Grand Forks, ND

City in Grand Forks County, ND, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

59,042

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

29.6

years ∙ half population younger than 29.6, half older

Diversity Index

35.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

7.7%

foreign-born population

92.3%Native

7.7% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Grand Forks is a city within Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States.

Location

City in Grand Forks County, ND, US

Co-ordinates

DEC47.919595° N, 97.087328° W

DMS47° 55′ 10.54″ N, 97° 05′ 14.38″ W

Population Density & area

2,029/sq mi (783.1/km²)

Total Area

29.3 sq mi (75.9 km²)

Land Area

29.1 sq mi (75.4 km²) · 99.32%

Water Area

0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²) · 0.68%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

51.7% male

Male 51.7%

Female 48.3%

males per 100 females

Grand Forks 106.9

Grand Forks County 106.4

North Dakota 105.1

Nativity

7.7%

foreign-born population

92.3%Native

7.7% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Grand Forks 7.7%

Grand Forks County 6.7%

North Dakota 4.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

29.6

years ∙ half population younger than 29.6, half older

Grand Forks

29.6

Grand Forks County

30.9

North Dakota

35.9

Dependency ratio

50.1

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Grand Forks 50.1

Grand Forks County 54.9

North Dakota 66.8

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	19.3%	21.2%	23.5%
Working age (18-64)	66.6%	64.6%	60%
Senior (65+)	14.1%	14.2%	16.5%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	50.1	54.9	66.8
Child dependency ratio	29	32.8	39.2
Old-age dependency ratio	21.1	22.1	27.6

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

79.7%

Black

4.3%

Asian

3.3%

Hispanic

5.6%

Other

7.1%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

35.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Grand Forks 35.6%

Grand Forks County 33%

North Dakota 32.6%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Grand Forks population

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Hispanic or Latino	5.6%	5.4%	4.7%
Mexican	3.4%	3.4%	2.8%
Puerto Rican	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
Cuban	0.2%	0.1%	0.1%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.8%	1.6%	1.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	94.4%	94.6%	95.3%
One race	89.5%	89.9%	91.3%
White	79.7%	81.4%	81.7%
Black or African American	4.3%	3.7%	3.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native	1.9%	1.7%	4.2%
Asian	3.3%	2.8%	1.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.1%
Some Other Race	0.3%	0.4%	0.3%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	4.9%	4.7%	4%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

44.2% family

Family 44.2%

Non family 55.8%

% family households

Grand Forks 44.2%

Grand Forks County 48.9%

North Dakota 57.3%

Average household size

2.09

persons per household

Grand Forks

2.09

Grand Forks County

2.18

North Dakota

2.28

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Grand Forks population

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Total households	26,171	31,295	331,063
Average houshold size	2.09	2.18	2.28
Family households	11,562	15,307	189,842
Average family size	2.94	2.99	3
Married couple family	8,584	11,938	151,685
Other families	2,978	3,369	38,157
Male householder	773	949	13,926
Female householder	2,205	2,420	24,231
Non-family households	14,609	15,988	141,221
One-person households	10,717	11,906	114,955
Male householder	5,868	6,514	61,956
Senior (65+) living alone	1,372	1,579	15,355
Female householder	4,849	5,392	52,999
Senior (65+) living alone	2,177	2,526	25,603
Other living arrangements	3,892	4,082	26,266

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

28,129

housing units

Grand Forks 28,129

Grand Forks County 33,891

North Dakota 377,281

Occupancy status

93% occupied

Occupied 93%

Vacant 7%

vacancy rate

Grand Forks 7%

Grand Forks County 7.7%

North Dakota 12.3%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

47%

Single family houses

47%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

50.7%

Mobile homes

2.3%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1984

Half of houses were built before 1984, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

8.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

17.7%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

42.4%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

31%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5	5.4	5.7
1–3 rooms	21.3%	18.3%	15.7%
4–6 rooms	48.1%	46.6%	44.8%
7+ rooms	30.6%	35.1%	39.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	2.9%	2.4%	3.2%
1 bedroom	16.7%	14.4%	9.7%
2 bedrooms	32.7%	30.2%	27.9%
3 bedrooms	26.4%	29.3%	31.5%
4+ bedrooms	21.1%	23.7%	27.9%
At a glance
Median year built	1984	1982	1983
Total housing units	28,129	33,891	377,281

