1st Advantage MortgageRansom County (5,643 residents) has a $75,736 median household income and $691 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. Borrow only what the expense needs, pick the shortest affordable term, and walk away from any lender asking a Ransom County applicant for an upfront fee.
On this page
- A quick profile of Ransom County
- Where Ransom County households live
- Ransom County's most unusual numbers
- Paychecks and income spread in Ransom County
- Work, industries and travel time in Ransom County
- Regional comparison for Ransom County
- Ransom County towns compared
- Ransom County demographics against North Dakota
- Before borrowing in Ransom County
- What a median Ransom County budget can carry
- A Ransom County borrower's checklist
- North Dakota lender licensing
- Other North Dakota guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Ransom County
With an estimated 5,643 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Ransom County ranks 22nd of 53 in North Dakota for population. Land area is 862 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 7 per square mile. Ransom County is classed as nonmetropolitan in the OMB's July 2023 list. Largest place: Lisbon, about 2,259 residents (40% of Ransom County); 7 Census places in all. At 5,643 people, Ransom County is a small survey sample, so small differences in these figures may be noise.
Where Ransom County households live
A typical Ransom County rental runs $691 a month including utilities, which is 28% below North Dakota. By the Census definition, 39% of Ransom County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $193,000, about 2.5 times the median household income. In Ransom County, 75% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. Half the housing stock was built before 1969.
| Cost | Ransom County | North Dakota figure | Higher or lower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 75% | 63% | +11.8 pts |
| Vacant units | 8% | 12% | -4.0 pts |
| Median gross rent | $691/mo | $954/mo | 28% lower |
| Median home value | $193,000 | $249,900 | 23% lower |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 21% | -1.0 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 39% | 39% | 0.0 pts |
In an owner-heavy county like Ransom 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.
Ransom County's most unusual numbers
Ranked against the other 52 county-level areas in North Dakota, these are the Ransom County figures furthest from the middle.
- On the uninsured rate, Ransom County sits near the bottom of North Dakota at 2.8%, 3rd lowest of 53. Even insured households face deductibles; ask the provider about a payment plan.
- The housing vacancy rate: 8% in Ransom County. Only 4 of 53 North Dakota counties are lower. Few vacant units can mean a tight housing market.
Paychecks and income spread in Ransom County
At $75,736, the typical Ransom County household income is 15% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 22nd among North Dakota's 53 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Ransom County | Gap to North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.4% | -2.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.3% | +3.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.4% | +3.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.0% | -4.7 pts |
About 19% of households earn under $35,000, while 36% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 10.4%, the same as the state's 10.8%. Gini index for Ransom County: 0.406. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Ransom County
Top Ransom County industry by residents employed: manufacturing, 24%; second, education and health care, 20%. Ransom County over-indexes on manufacturing: 24% versus 7% in North Dakota. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.9% in Ransom County. 49% of Ransom County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 9% need 45 or more. 93 Ransom County households, 4.0%, have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Ransom County workers | vs North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23.7% | +16.3 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.7% | -6.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 17.2% | +9.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.8% | -0.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 5.5% | -2.4 pts |
| Other services | 4.6% | -0.1 pts |
Seasonal work is common in many Ransom County industries; if that is you, show a full year of income rather than one strong month.
Regional comparison for Ransom County
Distances run center to center, from Sargent County at 24 miles out to Dickey County at 47. LaMoure County leads the group on income ($80,664), Barnes County trails ($68,038), and Ransom County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ransom County | - | $75,736 | $691/mo | 75% |
| Sargent County, ND | 24 mi | $77,946 | $816/mo | 72% |
| Richland County, ND | 36 mi | $75,432 | $740/mo | 68% |
| Cass County, ND | 38 mi | $75,555 | $958/mo | 52% |
| Barnes County, ND | 40 mi | $68,038 | $779/mo | 71% |
| LaMoure County, ND | 42 mi | $80,664 | $766/mo | 84% |
| Dickey County, ND | 47 mi | $68,654 | $840/mo | 80% |
Ransom County towns compared
Places, by size: the top 7 of 7. Roughly 36% of Ransom County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. None of the 7 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | city | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 | 2 mi |
| Enderlin | city | 985 | $74,625 | $836 | 12 mi |
| McLeod | CDP | 129 | $71,406 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Fort Ransom | city | 106 | $71,250 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Sheldon | city | 89 | $54,167 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Elliott | city | 33 | $66,250 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Englevale | CDP | 11 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
Ransom County demographics against North Dakota
Bachelor's degree or higher: 23% of Ransom County adults. Uninsured, Ransom County: 2.8%; North Dakota: 6.5%.
| People and households | Ransom County | Compared with North Dakota | Compared with median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.9% | -9.8 pts | +0.7 pts |
| Median age | 43.1 | +7.2 yrs | +1.6 yrs |
| No health insurance | 2.8% | -3.7 pts | -5.0 pts |
| Work from home | 10.2% | +2.1 pts | +1.6 pts |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | -1.9 pts | -1.4 pts |
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | +1.7 pts | n/a |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | -0.5 pts | -2.8 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | +0.1 pts | -1.5 pts |
| One-way commute | Share of Ransom County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 49.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.8% |
| 60+ min | 4.8% |
Before borrowing in Ransom County
What the Ransom County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Consolidating cards in Ransom County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
What a median Ransom County budget can carry
DTI math using Ransom County medians ($75,736 income, $691 rent):
- Monthly gross at the median, Ransom County: $6,311
- Rent at the median, $691, takes 11% of that
- With a 43% ceiling, about $2,023 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
These are gross figures; take-home pay in Ransom County will be lower after taxes and deductions.
A Ransom County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Verify the North Dakota license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
North Dakota lender licensing
Before sharing details with a lender, a Ransom County resident can confirm its license with the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The North Dakota guide covers state rules in more detail.
Other North Dakota guides
Next step up from Ransom County:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Ransom County?
$75,736 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $76,657 for North Dakota. It ranks 22nd of 53 in the state.
How does Ransom County rent compare with North Dakota?
$691 locally versus $954 for the state, 28% below.
I live near Lisbon. Which guide is mine?
This one. Lisbon and the rest of Ransom County have no separate city guide.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Ransom County or elsewhere in North Dakota, the same rules apply.
How do I know a lender is legitimate in Ransom County?
Look it up with the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions, read the written offer, and refuse any fee before funding.