Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Ellendale’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for walkability and schools; the weakest is a D for incomes. Only 1 of North Dakota’s 68 towns score higher on walkability. Ellendale is home to Trinity Bible College and Graduate School. Ellendale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Ellendale beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Ellendale Elementary School | PK–5 | 120 |
| Ellendale Middle School | 6–8 | 56 |
| Ellendale High School | 9–12 | 79 |
1,394 counted in 2010 and 1,125 in 2020; an estimated 1,129 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Dakota), ordered by how far Ellendale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 761 in 1890, a peak of 1,967 in 1980, 1,125 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and a map from 1956 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ellendale, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Ellendale.
Its public schools are run by the Ellendale 40 school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellendale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 120 | A+ |
| Ellendale High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 79 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ND on state tests and graduation
Ellendale tracks North Dakota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 20% of adults binge drink in Ellendale, against 22% in North Dakota’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. 29% of Ellendale adults feel lonely.
| Ellendale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 29% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 73% | 79% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 76% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Adults 35 to 64 are 25% of residents (35% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 34% of residents (25% statewide). At 28.6 years, Ellendale’s median age is where North Dakota’s towns sit at 33.9 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. 20% of residents are 65 or older in Ellendale.
| Ellendale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.6 years | 33.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 13% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 21% | 26% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 30% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across North Dakota, 48.8% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 79% are women (ND 47%).
| Ellendale | ND | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.2% | 13% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.5% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 23.8% | 11.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.5% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 10.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.5% | 11.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.9% | 6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.7% | 25.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.1% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 14% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29.8% | 23% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
Ellendale has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Ellendale’s July high is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Ellendale’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Ellendale is 13 minutes. Since 2013, Ellendale has lost 158 jobs, to 435 in 2023.
| Ellendale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 39% | 39% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 9.8% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Ellendale's reported crime rate is well below North Dakota's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2023.
| Ellendale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 9.2 per 1,000 residents | 18.7 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.8 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ellendale
College town 21 of every 100 Ellendale residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
2 places in Ellendale on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Ellendale.
City in North Dakota, United States
Ellendale is a city in Dickey County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Dickey County. The population was 1,125 at the 2020 census. Ellendale was founded in 1882. Ellendale is the home of Trinity Bible College, located on the former campus of the North Dakota State Normal and Industrial School and the Ellendale Opera House currently under renovation.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
4 notable people were born here, including LeRoy H. Anderson and Pete Retzlaff.
