| Official Name: | Balta, North Dakota |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | North Dakota |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pierce |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1912 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 0.66 |
| Area Land Km2: | 0.59 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.07 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.25 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.23 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.03 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 64 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2022 |
| Population Total: | 66 |
| Population Density Km2: | 112.34 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 290.75 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | –6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | –5 |
| Elevation M: | 473 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1552 |
| Coordinates: | 48.1667°N -100.0369°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 58313 |
| Area Code: | 701 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 38-04580 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1035920 |
Balta is a city in Pierce County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 66 at the 2020 census.[2] Balta was founded in 1912, and is known for its duck hunting.
Old Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Wrought-Iron Cross Site, in or near Balta, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Originally, the town was named Egan, in honor of Egan Pierce, an official with the Soo Line railroad. It was renamed by the locals after the city Balta in the Russian Empire (current Ukraine), the original home of many immigrant settlers.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.25sqmi, of which 0.22sqmi is land and 0.03sqmi is water.[3]
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (which warns that "there is no generally accepted definition of a geographic center"), the center of the continent of North America is six miles west of Balta, at a latitude of 48°10' and a longitude of 100°10'.[4] As Balta is so small, nearby Rugby calls itself the center of the continent.
As of the census of 2010, there were 65 people, 30 households, and 17 families residing in the city. The population density was 295.5PD/sqmi. There were 47 housing units at an average density of 213.6/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 100.0% White.
There were 30 households, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.3% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.71.
The median age in the city was 44.8 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 32.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 58.5% male and 41.5% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 73 people, 38 households, and 21 families residing in the city. The population density was 327.1sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 49 housing units at an average density of 219.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 98.63% White, and 1.37% Asian.
There were 38 households, out of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.57.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.8% under the age of 18, 1.4% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 32.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 121.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,813, and the median income for a family was $24,688. Males had a median income of $14,375 versus $15,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,645. There were 8.7% of families and 7.1% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 14.3% of those over 64.
It is within Rugby Public Schools,[5] which operates Rugby High School.
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Balta has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[6]