Mercer is a city in McLean County,

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

, United States. The population was 88 at the 2020 census. Mercer was founded in 1905 along a now-abandoned

branch line A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Branch lines may serve one or more industries, or a city or town not located ...

of the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...

extending from Carrington to Turtle Lake. The name comes from William Henry Harrison Mercer, a well known rancher in the

Missouri River Valley The Missouri River Valley outlines the journey of the Missouri River from its headwaters where the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers flow together in Montana to its confluence with the Mississippi River in the State of Missouri. At long th ...

for many years and for whom Mercer County is also named.

Geography

The city of Mercer lies on

North Dakota Highway 200 North Dakota Highway 200 (ND 200) is a major east–west state highway in North Dakota, United States. It runs from Minnesota State Highway 200 at the Minnesota border near Halstad, Minnesota to Montana Highway 200 near Fairview, Montana ...

between

Underwood Underwood may refer to: People *Underwood (surname), people with the surname Places Australia *Underwood, Queensland, a suburb of Logan City, Australia *Underwood, Tasmania, a locality United Kingdom *Underwood, Devon, a List of United Kingdom ...

and McClusky. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Wrought-Iron Cross Site, in or near Mercer, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 94 people, 48 households, and 24 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 58 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.1% Asian, and 1.1% from two or more races. There were 48 households, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.0% were non-families. 43.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 29.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.71. The median age in the city was 53.5 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 0% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 31.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 86 people, 49 households, and 22 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 56 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.00%

. There were 49 households, out of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were

living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.1% were non-families. 55.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 32.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.76 and the average family size was 2.59. In the city, the population was spread out, with 16.3% under the age of 18, 2.3% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 75.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $48,125 versus $15,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,937. There were 25.0% of families and 25.3% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 23.5% who were under eighteen and 34.8% who were over 64.

Education

It is within the Turtle Lake-Mercer Public School District 72.
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References

{{Authority control Cities in North Dakota Cities in McLean County, North Dakota Populated places established in 1905 1905 establishments in North Dakota