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

46.4% owners

Renter-occupied 53.6%

Owner-occupied 46.4%

homeownership rate

Grand Forks 46.4%

Grand Forks County 51.8%

North Dakota 62.9%

Average household size

2.35

Owner-occupied

1.86

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Grand Forks 2.35

Grand Forks County 2.43

North Dakota 2.5

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Total occupied units	26,171	31,295	331,063
Year moved in
2020 or later	40%	37%	28.1%
2010 to 2019	35.3%	34.6%	39.7%
2000 to 2009	10.7%	12%	13.8%
1999 or earlier	14%	16.5%	18.4%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	97.9%	98.1%	97.8%
1.01 to 1.50	0.9%	0.9%	1.5%
1.51 or more	1.2%	1%	0.8%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	8.2%	7.1%	5.9%
1 vehicle	40.7%	37.4%	30.1%
2 vehicles	34.9%	36.2%	37.2%
3 or more vehicles	16.1%	19.3%	26.8%
House heating fuel used
Gas	48.4%	50%	54.8%
Electricity	47.1%	44.8%	40%
Solar	0%	0%	0%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.4%	1.1%	1.9%
All other fuels	2.1%	2.3%	2%
No fuel used	2%	1.8%	1.3%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.2%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.6%	0.6%	0.6%
No telephone service available	1.1%	1%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$249,900

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Grand Forks

$249,900

Grand Forks County

$252,700

North Dakota

$249,900

Housing Cost Burden

21.1%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

21.1%

Owners without a mortgage

11.9%

Renters

45.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Property value
Median Value	$249,900	$252,700	$249,900
Under $100,000	9.8%	10.7%	16.3%
$100,000 - $200,000	19%	18.9%	19.6%
$200,000 - $300,000	34.9%	32.8%	25.6%
$300,000 - $500,000	27%	28.3%	27.4%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	8%	8.1%	9.7%
$1,000,000 and more	1.5%	1.2%	1.3%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	60.7%	58.8%	52.3%
Without a mortgage	39.3%	41.2%	47.7%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,705	$1,736	$1,762
Without a mortgage	$649	$646	$590
Gross rent
Median rent	$980	$992	$954

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

40%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Grand Forks 40%

Grand Forks County 38%

North Dakota 32.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

4.3%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Grand Forks 4.3%

Grand Forks County 4.1%

North Dakota 5.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

20,005

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

2.4%

K–12

38.4%

College / Undergraduate

49%

Graduate / Professional

10.2%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

71%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Grand Forks

71%

Grand Forks County

67.9%

North Dakota

45.2%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Total enrolled (age 3+)	20,005	23,685	198,150
Nursery / preschool	2.4%	3.1%	4.9%
K–12	38.4%	44.2%	65%
Kindergarten	4.1%	4.7%	4.8%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	11.3%	13.8%	20.3%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	13.2%	15.1%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	9.8%	10.5%	18.9%
College or graduate school	59.2%	52.8%	30.1%
College, undergraduate	49%	43.5%	24%
Graduate, professional school	10.2%	9.3%	6.1%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	71%	67.9%	45.2%
School type
Public school	92.8%	91.8%	87.1%
Private school	7.2%	8.2%	12.9%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

34,604

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

2.6%

HS graduate

21.2%

Some college no degree

22%

Associates degree

12.6%

Bachelors degree

25.5%

Graduate or professional degree

14.5%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

32.9% · 67.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

66.5% · 33.5%

HS graduate

52.9% · 47.1%

Some college no degree

56.5% · 43.5%

Associates degree

43.9% · 56.1%

Bachelors degree

49.6% · 50.4%

Graduate or professional degree

49.9% · 50.1%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Population (25+)	34,604	43,548	513,405
Less than 9th grade	1.7%	1.6%	2.3%
9th–12th, no diploma	2.6%	2.5%	3.6%
High school diploma or GED	21.2%	21.6%	25.5%
Some college, no degree	22%	23%	21.8%
Associate's degree	12.6%	13.2%	14%
Bachelor's degree or higher	40%	38%	32.7%
Bachelor's degree	25.5%	24.6%	23%
Graduate or professional	14.5%	13.4%	9.7%
High School or higher	95.7%	95.9%	94%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$50,939

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$34,509

HS graduate

$39,186

Some college or associates

$46,690

Bachelors degree

$58,995

Graduate or professional degree

$74,794

Poverty Rate

4.2%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

17.9%

HS graduate

13.9%

Some college or associates

11.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

4.2%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Grand Forks	Grand Forks County	North Dakota
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$50,939	$51,522	$52,900
Less than high school graduate	$34,509	$35,096	$40,757
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$39,186	$40,713	$43,691
Some college or associate's degree	$46,690	$47,952	$50,379
Bachelor's degree	$58,995	$59,295	$60,962
Graduate or professional degree	$74,794	$76,811	$74,877
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	17.9%	15.8%	21.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	13.9%	12%	12.9%
Some college or associate's degree	11.2%	9.4%	7.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.2%	3.9%	4%

Insights for Grand Forks, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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