North Dakota

Mercer

8,350
2020 population
1890
first census record
14
census records

About Mercer

Mercer, North Dakota, first appears in the United States federal census in 1890, when it recorded a population of 428. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 8,350.

Its recorded population peaked at 9,808 in 1990, and has since declined by roughly 15 percent.

On the ground today, 2 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Big Hidatsa Village Fortification, Fort Berthold Skirmishes 1862–1865, and 8 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
20208,350
20108,424
20008,644
19909,808
19809,404
19706,175
19606,805
19508,686
19409,611
19309,516
19208,224
19104,747
19001,778
1890428
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Mercer

Military engagements that took place in Mercer, North Dakota.

Big Hidatsa Village Fortification
1450
Fort Berthold Skirmishes 1862–1865
1862

Historic places in Mercer

National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer, North Dakota.

Beulah School
Beulah
Fort Clark Archeological District
Stanton
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site Archeological District
Stanton
Big Hidatsa Village Site
Stanton
High Butte Effigy and Village Site (32ME13)
Riverdale
Browse all North Dakotahistoric sites ›

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Everything a full report reveals about Mercer County, North Dakota

This page charts the census history of Mercer County, North Dakota. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Mercer

When does Mercer first appear in the US census?
Mercer, North Dakota first appears in the federal census in 1890, with a recorded population of 428.
What is the population of Mercer?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Mercer had a recorded population of 8,350.
When did Mercer's population peak?
Mercer's recorded population peaked at 9,808 in 1990.
Were any battles fought in Mercer?
2 documented military engagements took place in Mercer, including Big Hidatsa Village Fortification, Fort Berthold Skirmishes 1862–1865.
How many historic places are in Mercer?
8 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Mercer, North Dakota.
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