National protected areas

• Lords Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Lords Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Lords Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Bottineau and Rolette counties, North Dakota. It is managed under J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge.-References:*...
  
   (part)
• Rabb Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Rabb Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Rabb Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Rolette County, North Dakota. It is managed under J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge.-References:*...
  
  
• School Section Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  School Section Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  School Section Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Rolette County, North Dakota. It is managed under J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge.-References:*...
  
  
• Willow Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Willow Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  Willow Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Rolette County, North Dakota. It is managed under J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge.-References:*...
  
  

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 13,674 people, 4,556 households, and 3,366 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 15 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 5,027 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 25.12% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.07% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 73.01% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.07% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.12% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.61% from two or more races. 0.80% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 9.3% were of Norwegian and 7.4% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.6% spoke English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, 1.3% Ojibwa, 1.0% French Cree

Michif language

Michif is the language of the Métis people of Canada and the United States, who are the descendants of First Nations women and fur trade workers of European ancestry...

 and 1.0% Cree

Cree language

Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...

 as their first language.

There were 4,556 households out of which 43.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.00% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 22.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the county the population was spread out with 36.50% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 18.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,232, and the median income for a family was $29,744. Males had a median income of $24,288 versus $20,383 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $10,873. About 28.00% of families and 31.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.20% of those under age 18 and 19.60% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

• Dunseith
  Dunseith, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 739 people, 253 households, and 178 families residing in the city. The population density was 729.2 people per square mile . There were 282 housing units at an average density of 278.2 per square mile...
  
  
• Mylo
  Mylo, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 19 people, 10 households, and 7 families residing in the city. The population density was 21.0 people per square mile . There were 14 housing units at an average density of 15.5 per square mile...
  
  
• Rolette
  Rolette, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 538 people, 243 households, and 140 families residing in the city. The population density was 535.4 people per square mile . There were 286 housing units at an average density of 284.6 per square mile...
  
  
• Rolla
  Rolla, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 1,417 people, 599 households, and 357 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,141.2 people per square mile . There were 656 housing units at an average density of 528.3 per square mile...
  
  
• St. John
  St. John, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 358 people, 142 households, and 91 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,217.1 people per square mile . There were 154 housing units at an average density of 523.6 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 37.99% White, 55.59%...
  
  

Note: all incorporated communities in North Dakota are called "cities" regardless of their size.

Census-designated places

• Belcourt
  Belcourt, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 2,440 people, 806 households, and 561 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 417.0 people per square mile . There were 856 housing units at an average density of 146.3/sq mi...
  
  , the largest community in the county, is operated by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
  Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
  The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians is a Native American tribe of Ojibwa and Métis peoples, based on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. The tribe has 30,000 enrolled members...
  
   rather than organized under state law
• East Dunseith
  East Dunseith, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 219 people, 59 households, and 50 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 181.7 people per square mile . There were 60 housing units at an average density of 49.8/sq mi . The racial makeup of the CDP was 3.20% White and 96.80% Native American...
  
  
• Shell Valley
  Shell Valley, North Dakota
  Shell Valley is a census-designated place in Rolette County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 1,197 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Shell Valley is located at ....
  
  

Presidential elections

Like many counties with Native American majority populations it is historically Democratic, but more consistently so than other such counties in North Dakota. Since 1928 the only Republican to carry the county was Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

 in 1952. It was the only county in the state to support George McGovern

George McGovern

George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....

 in 1972 and is additionally the only North Dakota county to have supported Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...

 in 1980. In the last four elections the Democratic candidate has consistently received over 60% of the vote.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Rolette County, North Dakota