The Town FilesCooperstown, North Dakota
City in Griggs County · population 983 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,600
- Household income
- $51,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 51.2
Cooperstown is a city of 983 people in Griggs County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $98,600, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of North Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of North Dakota towns, more of a college town than 80% of North Dakota towns.
How Cooperstown ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cooperstown is worth $98,600, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $51,375, which is more affordable than 82% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $569 a month. 77.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cooperstown | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,600 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $569 | $775 |
| Median household income | $51,375 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 77.0% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.8% | — |
Who lives in Cooperstown
| People | Cooperstown | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.2 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.9% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 11.6 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 87.3% |
Weather in Cooperstown
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows -3.1°F. About 22.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.2 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 188 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooperstown since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 15, 1986 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 7, 2001.
Severe weather in Griggs County since 1996
Griggs County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4895: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4888: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Griggs County
Griggs County had 789 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,573 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Cooperstown itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Cooperstown
2 public schools with 273 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRIGGS COUNTY CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 193 | 13.8 |
| GRIGGS COUNTY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 80 | 11.4 |
Cooperstown questions
Is Cooperstown, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cooperstown scores better for retirees than 97% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 66%. 30.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).
How much does a house cost in Cooperstown?
The median owner-occupied home in Cooperstown is valued at $98,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,375, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $569 a month.
What is the weather like in Cooperstown?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows -3.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.0 inches of precipitation a year and 42.2 inches of snow.
Does Cooperstown get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooperstown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 15, 1986. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)