A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Mercer County, North Dakota
Mercer County is what happens when a rural North Dakota county sits on top of one of the largest lignite coal deposits in the world and decides to build an industrial economy around it. The coal-fired power plants that line the Knife River and Missouri River corridors — Antelope Valley Station, Leland Olds Station, Coal Creek Station — generate electricity that powers homes and businesses across the upper Midwest. The Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah converts coal into synthetic natural gas, the only commercial-scale operation of its kind in America. And the strip mines operated by North American Coal feed it all. The result is a county of 8,500 people with industrial wages, employment stability, and a rental market that functions more like a small industrial city than a typical rural North Dakota county.
Power Plants and Synfuels: The Industrial Core
The power generation and synfuels facilities in Mercer County employ hundreds of plant operators, control room technicians, maintenance mechanics, electricians, instrumentation specialists, environmental compliance staff, and administrative workers. These are skilled, well-compensated positions with union or cooperative benefits, and the workers who hold them represent some of the most financially stable tenants available in any rural North Dakota market. Power plant employment operates on shift schedules with year-round continuity — coal-fired plants run continuously regardless of season. For landlords, this means consistent, reliable rental demand from workers with strong incomes and long-term employment security.
The Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah adds another layer of industrial employment. The facility’s workforce includes chemical engineers, process operators, laboratory technicians, and skilled trades workers whose specialized training keeps them employed at the plant for years or decades. Synfuels workers are among the highest-paid employees in the county.
Beulah, Hazen, and the Multi-Town Market
Unlike most rural ND counties where rental activity concentrates in a single county seat, Mercer County’s rental market spans three communities. Beulah, the largest at approximately 3,000 residents, is the primary commercial center and the community closest to the synfuels plant. Hazen, with roughly 2,400 residents, offers Sakakawea Medical Center (the county’s hospital), Lake Sakakawea access, and its own concentration of plant workers and agricultural services employment. Stanton, despite being the county seat, is the smallest of the three at roughly 400 residents. Landlords can operate in any of these communities and access the same industrial tenant pool, since workers commute freely among all three.
Lake Sakakawea: Recreation and Tourism
Lake Sakakawea — the massive Missouri River reservoir created by Garrison Dam — forms Mercer County’s northern boundary and provides world-class walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass fishing that draws anglers from across the region. The lake’s recreational economy supports marinas, bait shops, guides, and lodging businesses in the Hazen and Beulah area. Landlords with properties accessible to the lake may find seasonal rental opportunities, though the county’s industrial employment base provides far more substantial year-round demand than the seasonal recreation economy.
Energy Transition Considerations
Landlords investing in Mercer County should be aware that the long-term outlook for coal-fired power generation is subject to energy policy, carbon regulation, and market dynamics that could affect employment levels at the county’s power plants over time. Some facilities have announced or implemented capacity changes, and the transition toward renewable energy sources is a factor in long-term planning. However, the existing facilities represent billions of dollars in infrastructure with decades of remaining operational life, and the synfuels plant’s unique capabilities provide additional employment resilience. Current demand remains strong.
North Dakota Law in Mercer County
Mercer County landlords operate under NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. The 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit for nonpayment (after the mandatory 3-day grace period under § 47-16-07(2)), the 3-Day Notice to Quit for lease violations with no cure right, and the 30-Day Written Notice for month-to-month terminations are the operative notice timelines. The Mercer County District Court at 1021 Arthur St. in Stanton, part of the South Central Judicial District, handles eviction filings. Hearings are typically set within 3 to 15 days of summons service. LLCs and other entities must retain licensed North Dakota counsel. Attorney fees are recoverable by the prevailing landlord under § 47-32-04.
Mercer County landlord-tenant matters are governed by NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. Nonpayment notice: 3-day pay or quit (after 3-day grace period). Lease violation: 3-day quit (no cure). Month-to-month termination: 30-day written notice. Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent; pet deposit up to $2,500 or 2 months. Deposit return: 30 days; interest required if occupancy 9+ months. Late fees must be in lease; no charge during 3-day grace period. Legal entities must use licensed ND attorney in eviction. Attorney fees recoverable by prevailing landlord (§ 47-32-04). Hardship stay: up to 5 days. Eviction filed at Mercer County District Court, 1021 Arthur St., Stanton, ND 58571, (701) 745-3262. Filing fee ~$80. South Central Judicial District. 2025 SB 2238: eviction record sealing after 7 years. No rent control. No just-cause eviction requirement. Last updated: May 2026.
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