Population74,501 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
A River Meeting With A Travel History
Grand Forks County, North DakotaGrand Forks anchors its namesake county where the Red Lake River meets the Red River. Fur trade and Red River cart transportation belong to the area’s historical background, connecting the city’s geographic name with the movement of people and goods through the region. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 74,501 residents in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, on July 1, 2025.
Grand Forks County at a Glance
Population74,501 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
County SeatGrand Forks
Largest CityGrand Forks (2025)
Established1873 (organized; NACo County Explorer)
ZIP CodesLook up by address
Total Area, Including Water1,439.417 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography)
Road MapsView county maps
Area Codes701Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.

Grand Forks County
Grand Forks County was created during the Dakota territorial period in the early 1870s. The city and county name reflect the meeting of the Red Lake and Red rivers, a geographic relationship that predates county government. Local historical resources describe fur-trade connections and Red River cart travel as parts of the wider story. These themes show why a river confluence matters beyond a map label: it helped organize routes, exchange and the development of a regional community center.
Begin with the river confluence to orient a Grand Forks County visit, then use local historical resources to explore trade and transportation. The historical society offers a way to connect broad regional themes with individual people and places. Check current visitor information for specific destinations and public river access. A focused outing can follow one travel-history thread while keeping the city's civic role and the surrounding county context in view.
What Shapes Us
Place And Character
Fur trade and Red River cart transportation belong to the area's historical background, connecting the city's geographic name with the movement of people and goods through the region.
The Local Story
The city and county name reflect the meeting of the Red Lake and Red rivers, a geographic relationship that predates county government.
Explore The County
Begin with the river confluence to orient a Grand Forks County visit, then use local historical resources to explore trade and transportation.
Grand Forks County
Places and perspectives from Grand Forks County
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North Dakota News
Statewide reporting from North Dakota Monitor, with county guides when news is unavailable.
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Oct 16, 2026 • 2 min readMeet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
County government and departments
Find Grand Forks County officials, department contacts and county services in the North Dakota Association of Counties directory.
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
Emerado Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-08. 501 Main St, Emerado, ND 58228. 701-594-5125.
Ben Franklin Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-05. 1016 S 20th St, Grand Forks, ND 58201. 701-746-2250.
Larimore Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-06. 700 Clark Ave, Larimore, ND 58251. 701-343-2249.
Manvel Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-08. 801 Oldham Ave, Manvel, ND 58256. 701-696-2212.
Midway Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-08. 3202 33rd Ave NE, Inkster, ND 58233. 701-869-2432.
School For The Blind – Not Applicable; grades N-N. 500 Stanford Rd, Grand Forks, ND 58203. 701-795-2700.
Northwood Elementary School – Elementary; grades KG-06. 420 Trojan Rd, Northwood, ND 58267. 701-587-5221.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Altru Hospital – Acute Care Hospitals. 1200 S Columbia Rd, Grand Forks, ND 58201. 701-780-5000.
Northwood Deaconess Health Center – Critical Access Hospitals. Po Box 190, Northwood, ND 58267. 701-587-6060.
Public safety contacts
Find the Sheriff’s Office in the Grand Forks County officials directory for local public-safety contacts. For an emergency, call 911.
Emergency management
For an emergency, call 911. For planning and preparedness contacts, find Emergency Management in the Grand Forks County officials directory.
State parks and recreation
Explore the state park directory to plan trips in this part of North Dakota and beyond. Check the destination page for facilities and current notices.
Trail maps and outdoor recreation
Use North Dakota Parks and Recreation’s destination information to find trail maps and outdoor activities. Destinations may be outside Grand Forks County.
Electric and gas utilities
Find utility information and provider links through the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Service availability depends on your address; contact your municipality for local water and sewer service.
Libraries
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
Grand Forks Public Library – 2110 Library Circle, Grand Forks, ND 58201. 701-772-8116.
Edna Ralston Public Library – 116 1/2 Towner Avenue, Larimore, ND 58251. 701-343-2181.
Northwood City Center Library – 206 South Main St., Northwood, ND 58267. 701-587-5370.
County court information
Select Grand Forks County in the North Dakota Court System directory for court locations and contact information.
DMV
North Dakota — Motor Vehicle Online Services
North Dakota — REAL ID Information
North Dakota — Driver licensing, tests and records
Transportation and transit
Use NDDOT’s transit map to find providers serving your area. Confirm service days and booking requirements with the provider.
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know Grand Forks County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Grand Forks County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
74,501 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
1,439.417 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
Start with these official North Dakota resources: Motor Vehicle Online Services; REAL ID Information; Driver licensing, tests and records. Choose the page for the service you need, then check its office or online instructions before making a trip. These links cover state services; they do not establish that every transaction is available at a county office.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
The VA explains how to find and appoint an accredited representative for benefit claims. Contact a representative to confirm availability before appointing them. For education benefits, use the GI Bill application guidance. These are national VA services available to eligible local residents, rather than a listing of county offices.
Search USAJOBS for federal positions and the Apprenticeship Finder for apprenticeship opportunities, using location filters to narrow the results. USAGov job-training guidance points to training programs and state resources. Check each listing for current availability, eligibility and application instructions; a search result does not guarantee an opening in the county.
Grand Forks County was created during the Dakota territorial period in the early 1870s. The city and county name reflect the meeting of the Red Lake and Red rivers, a geographic relationship that predates county government. Local historical resources describe fur-trade connections and Red River cart travel as parts of the wider story. These themes show why a river confluence matters beyond a map label: it helped organize routes, exchange and the development of a regional community center.
Begin with the river confluence to orient a Grand Forks County visit, then use local historical resources to explore trade and transportation. The historical society offers a way to connect broad regional themes with individual people and places. Check current visitor information for specific destinations and public river access. A focused outing can follow one travel-history thread while keeping the city's civic role and the surrounding county context in view.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 1,436.225 square miles of land and 3.192 square miles of water in Grand Forks County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
In the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate series, Grand Forks County had an estimated 73,142 residents on July 1, 2020, and 74,501 on July 1, 2025. Over that interval, the estimated population increased by 1,359 residents, or about 1.9%. Both figures come from the same estimate vintage, which revises earlier years for a consistent comparison.
Grand Forks is the county seat listed for Grand Forks County by the National Association of Counties. For an office visit, confirm the specific department’s address before traveling. NACo county profile.
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
Find Something Fun
Make Time to ExploreBrowse local places by the kind of day you have in mind.
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