Foster County vs Nelson County
A side-by-side comparison of Foster County and Nelson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Foster County and Nelson County are counties in North Dakota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Foster County has the higher population (3,372 vs 3,015 in Nelson County). Foster County has the higher median household income ($83,412 vs $68,051 in Nelson County). Foster County has the higher median home value ($162,800 vs $114,500 in Nelson County).
Population, income & housing
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,372 | 3,015 |
| Median age | 43.3 yrs | 50.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $83,412 | $68,051 |
| Median home value | $162,800 | $114,500 |
| Median gross rent | $756 | $593 |
| Housing units | 1,782 | 1,798 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.4% | 76.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 28.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 0.1% | 1.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,260 → 3,372 (+3.4%) | 2,894 → 3,015 (+4.2%) |
| Median household income | $61,425 → $83,412 (+35.8%) | $52,039 → $68,051 (+30.8%) |
| Median home value | $143,500 → $162,800 (+13.4%) | $84,300 → $114,500 (+35.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $595 → $756 (+27.1%) | $522 → $593 (+13.6%) |
Foster County
3,2603,372
$61,425$83,412
$143,500$162,800
$595$756
Nelson County
2,8943,015
$52,039$68,051
$84,300$114,500
$522$593
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.3% | 15.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.5% | 9.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 9.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 9.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.9% | 17.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 14.9% |
| 75 and over | 10.6% | 12.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.0% | 92.6% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.8% | 2.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.8% | 6.7% |
| High school graduate | 24.6% | 27.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 41.3% | 37.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 22.7% | 21.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 4.5% | 7.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 79.1% | 67.0% |
| Carpooled | 9.2% | 11.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.9% | 10.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 1.6% |
| Worked from home | 7.3% | 8.4% |
| Other means | 2.5% | 0.6% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 82.4% | 83.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.2% | 0.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.6% | 3.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.3% | 8.1% |
| 20 or more units | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.4% | 3.8% |
Poverty & households
| Foster County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.0% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 2.25 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 14 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1971 | 1962 |
Full profiles
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