The Town Files

Barnes County, North Dakota

10,773 people. The median home is worth $173,700 (typical North Dakota town: $167,950) and the median household earns $68,038.

Towns in Barnes County

Towns in Barnes County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Valley City6,575$162,200$60,33939.4

People and housing

Barnes CountyTypical North Dakota town
Median home value$173,700$167,950
Median rent$779$775
Median household income$68,038$68,195
Median age43.539.0
Bachelor's degree or higher30.7%23.0%
Below the poverty line12.1%10.6%

Jobs and pay

4,474 jobs in 2024, average pay $51,625 a year.

Largest industries in Barnes CountyHealth care & social assistan…853 jobs · $44,450Manufacturing466 jobs · $81,362Retail444 jobs · $32,156Hotels & restaurants363 jobs · $19,024Wholesale trade293 jobs · $77,260Construction253 jobs · $61,364
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Barnes County0%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023 2.1%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 762 storm events in Barnes County from 1996 to 2026.

Storm events in Barnes County by type since 1996Hail255Flood14Tornado34Blizzard81High Wind30Ice Storm11Heavy Snow34Flash Flood17Winter Storm50Cold/Wind Chill17
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Barnes County has been included in 35 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 22, 2025Severe StormDR-4895: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes
September 11, 2025Severe StormDR-4888: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds
February 15, 2024Winter StormDR-4760: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds
July 5, 2023FloodDR-4717: Flooding
July 13, 2022Severe StormDR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
July 9, 2020FloodDR-4553: Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).