leeds, Maddock, and the county seat, Minnewaukan. There are nine cities in the county.

The largest township is Mission Township, with 935 people. It's on the south shore of Devils Lake and is popular for vacations. It's also home to the Spirit Lake Casino and Resort and is part of the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.

Cities

Census-designated place

• Fort Totten

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or towns:

Townships

Townships are smaller local government areas within the county:

Education

Here are the school districts that serve students in Benson County:

K-12 School Districts

These districts offer schooling from kindergarten through 12th grade:

Elementary School Districts

This district focuses on elementary education:

• Oberon Public School District 16

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Benson para niños