Stutsman County is located in southeastern North Dakota, stretching from the James River Valley across portions of the Drift Prairie region. Established in 1873 and named for German-born politician Enos Stutsman, it developed as an agricultural county alongside railroad expansion and settlement in the late 19th century. The county is mid-sized by North Dakota standards, with a population of roughly 21,000, and its largest community is Jamestown. Jamestown serves as the county seat and functions as the primary commercial and service center for surrounding rural areas. Land use is dominated by farming and ranching, with a landscape of prairie, river bottoms, and gently rolling terrain. The county’s economy is rooted in agriculture and related services, along with education, healthcare, and local manufacturing. Cultural life reflects a mix of small-city institutions in Jamestown and regional traditions common to the northern plains.

Stutsman County Local Demographic Profile

Stutsman County is located in south-central North Dakota and includes the Jamestown area along the I‑94 corridor. The county serves as a regional hub between Bismarck–Mandan and Fargo–Moorhead.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Stutsman County, North Dakota, the county had a population of 22,624 (2020 Census) and an estimated population of 21,974 (July 1, 2023).

For local government information and planning resources, visit the Stutsman County official website.

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and gender composition are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in QuickFacts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Stutsman County (most measures shown for 2018–2022 ACS):

  • Under 18 years: ~21%
  • 65 years and over: ~21%
  • Female persons: ~50% (implying a near-even gender balance)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

The U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts provides race and Hispanic/Latino origin shares for the county. According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Stutsman County (2018–2022 ACS):

  • White alone: ~89%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~4%
  • Black or African American alone: ~2%
  • Asian alone: ~1%
  • Two or more races: ~4%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%

Household & Housing Data

Household and housing indicators are reported in the same Census Bureau profile. According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Stutsman County (2018–2022 ACS unless otherwise noted):

  • Households: ~9,000
  • Persons per household: ~2.3
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~66%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units: ~$160,000
  • Median gross rent: ~$850
  • Housing units (total): ~10,000

Email Usage

Stutsman County’s largely rural geography outside Jamestown and low population density increase last‑mile buildout costs, shaping how reliably residents can use email and other online services. Direct county-level email usage statistics are not typically published; broadband subscription, device access, and demographics are common proxies.

Digital access indicators are available from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), including household broadband subscriptions and computer ownership, which serve as practical predictors of regular email access. Age structure also influences adoption: older median ages and higher shares of seniors are generally associated with lower rates of routine online communication compared with prime working-age groups; county age distribution is reported through American Community Survey (ACS) profiles. Gender composition is usually near parity and is less predictive than age and connectivity; sex distribution is also available in ACS tables.

Connectivity constraints include gaps in fixed broadband coverage and capacity typical of rural counties; broadband availability and technology types can be referenced via the FCC National Broadband Map and local planning resources such as Stutsman County government.

Mobile Phone Usage

Stutsman County is in southeastern North Dakota and includes Jamestown (the county seat) along the Interstate 94 corridor. The county combines a small urban center with extensive rural farmland and prairie, with a low overall population density outside Jamestown. This settlement pattern is a primary factor shaping mobile connectivity: coverage and capacity are generally stronger along I‑94 and within/near Jamestown, while more sparsely populated areas tend to have fewer towers, greater distances to sites, and more variable in-building performance.

Key measurement distinction: availability vs. adoption

  • Network availability refers to where mobile carriers report service (coverage) and what technologies (4G LTE, 5G) are deployed in a given area.
  • Adoption (household use) refers to whether residents subscribe to mobile service and whether households rely on mobile for internet access, which is influenced by income, age, housing type, and the availability/cost of fixed broadband alternatives.

County-level availability is often measurable through federal mapping programs; county-level adoption is typically measured through survey-based estimates that are not always available at a single-county level for every indicator.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (availability and adoption)

Availability indicators (coverage reported by providers)

  • The most widely used public source for current, mappable mobile availability is the FCC’s national broadband map, which includes mobile broadband coverage layers by provider and technology. County-specific views can be generated by searching for Stutsman County locations and enabling mobile layers on the map. Source: the FCC’s broadband mapping program at FCC National Broadband Map.

Adoption indicators (household subscription and device access)

  • The most direct, consistently published measure of household connectivity at local geographies is the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), which reports:
    • Households with a cellular data plan
    • Households with smartphone(s)
    • Households with or without other internet subscriptions (cable/fiber/DSL/satellite)
  • These ACS measures represent household adoption, not network availability, and can be retrieved for Stutsman County through the Census Bureau’s data portal and ACS “Computer and Internet Use” tables. Source: Census.gov data portal (ACS).

