Richland County, North Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richland County
U.S. county
Richland County Courthouse in Wahpeton
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	January 4, 1873 (created) November 25, 1873 (organized)
Named for	Morgan T. Rich
Seat	Wahpeton
Largest city	Wahpeton
Area
• Total	1,445 sq mi (3,740 km2)
• Land	1,436 sq mi (3,720 km2)
• Water	9.7 sq mi (25 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,529
• Estimate  (2023)	16,558
• Density	11.439/sq mi (4.4165/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Richland County is a special area called a county located in the southeastern part of North Dakota. It's a state in the United States. In 2020, about 16,529 people lived here. The main town and center of the county is Wahpeton.

Richland County is part of a larger area called the Wahpeton, ND–MN Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to nearby towns and cities for things like jobs and services. It's also part of the even bigger Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN Combined Statistical Area.

History of Richland County

The area that is now Richland County was officially created on January 4, 1873. This happened when the government of the Dakota Territory decided to set aside this land. It was named after Morgan T. Rich, who was one of the first people to settle in the area where Wahpeton is today.

The county was fully organized on November 25, 1873. This means it started to have its own local government. The county's borders changed a couple of times in 1883 and 1885. Since 1885, the county's shape and size have stayed the same.

In 2022, Richland County experienced very strong winds, over 70 miles per hour. This type of storm is called a derecho. It caused 34 tornadoes in the region, and one of them passed near LeMars in Richland County.

An old map of Richland County, North Dakota from 1897.

Geography and Nature

Richland County is in the very southeast corner of North Dakota. It shares a border with Minnesota to the east, across the Red River. To the south, it borders South Dakota.

The Red River flows north along the eastern edge of the county. It eventually empties into the Hudson Bay. Other rivers like the Wild Rice River and the Sheyenne River also flow through the county. They both join the Red River further north.

Most of Richland County is flat. However, there are some gently rolling hills in the southwest and northwest parts. A lot of the land is used for farming. The land generally slopes downwards towards the north and east. The highest point in the county is about 1,220 feet (372 meters) above sea level.

The county covers a total area of about 1,445 square miles (3,743 square kilometers). Most of this is land, about 1,436 square miles (3,719 square kilometers). Only a small part, about 9.7 square miles (25 square kilometers), is water.

Main Roads in Richland County

Neighboring Counties

Richland County shares its borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Sheyenne National Grassland is located within Richland County. This is a special area managed to protect natural resources.

Lakes in Richland County

People and Population

The population of Richland County has changed over the years. In 2020, the census counted 16,529 people living there. There were 6,710 households, which are groups of people living together.

In 2010, the census showed 16,321 people. Most people were white (95.0%). Other groups included American Indian (2.0%), Black or African American (0.7%), and Asian (0.5%). About 1.7% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background.

Many people in Richland County have German (53.0%) or Norwegian (31.2%) family backgrounds. The average age of people in the county was about 39.4 years old.

The average income for a household in 2010 was $47,131 per year. For families, it was $64,636. About 10.7% of the people in the county lived below the poverty line.

How the Population Has Changed Over Time

Towns and Communities

Richland County has several towns and smaller communities where people live.

Cities in Richland County

Smaller Communities (Unincorporated)

These are places where people live, but they don't have their own city government.

Education in Richland County

Students in Richland County attend schools in various school districts.

There is also a special school called Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School. This school is managed by Native American tribes and works with the Bureau of Indian Education.

Images for kids

• 

  Richland County Courthouse in Wahpeton

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Richland (Dakota del Norte) para niños