A Season of Change

September 2026 Newsletter

Shifting Seasons, Changing Trends.

North Dakota’s median age remains younger than the nation overall, but a major demographic shift is underway. With the state's 65 and older population growing by nearly 50 percent over the last 15 years, the aging Baby Boom generation is reshaping local communities across the state—in both rural towns and urban centers. In this month's article, Mihaela "Ina" Cernusca, ND Compass Project Director at North Dakota State University Center for Social Research, breaks down this rapid growth by detailing how more than one in five North Dakotans will be age 65 or older by 2034 if trends continue. She also explores how North Dakota communities are experiencing population aging in different ways.

Read the article.

Autumn Analytics.

Following a downward trend and then several years of stabilized birth counts, North Dakota recorded a 4 percent increase in annual births in 2025—surpassing 10,000 newborns for the first time since 2021. Concurrently, the proportion of babies born with low birth weight declined slightly to 6.7 percent of births, reaching its lowest point in four years. However, the latest figures continue to show notable variations across demographic and risk categories.



Find out more details.

Fall Facts.

Serving as the primary source of income for U.S. households, jobs are essential to the economy. Recently released 2025 data indicate that North Dakota's ranking in terms of percent change in total number of jobs compared to the previous year dropped to 35th out of 50 states.


In 2025, what was the percent change in the total number of jobs in North Dakota compared to 2024?

a)  -0.8%

b)   0.2%

c)   1.7%

d)  2.5%

Browse more jobs data.

A Season of Transition.

After more than a decade with the Center for Social Research—and leading ND Compass as Project Director since 2019—our dear friend and colleague Mihaela "Ina" Cernusca officially entered retirement earlier this month.


Ina’s passion for taking raw numbers and turning them into meaningful stories has been at the very heart of ND Compass since she started in 2013. She made complex data and trends accessible and actionable for decision-makers, local non-profits, and statewide leaders alike, always ensuring our communities had trustworthy data in hand to make a real difference. Beyond her sharp analytical mind and dedication to North Dakota, Ina has been a steady, collaborative, and warm presence on our team. While we will miss working alongside her every day, we are immensely grateful for the lasting impact and shared knowledge she leaves behind.


Please join us in thanking Ina for her exceptional leadership, her foundational role in building ND Compass into what it is today, and wishing her all the happiness in this next chapter!

Cozy Up to New Numbers.

As Autumn approaches, take a drive through ND Compass to see what’s new and updated and discover the picture the data paints of North Dakota!


DATA BY TOPIC

Economy


RESEARCH

Research in Action

ND Compass - ndcompass.org | North Dakota State University PO Box 6050, Dept. 2574 | Fargo, ND 58108-6050 US

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

Constant Contact