County-level limitation: ACS estimates for smaller geographies can carry margins of error. The ACS still remains the standard source for county-level household adoption indicators, but precision varies by table and year.

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G/5G availability vs. usage)

Network availability (4G LTE and 5G)

  • 4G LTE is generally the baseline mobile broadband technology across most U.S. counties, including rural Great Plains areas. The FCC map is the primary public reference to distinguish where LTE is reported versus newer generations.
  • 5G availability in counties like Stutsman typically concentrates in and around population centers and major transport corridors, with more limited geographic reach in sparsely populated townships. The FCC map’s mobile layers provide the most standardized public view of reported 5G coverage by provider. Source: FCC National Broadband Map.

Important distinction: The FCC map reflects reported coverage/availability, not actual usage. Actual usage depends on device capability (5G handset), plan type, indoor signal conditions, and network loading.

Usage and reliance patterns (mobile as primary internet)

  • At the household level, the ACS can be used to characterize the share of households with a cellular data plan and households with a smartphone, and it can be compared with the presence/absence of other internet subscriptions to assess mobile reliance versus fixed broadband reliance. Source: Census.gov (ACS internet subscription tables).

County-level limitation: Public datasets generally do not provide Stutsman County statistics on data consumption volumes, time spent online, or application-level usage. Those metrics are typically held by carriers or private analytics firms and are not routinely released at a county level.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

  • The ACS provides county-level indicators for:
    • Smartphone presence in the household
    • Other computing devices (desktop/laptop/tablet) in the household (tables vary by ACS release)
  • These measures support a device profile in which smartphones can be counted separately from other device categories, enabling a county-specific description of smartphone prevalence relative to other device access. Source: Census.gov (ACS Computer and Internet Use).

County-level limitation: The ACS is household-based and does not directly measure device models, operating systems, or the split between postpaid/prepaid phones.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography, settlement pattern, and infrastructure placement (availability)

  • Stutsman County’s combination of a single primary city (Jamestown) and a broad rural area influences network engineering realities:
    • Tower spacing tends to be wider in rural townships, which can reduce signal strength and data rates at the edges of coverage footprints.
    • In-building performance can be weaker in rural locations due to distance from towers and fewer nearby small cells.
    • Transportation corridors (notably I‑94) commonly receive stronger coverage investment due to higher traffic and public-safety considerations.
  • These factors affect availability and quality, but they do not directly determine household subscription.

Population characteristics (adoption)

  • The ACS supports analysis of adoption patterns by correlating household connectivity measures with demographic variables available in the same program (age distribution, income, educational attainment, housing tenure, and geography within the county at some levels). Source: American Community Survey program documentation.
  • In rural counties, adoption outcomes commonly reflect:
    • Income and affordability constraints shaping plan choice and the likelihood of mobile-only internet.
    • Age structure influencing smartphone adoption and frequency of mobile internet use.
    • Housing dispersion and the availability of fixed broadband alternatives, which can shift some households toward mobile-only connectivity even when fixed service exists elsewhere in the county.

County-level limitation: Public sources do not provide definitive, county-specific causal attribution for these factors; they provide measurable correlations via survey estimates and broadband availability layers.

Public sources used to document Stutsman County connectivity

Social Media Trends

Stutsman County is in east‑central North Dakota along the I‑94 corridor, with Jamestown as the county seat and largest population center. The county’s mix of a small urban hub, surrounding rural communities, and a regional economy tied to education, healthcare, agriculture, and local manufacturing contributes to social media use patterns that generally track statewide and national rural trends (high Facebook use, comparatively lower adoption of some newer platforms, and usage shaped by broadband/mobile coverage).

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • No authoritative county-level “active social media user” penetration rate is regularly published for Stutsman County. Publicly available benchmarks are typically national or state-level survey estimates rather than county measurements.
  • Nationally, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults use social media (adult use of any social media site). Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.
  • In rural areas (a relevant comparison category for much of Stutsman County outside Jamestown), social media use is slightly lower than in urban/suburban areas but remains a majority of adults. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media use by community type.
  • Connectivity is a practical driver of participation; county-level internet and broadband indicators are available via federal datasets. Reference: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) (internet subscription tables).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

  • Usage is highest among younger adults and declines with age:
    • 18–29: highest adoption across most major platforms
    • 30–49: high adoption, especially Facebook and YouTube
    • 50–64: moderate-to-high adoption, strongest on Facebook and YouTube
    • 65+: lower overall adoption but still substantial, most concentrated on Facebook and YouTube
      Source: Pew Research Center: platform use by age.
  • Platform skew by age:

Gender breakdown

  • National survey patterns show women are more likely than men to use certain platforms (notably Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest), while men are more likely to use some discussion- or business-oriented platforms (patterns vary by platform and year).
    Source: Pew Research Center: platform use by gender.
  • County-specific gender splits for “active social media users” are not typically reported; Stutsman County is generally expected to mirror national gender-by-platform differences more than exhibit a distinct county-only pattern.

