McLean County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,771, and was estimated to be 9,740 in 2025. The county seat is Washburn and the largest city is Garrison.
History The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 8, 1883, with areas partitioned from Burleigh, Sheridan, and (now-extinct) Stevens counties. The county was named for John A. McLean, the first mayor of Bismarck. The county organization was completed on November 1 of that year. Its boundaries were altered in 1885, in 1892, and in 1908. It has retained its current configuration since November 3, 1908, when a portion of its previous territory was partitioned to recreate Sheridan County (Sheridan had been dissolved on November 8, 1892, with its territory annexed to McLean).
Geography The county's western boundary is delineated by Lake Sakakawea, created in 1956 by construction of Garrison Dam at the county's southwestern edge. The southwestern boundary of the county is delineated by the Missouri River as it continues its southeastward flow from the lake. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point on the north boundary line near its NW corner, at ASL.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (9.35%) is water. It is the third-largest county in North Dakota by total area.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 83 North Dakota Highway 28 North Dakota Highway 37 North Dakota Highway 41 North Dakota Highway 48 North Dakota Highway 53 North Dakota Highway 200 North Dakota Highway 200A North Dakota Highway 1804
Adjacent counties
Ward County - north McHenry County - northeast Sheridan County - east Burleigh County - southeast Oliver County - south Mercer County - southwest Dunn County - west Mountrail County - northwest
Protected areas Source:
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Camp Lake National Wildlife Refuge De Trobriand State Game Management Area Douglas Creek Public Use Area Hiddenwood National Wildlife Refuge Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge Lake Otis National Wildlife Refuge Lake Susie National Wildlife Refuge Lost Lake National Wildlife Refuge McLean National Wildlife Refuge Riverdale State Game Management Area Totten Trail Park Wilton Mine State Game Management Area (part)
Lakes Source:
Blackwater Lake Blue Lake Brumwell Slough Camp Lake Cherry Lake (part) Cottonwood Lake Crooked Lake Lake Audubon Lake Brekken Lake Holmes Lake Margaret Lake Nettie Lake Ordway Lake Williams Lost Lake Minehan Slough Nelson Lake Otis Lake Painted Woods Lake Pelican Lake Peterson Lake Postel Lake (part) Strawberry Lake Turtle Lake Wildwood Lake Yanktonal Lake
Demographics
As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in McLean County was $246,982.
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,261 estimated households in McLean County with an average of 2.26 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $81,847. Approximately 9.9% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. McLean County has an estimated 58.8% employment rate, with 23.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.6% holding a high school diploma.
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (97.3%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.4%).
The median age in the county was 47.4 years.
McLean County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980 Pop. 1990 Pop. 2000 Pop. 2010 White alone (NH) 11,741(94.82%) 9,857(94.26%) 8,592(92.28%) 8,115(90.55%) 8,372(85.68%) Black or African American alone (NH) 2(0.02%) 3(0.03%) 2(0.02%) 6(0.07%) 32(0.33%) Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 548(4.43%) 549(5.25%) 508(5.46%) 585(6.53%) 766(7.84%) Asian alone (NH) 13(0.10%) 9(0.09%) 11(0.12%) 12(0.13%) 48(0.49%) Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 1(0.01%) 2(0.02%) 7(0.07%) Other race alone (NH) 14(0.11%) 1(0.01%) 10(0.11%) 3(0.03%) 17(0.17%) Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 106(1.14%) 128(1.43%) 381(3.90%) Hispanic or Latino (any race) 65(0.52%) 38(0.36%) 81(0.87%) 111(1.24%) 148(1.51%) Total 12,383(100.00%) 10,457(100.00%) 9,311(100.00%) 8,962(100.00%) 9,771(100.00%)
2024 estimate As of the 2024 estimate, there were 9,845 people and 4,261 households residing in the county. There were 5,862 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.3% White (88.3% NH White), 0.6% African American, 7.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.3% of the population.
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 9,771, with 4,129 households and 2,712 families residing in the county. The population density was , and there were 5,728 housing units at an average density of .
The racial makeup of the county was 86.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 8.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% from some other race, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.
Of the residents, 22.4% were under the age of 18 and 25.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females there were 104.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 106.1 males.
There were 4,129 households in the county, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
Of those housing units, 27.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.9% were owner-occupied and 18.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 19.5%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 8,962 people, 3,897 households, and 2,600 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 5,590 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.03% White, 0.09% African American, 6.97% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from some other races and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.24% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 54.4% were German, 24.6% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Irish, 5.6% were Swedish, 5.1% were English, and 3.6% were American.
Of the 3,897 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 49.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,922 and the median income for a family was $62,686. Males had a median income of $48,906 versus $29,431 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,029. About 6.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Population by decade
Communities Cities
Benedict Butte Coleharbor Garrison Max Mercer Riverdale Ruso Turtle Lake Underwood Washburn (county seat) Wilton (partly in Burleigh County)
Census-designated place White Shield
Unincorporated communities Source:
Falkirk Merida Raub Roseglen
Townships
Amundsville Andrews Aurena Blackwater Blue Hill Butte Byersville Cremerville Deepwater Dogden Douglas Gate Greatstone Horseshoe Valley Lake Williams Longfellow Loquemont Malcolm McGinnis Medicine Hill Mercer Otis Roseglen Rosemont Saint Mary Snow Turtle Lake Victoria Wise
Communities flooded by Garrison Dam
Beaver Creek Charging Eagle Elbowoods Independence Lucky Mound Nishu Red Butte (Mandan community) Shell Creek
Politics McLean County voters have voted Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).
Education School districts include: - Text list
Drake Public School District 57 Garrison Public School District 51 Lewis and Clark Public School District 161 Max Public School District 50 Parshall Public School District 3 Turtle Lake-Mercer Public School District 72 Underwood Public School District 8 Velva Public School District 1 Washburn Public School District 4 White Shield Public School District 85 Wilton Public School District 1 - Formerly known as the Montefiore Public School District 1 - Text list
Riverdale School District 89 had portions in McLean County and in Mercer County. The Associated Press described the district as "divided equally" between the counties. In 1993 members of the Riverdale School District school board voted to abolish their school district, with the Underwood and Hazen districts to obtain pieces of it.
See also National Register of Historic Places listings in McLean County, North Dakota
References
Further reading Mary Ann Barnes Williams, Pioneer Days of Washburn, N. Dakota and Vicinity. Washburn ND: Washburn Leader, 1936. McLean County Heritage. Washburn ND: McLean County Historical Society, 1978.
External links McLean County – official website McLean County maps, Sheet 1 (western), Sheet 2 (northeast), and Sheet 3 (southeast), North Dakota DOT