1st Advantage MortgageIn Dickey County, North Dakota, the typical household earns $68,654 a year and the typical rent is $840. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Dickey County
- How much Dickey County households make
- How Dickey County residents earn a living
- Renting and owning in Dickey County
- Towns and communities in Dickey County
- How Dickey County compares with nearby counties
- What a median Dickey County budget can carry
- Who lives in Dickey County, in numbers
- Local borrowing considerations for Dickey County
- Checklist for Dickey County applicants
- Who licenses lenders for Dickey County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Dickey County
With an estimated 4,935 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Dickey County ranks 24th of 53 in North Dakota for population. It covers 1,131 square miles of land, or about 4 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Dickey County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 6 Census places inside Dickey County, Oakes leads by population with about 1,858; 6 of the 6 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Dickey County figure on this page as a rough guide.
How much Dickey County households make
Half of Dickey County households take in less than $68,654 a year and half take in more, 10% below the North Dakota median of $76,657. In the state ranking that is 31st of 53.
| Household income | Dickey County | vs North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.7% | +1.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.0% | -0.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.0% | +0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.3% | -1.4 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 36% clear $100,000. Census counts 11.8% of Dickey County residents in poverty, against 10.8% across North Dakota. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.481 here. A household earning below the $68,654 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Dickey County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 24% of employed Dickey County residents work in education and health care and 15% in manufacturing. Compared with North Dakota, the county leans toward manufacturing (15% against 7%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 8% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Dickey County | Compared with North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.4% | -1.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.0% | +7.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 14.0% | +6.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.4% | -0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.3% | -1.5 pts |
| Other services | 5.8% | +1.1 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Dickey County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Renting and owning in Dickey County
A typical Dickey County rental runs $840 a month including utilities, which is 12% below North Dakota. 40% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 27% spend half or more. With a median value of $162,400, a typical Dickey County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 80%.
| Home costs | Dickey County | North Dakota | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $840/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $162,400 | $249,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 39% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.9% | 6.6% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 18% | 12% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Dickey County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Towns and communities in Dickey County
Here are the 6 most populous of the county's 6 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 61% of Dickey County residents live in one of the 6. This guide covers each of the 6 places and the rural areas around them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakes | city | 1,858 | $67,632 | $843 | 20 mi |
| Ellendale | city | 1,033 | $54,643 | $757 | 7 mi |
| Fullerton | city | 65 | $94,063 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Forbes | city | 30 | $101,563 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Ludden | city | 22 | $116,750 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Monango | city | 18 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
How Dickey County compares with nearby counties
LaMoure County is closest, 25 miles from center to center; the sixth, Ransom County, is 47 miles off. LaMoure County leads the group on income ($80,664), McIntosh County trails ($64,419), and Dickey County out-earns 2 of the six. The list crosses into South Dakota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickey County | - | $68,654 | $840/mo | 80% |
| LaMoure County, ND | 25 mi | $80,664 | $766/mo | 84% |
| Brown County, SD | 36 mi | $70,898 | $777/mo | 68% |
| McPherson County, SD | 41 mi | $66,906 | $594/mo | 81% |
| Sargent County, ND | 42 mi | $77,946 | $816/mo | 72% |
| McIntosh County, ND | 44 mi | $64,419 | $608/mo | 79% |
| Ransom County, ND | 47 mi | $75,736 | $691/mo | 75% |
What a median Dickey County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Dickey County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,721 before taxes
- 15% goes to median rent ($840)
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,220 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Dickey County's.
Who lives in Dickey County, in numbers
College graduates make up 29% of the adult population. 7.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Dickey County | North Dakota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 35.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 28.9% | 32.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 6.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.7% | 6.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 1.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 10.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.1% | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Dickey County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 63.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 17.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.0% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
Local borrowing considerations for Dickey County
Where the Dickey County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Dickey County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Consolidating cards in Dickey County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
Checklist for Dickey County applicants
Quick steps for Dickey County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in North Dakota.
- Ask a Dickey County credit union about member loans.
Who licenses lenders for Dickey County residents
Before sharing details with a lender, a Dickey County resident can confirm its license with the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The North Dakota guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the North Dakota guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Dickey County earn?
The median is $68,654; 36% earn $100,000 or more and 23% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Dickey County rent compare with North Dakota?
$840 locally versus $954 for the state, 12% below.
I live in a small Dickey County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Oakes, Ellendale, Fullerton, Forbes, Ludden and 1 more.
Can Dickey County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every North Dakota county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Dickey County residents?
The North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in North Dakota; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.