Most-used platforms (percent using each; U.S. adults)

Because platform penetration is not published at county level, the most defensible percentages for Stutsman County are national benchmarks (widely used as proxies for local planning when county data is unavailable):

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

  • Facebook remains a primary “community information” platform in many rural and small-city areas, commonly used for local announcements, events, buy/sell groups, and school/community updates; this aligns with Facebook’s broad adult reach and higher uptake among older age groups. Source for reach/age skew: Pew Research Center platform demographics.
  • YouTube is typically the highest-reach platform and functions as both entertainment and “how-to” information infrastructure; usage is high across age groups, supporting broad local reach for video content. Source: Pew Research Center platform penetration.
  • Short-form video growth (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) is primarily driven by younger adults; engagement tends to be high (frequent sessions, algorithmic feeds), but overall penetration is lower than Facebook/YouTube among older residents. Source: Pew Research Center age-by-platform patterns.
  • Messaging-based and private sharing (Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat) commonly complements public posting, reflecting a broader trend toward smaller-audience interaction rather than fully public updates. Source: Pew Research Center research on social media and communication behaviors (behavioral context; national scope).
  • Workforce/professional use (LinkedIn) is present but typically less central in rural counties than mass-reach platforms; adoption concentrates among college-educated and professional/managerial segments. Source: Pew Research Center: LinkedIn user profile.

Family & Associates Records

Stutsman County family and associate-related public records include vital records and court records. Birth and death records are maintained at the state level by the North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Vital Records; county offices commonly provide direction and limited local services rather than acting as the official custodian for certified copies. Adoption records are handled through the state court system and related agencies and are generally restricted.

Public-facing databases include county court case access through the North Dakota Courts public search portal (North Dakota Courts Public Search), which lists docket information for many case types and may reference family-related proceedings, subject to confidentiality rules. Property and tax records sometimes used for household or associate research are available through county offices, including the Stutsman County Recorder and Stutsman County Treasurer pages. County contact and office hours are published on the Stutsman County official website.

Access occurs online via the state court portal and county department pages, and in person at relevant county offices (Recorder, Treasurer) or through the state vital records office. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to birth records, adoption files, juvenile matters, and certain family court documents; public court views may redact protected identifiers and limit access to confidential case types.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage licenses and marriage records
    • Stutsman County issues marriage licenses through the Stutsman County Recorder. After the ceremony, the executed license/certificate is returned for recording, creating the county marriage record.
  • Divorce records (judgments/decrees and case files)
    • Divorce actions are handled by the Stutsman County District Court (South Central Judicial District). The court maintains the divorce judgment/decree and the broader case file (pleadings, orders, findings, exhibits, and related documents).
  • Annulments
    • Annulment actions are also handled by the Stutsman County District Court and maintained as civil case records comparable to divorce files (orders and judgments determining marital status).

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Stutsman County Recorder (marriage records)
    • Marriage licenses are filed/recorded with the county recorder. Access is generally provided through the recorder’s office; many North Dakota counties also provide some level of online index/search capability through county systems.
    • Official county page: Stutsman County Recorder
  • Stutsman County District Court (divorce and annulment records)
    • Divorce and annulment case records are filed with the Clerk of Court for the Stutsman County District Court. Copies of judgments/decrees and other case documents are obtained through the clerk’s office, subject to court rules and confidentiality restrictions.
    • Court system information: North Dakota Courts
  • North Dakota Department of Health (state-level vital records)
    • North Dakota maintains statewide vital records services for marriage and divorce. These are typically certifications/abstracts rather than full court case files for divorces.
    • Vital records information: North Dakota Vital Records

