• county
  • FIPS 38035
  • Largest town: Grand Forks

Grand Forks County, North Dakota

Grand Forks County had 73,771 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 1,436.2 square miles of land. It ranks 3rd of 53 in North Dakota by population and 17th by land area.

Population
73,771
#3 of 53 in North Dakota · #762 in US
Area
1,436.2 sq mi
#17 of 53 in North Dakota · #418 in US
Density
51 / sq mi
#3 of 53 in North Dakota · #1,438 in US
Median household income
$72,369
#28 of 53 in North Dakota · #828 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Grand Forks County within North Dakota. Pin: Bismarck.

Grand Forks County population, land area and income

Grand Forks County had 73,771 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 1,436.2 square miles of land. It ranks 3rd of 53 in North Dakota by population and 17th by land area. That works out to 51.4 people per square mile, below the US average of 96.3, and above the national county median.

The median county-equivalent in North Dakota has 3,853 residents, so Grand Forks County is 19.1 times that size.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $72,369 is above the national county median among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

73,771

3144th1st

762nd of 3,144 (US)

Land area

1,436 sq mi

3144th1st

418th of 3,144 (US)

Density

51.4 / sq mi

3144th1st

1438th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$72,369

3143rd1st

828th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within North Dakota (53)

Population

73,771

53rd1st

3rd of 53 (ND)

Land area

1,436 sq mi

53rd1st

17th of 53 (ND)

Density

51.4 / sq mi

53rd1st

3rd of 53 (ND)

Median household income

$72,369

53rd1st

28th of 53 (ND)

How Grand Forks County's population changed since 2020

Grand Forks County gained 639 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 0.9%. That ranks 7th of 53 in North Dakota for growth. The median North Dakota county changed by -1.3%, and the state as a whole by +2.2%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Grand Forks County recorded 3,616 births and 2,401 deaths, a natural change of +1,215. Net international migration added +1,746 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to -2,330. The largest single component was domestic migration, which removed 2,330 people.

73.1k202072.4k202172.1k202273.2k202373.8k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
3,616
Deaths
2,401
Net international migration
+1,746
Net domestic migration
-2,330
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+573

Where Grand Forks County is

The Census internal point of Grand Forks County is at 47.926000, -97.450900. It sits in UTM zone 14N. The map shades North Dakota's 53 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Grand Forks County outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Towns in Grand Forks County

3 incorporated places of 1,000+ people have residents in Grand Forks County, 62,175 people together, or 84% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Grand Forks County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Grand Forks with 59,845.

  1. 01Grand Forks59,845
  2. 02Larimore1,239
  3. 03Thompson1,091
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Grand Forks County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for Grand Forks County, including 2 across a state line. The most populous is Polk County, MN, with 30,413 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Bismarck and the nearest big city

Bismarck is 173.6 miles WSW of Grand Forks County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Fargo, ND (population 136,285), 78.9 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Grand Forks, ND (population 59,845), 16.8 miles away.

Grand Forks County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Grand Forks County is 38035: state code 38 for North Dakota plus county code 035. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $72,369.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Grand Forks County, North Dakota?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 73,771. That is up 639 people (0.9%) from the July 2020 estimate of 73,132.

What is the FIPS code of Grand Forks County?

38035. The first two digits (38) are North Dakota; the last three (035) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Grand Forks County?

Grand Forks, with 59,845 residents inside Grand Forks County in 2024.

Which counties border Grand Forks County?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Polk County, MN; Walsh County, ND; Marshall County, MN; Traill County, ND; Nelson County, ND; Steele County, ND.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.