Greater Grand Forks

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Greater Grand Forks
The Grand Cities
The Forks
Metropolitan statistical area
Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area
FEMA - 29438 - Photograph by Brenda Riskey taken on 05-17-2006 in North Dakota.jpg
Aerial View of Downtown Grand Forks (2006)
Nickname: 
The Sunflake City
Greater Grand Forks
Interactive Map of Grand Forks, ND–MN MSA
Country Flag of United States.svg United States
State Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota
Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota
Largest city Grand Forks, ND
Other cities Crookston, MN, East Grand Forks, MN, Fosston, MN, Larimore, ND, Thompson, ND
Area
 • Total
3,407.352 sq mi (8,825.00 km2)
Highest elevation
840 feet at Grand Forks Airport  ft (256 meters m)
Lowest elevation
779 feet at Red River of the North  ft (237 meters m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
104,362
 • Estimate 
(2024) [1]
104,184 Decrease2.svg
 • Rank 356th in the U.S.
 • Density30.588/sq mi (11.810/km2)
Time zone UTC–6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC–5 (CDT)
Area codes 218 and 701
Website visitgrandforks.com
The Sorlie bridge carries DeMers Avenue between Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. Grandforks-sorlie.jpg
The Sorlie bridge carries DeMers Avenue between Grand Forks and East Grand Forks.

The Greater Grand Forks (officially the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan statistical area ), as defined by the Census Bureau as comprising all of Grand Forks County in North Dakota and Polk County in Minnesota, anchored by the twin cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 104,362 and was estimated to be 104,184 in 2024.

Contents

The metropolitan area is also sometimes called The Forks. Several years ago, local promoters attempted to "brand" the metropolitan area as The Grand Cities. This name has not found widespread use in the area, although several buildings and organizations now bear the "Grand Cities" title. Occasionally, the city of Grand Forks uses the nickname "The Sunflake City."

Counties

Communities

Incorporated Places

Census-Designated Places

Township Places

Unincorporated places

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 17,681—
1890 48,549174.6%
1900 59,88823.4%
1910 63,8896.7%
1920 65,8853.1%
1930 67,9753.2%
1940 72,2526.3%
1950 75,3484.3%
1960 84,85912.6%
1970 95,53712.6%
1980 100,9445.7%
1990 103,1812.2%
2000 97,478−5.5%
2010 98,4611.0%
2020 104,3626.0%
2024 (est.)104,184 [1] −0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [2]
1790–1960 [3] 1900–1990 [4]
1990–2000 [5] 2010–2020 [6]

Population by decade

Greater Grand Forks

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 104,362 people, 43,192 households, and 24,038 families residing in the MSA. The population density was 30.63 inhabitants per square mile (11.8/km2). There were 48,051 housing units at an average density of 14.1 per square mile (5.4/km2). The racial makeup of the MSA was 83.64% White, 3.87% African American, 2.17% Native American, 2.54% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from some other races and 6.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.42% of the population.

Age

Ancestry

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the top ten European ancestry groups were the following:

Language spoken at home

Education

K-12

Public schools

The Grand Forks Public Schools system serves Grand Forks and Grand Forks Air Force Base. The district consists of 12 elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools, an alternative high school, an adult learning center, and a Head Start program.

The East Grand Forks School District serves East Grand Forks and the surrounding rural areas. The district consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.

The Crookston School District 593 serves Crookston and the surrounding rural areas. The district consists of two elementary schools and a high school.

Private schools

In Grand Forks, St. Michael's Catholic Church and Holy Family Catholic Church both have Catholic elementary schools. There are no Catholic middle or high schools in Grand Forks, but East Grand Forks is home to Sacred Heart Catholic Church's school, which educates from kindergarten through the 12th grade. East Grand Forks is also home to Riverside Christian School, a nondenominational elementary school.

Higher education

*also has a campus in Thief River Falls, Minnesota

Media

See Media in Grand Forks, North Dakota for a list of newspapers, television stations, and radio stations

Print

The major daily newspaper is the Grand Forks Herald . The only other daily newspaper in the area is the Crookston Daily Times of Crookston. The Exponent of East Grand Forks is a weekly newspaper. The Dakota Student is a campus newspaper published twice a week (during the school year) by students of the University of North Dakota. There are also several other weekly newspapers in the area including the Hillsboro Banner .

Television

The metropolitan area receives all major broadcast networks over the air, along with cable, and satellite television. The major cable television company is Midcontinent Communications.

The only broadcast stations based in the metro area are WDAZ-TV 8 (ABC) and KCPM 27 (MNTV). KVLY-TV and KRDK-TV both have news bureaus in Grand Forks, though the stations are based in Fargo.

Local TV stations include:

Radio

See Media in Grand Forks, North Dakota for a list of all radio stations

There are several radio stations available in the area. All of the commercial radio stations in Grand Forks are owned by either Clear Channel Communications or Leighton Broadcasting. The area is also served by stations of North Dakota Public Radio (KUND 89.3 FM and KFJM 90.7 FM) and Minnesota Public Radio (KQMN 91.5 FM classical music and KNTN 102.7 FM news/talk). Several religious organizations have Christian radio stations throughout the area.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2024" . Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  4. ↑ Forstall, Richard L. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Grand Forks County, North Dakota; Polk County, Minnesota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 12, 2025.

47°55′37″N97°01′42″W / 47.92694°N 97.02833°W / 47.92694; -97.02833

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