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage licenses/records
    • Full names of both parties (often including prior/maiden names as provided)
    • Date and place of marriage (ceremony location may be recorded)
    • Date license issued and date recorded/returned
    • Officiant name/title and certification/return information
    • Ages or dates of birth and residences at time of application (as captured on the application/record)
    • Witnesses may appear depending on form requirements used at the time
  • Divorce decrees/judgments
    • Names of the parties and the court/case caption and number
    • Date of judgment and legal findings dissolving the marriage
    • Terms addressing custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, and property/debt division (content varies by case)
    • Restoration of a former name may be included when granted
  • Annulment orders/judgments
    • Names of the parties and case identifiers
    • Findings regarding validity of the marriage and the court’s disposition (annulment granted/denied)
    • Related orders that may address children, support, or property when applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Public access framework
    • North Dakota generally provides public access to many court records, while restricting access to confidential or sealed information under court rules and state law.
  • Court record confidentiality (divorce/annulment)
    • Portions of divorce or annulment files may be confidential or redacted, including information in protected filings and certain personal identifiers. Sealed cases or sealed documents are not publicly accessible except as authorized by court order.
    • Governing access rules: North Dakota Rules of Court (including public access provisions)
  • Vital records restrictions
    • State-issued certified vital records (including marriage records and divorce verifications maintained by the state) are subject to statutory eligibility and identification requirements, and access may be limited to the individuals named on the record or other legally authorized parties.
    • Statutory framework: N.D.C.C. Title 23, Chapter 02 (Vital Records)

Education, Employment and Housing

Stutsman County is in south‑central North Dakota, anchored by Jamestown (the county seat) and bordered by largely agricultural and prairie communities. The county has a mix of small‑city and rural settlement patterns, with housing and services concentrated in Jamestown and smaller towns, and lower-density rural residences elsewhere. Recent Census estimates place the county population at roughly the low‑20,000s, with an age profile influenced by regional in‑migration/out‑migration dynamics and a locally important higher‑education presence.

Education Indicators

Public school districts, schools, and notable programs

Public K–12 education is primarily delivered through Jamestown Public School District, Medina Public School District, Pingree‑Buchanan Public School District, and Streeter Public School District, with additional public schooling in smaller communities depending on district boundaries and cooperative arrangements. A current, authoritative list of district-operated schools and contacts is maintained through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) District Directory (NDDPI district and school information) and district websites.

Notable education and training assets in the county include:

  • University of Jamestown (private) and Jamestown Campus of Bismarck State College offerings supporting local postsecondary pathways and workforce training (program availability varies by year; see institutional catalogs).
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming is a standard component in North Dakota public schools and commonly includes agriculture, business/marketing, skilled trades, and health-related pathways; district-specific offerings are reported through NDDPI CTE reporting and district course catalogs (NDDPI Career & Technical Education).
  • Advanced Placement and dual credit opportunities are available in many North Dakota districts; participation and course lists are reported locally by districts and reflected in North Dakota accountability/reporting profiles.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios (countywide): A single countywide ratio is not consistently published as a standard metric across all sources. District-level staffing ratios are available through NDDPI staffing and enrollment reporting; Jamestown (the largest district) typically drives the county’s overall ratio.
  • Graduation rates: North Dakota’s 4‑year cohort graduation rates are published by NDDPI; countywide rates are best represented by the combined district outcomes within Stutsman County rather than a single county-only statistic (NDDPI accountability and graduation reporting). In recent years, North Dakota statewide graduation has generally been in the high‑80% to low‑90% range; Stutsman County districts often track near statewide patterns, with variation by district and cohort size. (This statement uses the state pattern as a proxy where a consolidated county figure is not published.)

Adult educational attainment

Adult educational attainment is reported reliably through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). In recent ACS 5‑year profiles for Stutsman County:

  • High school diploma or higher (age 25+): approximately 90% (typical county range in recent ACS vintages).
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): approximately 25% (typical county range in recent ACS vintages).

Primary source tables are available via the Census Bureau’s profile system (U.S. Census Bureau data portal) using educational attainment tables (e.g., ACS DP02/S1501).

School safety measures and counseling resources

District school safety practices in North Dakota commonly include controlled access during the school day, visitor check‑in procedures, emergency drills, and coordination with local law enforcement; counseling resources typically include school counselors and referral pathways to community behavioral health providers. Specific staffing levels and safety program details are district‑reported and are most accurately found in district handbooks/annual reports and NDDPI program information (NDDPI). Countywide aggregation of school counselor-to-student ratios is not consistently published in a single Stutsman-only metric.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

The most current unemployment rates are released monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Stutsman County’s unemployment rate has generally tracked low by national standards in recent years, often in the low single digits, with seasonal variation tied to construction, education calendars, and regional agriculture. The official latest series for Stutsman County is available here: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
(An exact “most recent year” value depends on the latest annual average posted at the time of reading; LAUS is the definitive source.)

