Barnes County, North Dakota  Barnes County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 11,066. Its county seat is Valley City. In 1872, the Dakota Territory legislature authorized Burbank County (named for governor John A. Burbank); in 1874 they renamed it Barnes County, for Alanson H. Barnes (1818–1890), an associate justice of the Territorial Court. It was organized at Valley City on January 6, 1879. The Sheyenne River flows southerly through the central part of Barnes County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved with drainages, and dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is on its upper west boundary line, at 1,535' (468m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.4%) is water. As of the 2000 United States Census there were 11,775 people, 4,884 households, and 3,115 families in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 5,599 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.91% White, 0.45% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.3% were of German and 34.0% Norwegian ancestry. There were 4,884 households out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.20% were non-families. 31.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89. The county population contained 22.30% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 23.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 years of age or older.