County profile · North Dakota
Wells County, ND market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Wells County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 3,729
- −5.9% since 2020
- Households
- 1,787
- Median household income
- $66,114
- Median home value
- $114,500
- Jobs located here
- 1,434
- Market scores
- Not scored
- Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Wells County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Wells County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 3,729 people live in Wells County, in 1,787 households. Population estimates show Wells County declined 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Wells County is $66,114 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in Wells County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (64).
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
For its number of households, Wells County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for auto repair and car care businesses (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (14% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Wells County
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | 20 | 111.9 | $323K | 87 | 14 |
| Auto repair and car care | 14 | 78.3 | $161K | 60 | 8 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 13 | 72.7 | $184K | 120 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 10 | 56.0 | $166K | 78 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 10 | 56.0 | $646K | 97 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 9 | 50.4 | $250K | 56 | 8 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 8 | 44.8 | $1.3M | 38 | 4 |
| Insurance agencies | 7 | 39.2 | $495K | 39 | 6 |
| Hair salons | 6 | 33.6 | $277K | 64 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 5 | 28.0 | $450K | 15 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 5 | 28.0 | $1.1M | 48 | 3 |
| Grocery stores | 5 | 28.0 | $2.1M | 22 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 3 | 16.8 | $2.2M | 58 | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 3 | 16.8 | $469K | 53 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 3 | 16.8 | $2.2M | 42 | 5 |
| Real estate | 3 | 16.8 | Index only | 185 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 2 | 11.2 | $3.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 2 | 11.2 | $332K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 2 | 11.2 | $1.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 2 | 11.2 | $5.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 2 | 11.2 | $1.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | 2 | 11.2 | $177K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 2 | 11.2 | $832K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 2 | 11.2 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 2 | 11.2 | $832K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 2 | 11.2 | $703K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 1 | 5.6 | $3.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 1 | 5.6 | $3.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 1 | 5.6 | $6.5M | Too few | 5 |
| Gyms | 1 | 5.6 | $1.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 1 | 5.6 | $1.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | 1 | 5.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 1 | 5.6 | $2.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 1 | 5.6 | $1.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 1 | 5.6 | $2.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 1 | 5.6 | $2.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| Home repair trades | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| House cleaning | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Wells County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $2.3M | $1,260 | 132 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $5.7M | $3,171 | 122 |
| Food away from home | $6.5M | $3,618 | 89 |
| Groceries | $10.3M | $5,775 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $1.7M | $931 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $664K | $371 | 64 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $1.5M | $838 | 85 |
| Medical and dental services | $2.4M | $1,335 | 104 |
| Pets | $1.4M | $787 | 87 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $3.4M | $1,882 | 92 |
| Vehicle insurance | $3.5M | $1,938 | 99 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $4.6M | $2,594 | 86 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $2.1M | $1,178 | 83 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $24M | $13,446 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Wells County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 3,729−5.9% since 2020
- Households
- 1,787
- Median age
- 45.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.2
- Land area
- 1,271 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 3
- Median household income
- $66,114
- Average household income
- $96,130
- Median home value
- $114,500
- Jobs located here
- 1,434
- Daytime population
- 3,709Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Wells County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Wells County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Dakota 8
- Sheridan County, ND1,303 people
- Eddy County, ND2,307 people
- Benson County, ND5,808 people
- Foster County, ND3,358 people
- Pierce County, ND3,928 people
- Kidder County, ND2,377 people
- Ramsey County, ND11,556 people
- McHenry County, ND5,207 people
Questions
How fast is Wells County, ND growing?
Population estimates put Wells County at 3,729 people in 2025, down 5.9% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 1,787 households.
How much do households in Wells County, ND spend?
Households in Wells County spend about $24M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $10.3M on groceries and $6.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Wells County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (64).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Wells County, ND?
The score leaves out counties under 10,000 people, where a handful of businesses would swing it.
How does Wells County, ND compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Wells County is $66,114, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $114,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for auto repair and car care businesses (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (14% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Markets with fewer than 5 map listings of the type, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Wells County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Dakota · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Wells County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Wells County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.