Devils Lake, North Dakota | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Devils Lake | |
 Seal  Logo | |
 Location of Devils Lake, North Dakota | |
| Coordinates:48°06′45″N98°52′29″W / 48.112578°N 98.874762°W /48.112578; -98.874762 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Ramsey |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Incorporated (village) | 1884 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1887 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jim Moe |
| • Vice President | Rob Hach |
| • Commissioner | Joe Knowski Jason Pierce Lisa Uhlenkamp |
| Area | |
• City | 6.965 sq mi (18.039 km2) |
| • Land | 6.959 sq mi (18.023 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0058 sq mi (0.015 km2) 0.09% |
| Elevation | 1,437 ft (438 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 7,192 |
• Estimate (2024)[5] | 7,314 |
| • Density | 1,051.0/sq mi (405.79/km2) |
| • Urban | 7,493 |
| • Metro | 11,510 |
| Time zone | UTC–6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 58301 |
| Area code | 701 |
| FIPS code | 38-19420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1035989[3] |
| Highways | US 2,ND 19,ND 20 |
| Website | devilslakend.com |
Devils Lake is a city in and thecounty seat ofRamsey County, North Dakota, United States.[7] The population was 7,192 at the2020 census,[4] and was estimated to be 7,314 in 2024.[5] It is named after the nearby lake calledDevils Lake. The first house built by a Euro-American settler was in 1882. It was surveyed in 1883 and namedCreelsburg and laterCreel City, after the surveyor,Heber M. Creel. In 1884 it was renamed Devils Lake.[8]
The local paper is theDevils Lake Journal.Devils Lake Municipal Airport serves the city. Devils Lake is home toLake Region State College and theNorth Dakota School for the Deaf.
The present site of Devils Lake was, historically, a territory of the Dakota people. However, the Sisseton, Wahpeton, and Cut-Head bands of the Dakotas were relocated to the Spirit Lake Reservation as a result of the 1867 treaty between the United States and the Dakota that established a reservation for those who had not been forcibly relocated to Crow Creek Reservation in what is now South Dakota.[9][10] The name "Devils Lake" is acalque of the Dakota phrasemni wak’áŋ (literally translating to spirit water),[11] which is also reflected in the names of the Spirit Lake Tribe and the nearby town ofMinnewaukan.
The Dakota called the lakemni wak’áŋ, which separately translates asmni (water) andwak’áŋ (literally meaning "pure source" but often translated as "spirit" or "sacred"). The European-American settlers misconstrued this name to mean "Bad Spirit Lake" or "Devils Lake." The "bad" referred to the highsalinity of the lake, making it unfit to drink, and "spirit" referenced themirages often seen across the water. The Christian concept of thedevil was not present in the Dakota philosophy and religious practices.[12]
TheHidatsa name for the lake ismirixubaash ( meaning "sacred water").[13]
The first post office was founded November 15, 1882, and was originally named Creelsburg.[8] It was founded by LieutenantHeber M. Creel, aWest Point graduate and topographical engineer stationed at nearbyFort Totten. After resigning from the U.S. Army, he surveyed the land and established the townsite.
The surroundingCreel Township is named for Mr. Creel. The name was later changed to Creel City and expanded by theGreat Northern Railway. When the village was incorporated in 1884, the name was changed to City of Devils Lake and then shortened to Devils Lake.[14][12]
During a period of increased rainfall, beginning in the 1990s and unprecedented in the history of North Dakota, caused thenearby lake, which has no natural outlet, to rise. The surface area has quadrupled, and the higher water has resulted in the moving or destruction of over 400 houses.[15]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.965 square miles (18.04 km2), of which 6.959 square miles (18.02 km2) is land and 0.006 square miles (0.016 km2) (0.09%) is water.[2]
Like all of North Dakota, Devils Lake has ahumid continental climate (KöppenDfb) with very cold winters with frequent light snowfall, and warm to very warm, wetter summers with most rain from convectivethunderstorms. During the1936 North American cold wave, the town was one of the coldest places south of the Canada–US border, averaging −21 °F or −29.4 °C for the five weeks ending February 21, 1936[16] (though at a different site from that now in use). On average 53.4 nights fall to or below 0 °F or −17.8 °C, 104.1 days fail to top freezing, and 184.5 nights fall below 32 °F or 0 °C. In the winter, only 17.5 days on average top freezing, and in severe winters months can pass without even a minor thaw. Extreme heat is rare in summer, with only one day in three years topping 100 °F or 37.8 °C, and only 9.3 topping 90 °F or 32.2 °C.
