1st Advantage MortgageHettinger County households have a median income of $73,026 and median rent of $785 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's North Dakota license first.
On this page
- Hettinger County at a glance
- Renting and owning in Hettinger County
- Income in Hettinger County compared with North Dakota
- Work, industries and travel time in Hettinger County
- Towns and communities in Hettinger County
- How Hettinger County compares with nearby counties
- What a median Hettinger County budget can carry
- Hettinger County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Hettinger County data as a borrower
- Licensing and complaints for Hettinger County
- A Hettinger County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Hettinger County at a glance
Hettinger County is home to about 2,432 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 37th most populous of 53 county-level areas in North Dakota. Land area is 1,132 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 2 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Mott is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 742 people (31% of the county total). With so few households sampled, Hettinger County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Renting and owning in Hettinger County
A typical Hettinger County rental runs $785 a month including utilities, which is 18% below North Dakota. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 36% of renter households here. With a median value of $117,300, a typical Hettinger County house costs 1.6 times what the median household earns in a year. 77% of Hettinger County households own their home and 23% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1964.
| Housing | Hettinger County | North Dakota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $785/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $117,300 | $249,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 39% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 11% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.8% | 6.6% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Hettinger 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.
Income in Hettinger County compared with North Dakota
At $73,026, the typical Hettinger County household income is 11% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 25 North Dakota counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Hettinger County | vs North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.1% | +6.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.1% | -4.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.1% | -0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.7% | -1.9 pts |
About 28% of households earn under $35,000, while 35% clear $100,000. 11.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.8%). None of these numbers decides a Hettinger County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Work, industries and travel time in Hettinger County
The biggest employer of Hettinger County residents, by industry, is agriculture, forestry and mining at 23% of workers, followed by education and health care (20%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 23% locally and 8% for North Dakota. The survey's unemployment rate for Hettinger County averages 5.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 2.8%). Long commutes are the exception here: 8% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 3.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Hettinger County | Gap to North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 23.0% | +15.0 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.9% | -5.8 pts |
| Construction | 11.6% | +4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.4% | -1.9 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.3% | +1.5 pts |
| Other services | 6.5% | +1.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Towns and communities in Hettinger County
The table lists the 3 largest of 3 Census places in Hettinger County, by population. Together all 3 hold about 1,487 people, so roughly 39% of residents live outside any named place. No Hettinger County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 3.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mott | city | 742 | $44,762 | $458 | 8 mi |
| New England | city | 564 | $74,722 | $854 | 21 mi |
| Regent | city | 181 | $56,364 | $789 | 5 mi |
How Hettinger County compares with nearby counties
Adams County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Morton County, is 58 miles off. Income ranges from $57,875 in Grant County to $84,449 in Stark County; 2 of these neighbors top Hettinger County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hettinger County | - | $73,026 | $785/mo | 77% |
| Adams County, ND | 24 mi | $62,500 | $594/mo | 72% |
| Stark County, ND | 28 mi | $84,449 | $960/mo | 67% |
| Grant County, ND | 39 mi | $57,875 | $675/mo | 83% |
| Slope County, ND | 48 mi | $71,250 | $525/mo | 81% |
| Bowman County, ND | 55 mi | $72,109 | $765/mo | 83% |
| Morton County, ND | 58 mi | $79,382 | $1,076/mo | 74% |
What a median Hettinger County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Hettinger County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,086 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $785, takes 13% of that
- Under a 40% cap, $2,434 total minus rent leaves $1,649
Two-income households and single earners in Hettinger County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Hettinger County residents: age, schooling, coverage
22% of Hettinger County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 5.0% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Hettinger County | All of North Dakota | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 35.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.0% | 32.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 6.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | 6.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 10.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Hettinger County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 58.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 17.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 5.1% |
Reading the Hettinger County data as a borrower
Where the Hettinger County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Licensing and complaints for Hettinger County
Consumer lenders serving Hettinger County are licensed by the state, not the county; in North Dakota that is the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: North Dakota guide.
A Hettinger County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Hettinger County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
The North Dakota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Hettinger County earn?
The median is $73,026; 35% earn $100,000 or more and 28% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Hettinger County rent compare with North Dakota?
$785 locally versus $954 for the state, 18% below.
I live in a small Hettinger County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Mott, New England, Regent.
Can Hettinger 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.
Where can someone in Hettinger County check a lender's license?
With the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.