50 Years Later Housing Trends in North Dakota Leave Their Mark on Affordability Crisis

(Adobe Stock via Prairie News Service)

(By Mike Moen. Prairie News Service) – A decline in married-couple households and a rise in the number of older adult households are part of the dynamics reshaping living arrangements in the U.S. and a North Dakota office said the Census Bureau update resonates in affordable housing circles.

The Bureau this month issued a summary comparing the data points to what was seen around America 50 years ago. For example, the portion of householders age 65 and older rose from one in five in 1975 to over one in four in 2025.

Damian Schlinger, executive director of the Burleigh County Housing Authority, which helps local residents access affordable units, sees a connection between the trends and the clients his team works with.

“These demographic shifts mean we’re seeing greater demand for accessible one-bedroom units for seniors on fixed incomes, while working families face longer waits for larger units they need,” Schlinger observed.