Major industries and employment sectors

Based on typical ACS and regional employment structures, major employment sectors in Stutsman County include:

  • Educational services (notably K–12 and postsecondary institutions)
  • Health care and social assistance
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services (Jamestown as a service hub)
  • Public administration
  • Construction and manufacturing (smaller base, but locally significant)
  • Agriculture (largely outside incorporated areas; farm employment is often undercounted in payroll datasets but present in household-based measures)

For sector detail, ACS industry tables and the Census “County Business Patterns” dataset provide the most consistent public breakdowns (ACS industry and occupation tables; County Business Patterns).

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational composition commonly concentrates in:

  • Management, business, and financial
  • Education, training, and library
  • Healthcare practitioners/support
  • Sales and office
  • Transportation, production, and construction
  • Service occupations (food service, personal care)

ACS occupation tables provide the most comparable distribution (ACS occupation tables).

Commuting patterns, mean commute time, and where residents work

  • Commute mode: The county is predominantly car-commuter, with a high share of workers driving alone, limited fixed-route transit, and smaller shares walking/biking concentrated near central Jamestown.
  • Mean travel time to work: Recent ACS estimates for Stutsman County typically place mean commute times in the mid‑teens to around 20 minutes, reflecting a mix of in-town commuting and rural-to-Jamestown travel. ACS commuting tables (DP03) are the standard source (ACS commuting and journey-to-work (DP03)).
  • Local employment vs. out‑of‑county work: A substantial share of residents work within the county, especially in Jamestown’s education, health care, retail, and local government. Out‑of‑county commuting occurs to other regional centers and job sites, but it is typically a minority share in comparable North Dakota hub counties. The most direct public measure uses Census “place of work” and commuting flow products (ACS/LODES), with LODES providing detailed origin‑destination flows (LEHD/LODES commuting flows).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

ACS housing tenure estimates for Stutsman County typically show a majority owner‑occupied profile (roughly two‑thirds owners / one‑third renters, varying by year and Jamestown’s rental market). The authoritative source is ACS DP04 (ACS housing tables (DP04)).

Median home value and recent trends

  • Median owner‑occupied home value: Recent ACS medians for Stutsman County generally fall in the mid‑$100,000s to around $200,000 range (year-to-year variation reflects sampling and market changes).
  • Trend: Values have generally increased since the late 2010s, consistent with statewide appreciation trends, though growth has typically been more moderate than in North Dakota’s fastest-growing oil-impacted areas. ACS is the most consistent public trend source for county medians (ACS median home value).
    (County recorder/MLS data can differ from ACS because ACS is survey-based and reports medians for occupied housing stock.)

Typical rent prices

Recent ACS median gross rent for Stutsman County is typically in the upper hundreds of dollars (often near $800–$900 depending on vintage). ACS DP04 provides the standard county median gross rent (ACS median gross rent).

Housing stock and common housing types

  • Jamestown: Predominantly single‑family detached homes with a meaningful share of apartments and multi‑unit rentals, including older small multifamily properties and newer rental developments tied to institutional and service-sector demand.
  • Smaller towns and rural areas: Higher share of single‑family homes, farmhouses, and rural lots/acreages, with lower rental availability and more limited multifamily inventory. ACS “units in structure” tables quantify the detached vs. multifamily split (ACS units-in-structure).

Neighborhood characteristics and access to amenities

  • Proximity to schools/amenities: The most walkable access to schools, parks, clinics, and retail is concentrated in Jamestown, where major public services and the largest school campus footprints are located. Rural areas and smaller towns typically require vehicle access for schools, groceries, and healthcare, with longer travel distances but lower density and larger lots. These characteristics are consistent with the county’s hub‑and‑surrounding‑rural settlement pattern; detailed accessibility metrics are not routinely published as a single county score.

Property tax overview (rates and typical cost)

North Dakota property taxes vary by city, school district, and other local levies; countywide “average rate” is best represented using effective tax rates from aggregated sources.

  • Typical effective property tax rate: North Dakota effective rates are commonly around ~1% of home value (varies by jurisdiction).
  • Typical annual homeowner tax bill: For a median-value home in the mid‑$100,000s to ~$200,000 range, annual property taxes often fall in the low‑to‑mid $2,000s, with meaningful variation by location and levy mix. For official local levy and tax statement context, the North Dakota Tax Commissioner provides statewide property tax administration information (North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner). (A precise Stutsman-only average tax bill is not consistently published as a single headline statistic across official sources; the figures above describe typical effective-rate patterns using statewide norms and ACS median values as proxies.)

Table of Contents

Other Counties in North Dakota