| Climate data for Devils Lake, North Dakota (1971–2000, extremes 1948–2001) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 53 (12) | 60 (16) | 72 (22) | 97 (36) | 96 (36) | 103 (39) | 103 (39) | 103 (39) | 100 (38) | 94 (34) | 77 (25) | 59 (15) | 103 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 14.7 (−9.6) | 22.3 (−5.4) | 33.6 (0.9) | 52.1 (11.2) | 67.5 (19.7) | 75.3 (24.1) | 80.1 (26.7) | 79.1 (26.2) | 67.7 (19.8) | 53.9 (12.2) | 33.1 (0.6) | 19.4 (−7.0) | 49.9 (9.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −2.5 (−19.2) | 5.2 (−14.9) | 17.3 (−8.2) | 32.2 (0.1) | 44.9 (7.2) | 54.3 (12.4) | 58.6 (14.8) | 56.2 (13.4) | 46.5 (8.1) | 34.6 (1.4) | 18.4 (−7.6) | 3.6 (−15.8) | 30.8 (−0.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −36 (−38) | −37 (−38) | −28 (−33) | −12 (−24) | 1 (−17) | 29 (−2) | 39 (4) | 33 (1) | 20 (−7) | −2 (−19) | −25 (−32) | −37 (−38) | −37 (−38) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.58 (15) | 0.51 (13) | 0.80 (20) | 0.90 (23) | 2.14 (54) | 3.83 (97) | 3.29 (84) | 2.21 (56) | 1.80 (46) | 1.47 (37) | 0.83 (21) | 0.57 (14) | 18.93 (480) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.3 (16) | 4.7 (12) | 6.3 (16) | 2.2 (5.6) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.9 (4.8) | 5.4 (14) | 7.2 (18) | 34.3 (87.16) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 inch) | 8.4 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 9.5 | 12.1 | 10.1 | 8.9 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 99.9 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 inch) | 6.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 23.6 |
| Source: NOAA[17] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 846 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,729 | 104.4% | |
| 1910 | 5,157 | 198.3% | |
| 1920 | 5,140 | −0.3% | |
| 1930 | 5,451 | 6.1% | |
| 1940 | 6,204 | 13.8% | |
| 1950 | 6,427 | 3.6% | |
| 1960 | 6,299 | −2.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,078 | 12.4% | |
| 1980 | 7,442 | 5.1% | |
| 1990 | 7,782 | 4.6% | |
| 2000 | 7,222 | −7.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,141 | −1.1% | |
| 2020 | 7,192 | 0.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 7,314 | [5] | 1.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[18] 2020 Census[4] | |||
According to realtor websiteZillow, the average price of a home as of June 30, 2025, in Devils Lake is $242,094.[19]
As of the 2023American Community Survey, there are 3,468 estimated households in Devils Lake with an average of 1.96 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $42,755. Approximately 24.0% of the city's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Devils Lake has an estimated 67.6% employment rate, with 24.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 91.9% holding a high school diploma.[20]
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (95.3%), Spanish (0.3%), Indo-European (0.8%), Asian and Pacific Islander (1.4%), and Other (2.3%).
The median age in the city was 37.2 years.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[21] | Pop. 1990[22] | Pop. 2000[23] | Pop. 2010[24] | Pop. 2020[25] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,107 (95.50) | 7,180 (92.26%) | 6,426 (88.98%) | 5,879 (82.33%) | 5,331 (74.12%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 14 (0.19%) | 17 (0.22%) | 16 (0.22%) | 37 (0.52%) | 58 (0.81%) |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 281 (3.78%) | 524 (6.73%) | 562 (7.78%) | 868 (12.16%) | 1,148 (15.96%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 13 (0.17%) | 21 (0.27%) | 20 (0.28%) | 30 (0.42%) | 55 (0.76%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 0 (0.00%) | 2 (0.03%) | 6 (0.08%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 (0.00%) | 4 (0.05%) | 3 (0.04%) | 4 (0.06%) | 2 (0.03%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 155 (2.15%) | 225 (3.15%) | 395 (5.49%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 27 (0.36%) | 36 (0.46%) | 40 (0.55%) | 96 (1.34%) | 197 (2.74%) |
| Total | 7,442 (100.00%) | 7,782 (100.00%) | 7,222 (100.00%) | 7,141 (100.00%) | 7,192 (100.00%) |
As of the2020 census, there were 7,192 people, 3,202 households, and 1,612 families residing in the city.[26] Thepopulation density was 1,033.5 inhabitants per square mile (399.0/km2). There were 3,687 housing units at an average density of 529.82 per square mile (204.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.00%White, 0.81%African American, 16.59%Native American, 0.76%Asian, 0.08%Pacific Islander, 0.57% from some other races and 6.19% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.74% of the population.[27]
As of the2010 census, there were 7,141 people, 3,229 households, and 1,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,097.9 inhabitants per square mile (423.9/km2). There were 3,481 housing units at an average density of 535.54 per square mile (206.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.86%White, 0.52%African American, 12.53%Native American, 0.42%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.25% from some other races and 3.39% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 3,229 households, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% weremarried couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.0% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.80.
The median age in the city was 40.4 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 19.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.
As of the2000 census, there were 7,222 people, 3,127 households, and 1,773 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,149.4 inhabitants per square mile (443.8/km2). There were 3,508 housing units at an average density of 558.3 per square mile (215.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.23%White, 0.22%African American, 7.84%Native American, 0.28%Asian, 0.00%Pacific Islander, 0.21% from some other races and 2.23% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.55% of the population.
The top 6 ancestry groups in the city areGerman (43.9%),Norwegian (33.4%),Irish (7.6%),French (4.7%),Swedish (4.5%),English (2.7%).
There were 3,127 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% weremarried couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $39,541. Males had a median income of $27,972 versus $18,000 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,741. About 11.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Devils Lake is served byDevils Lake Public Schools.[28] This system operates Sweetwater Elementary School, Prairie View Elementary School, Minnie H Elementary School, Central Middle School, andDevils Lake High School.
A private school, St. Joseph's Catholic School (of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Fargo), is also located in Devils Lake.
Amtrak, the U.S. national passenger rail system, servesDevils Lake, operating itsEmpire Builder daily in both directions betweenChicago andSeattle andPortland, Oregon. SkyWest Air Lines also operates two flights daily to theDevils Lake Municipal Airport from Denver International Airport.
Localdial-a-ride transit service is provided by Devils Lake Transit. The service operates 7:35am to 5:00pm on weekdays for a standard fare of $3.00.[29]
Municipalities and communities ofRamsey County, North Dakota,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
