The Town FilesGrand Forks AFB, North Dakota
Community in Grand Forks County · population 2,002 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $9,999
- Household income
- $72,782
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 21.7
Grand Forks AFB is a community of 2,002 people in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $9,999, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of North Dakota towns, better for cycling than 99% of North Dakota towns, more of a college town than 96% of North Dakota towns.
How Grand Forks AFB 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 Grand Forks AFB is worth $9,999, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 0.1 times the median household income of $72,782, which is more affordable than 100% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,626 a month. 2.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grand Forks AFB | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $9,999 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $1,626 | $775 |
| Median household income | $72,782 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 2.3% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Grand Forks AFB
| People | Grand Forks AFB | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.7 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 42.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 18.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 10.1 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.2% | 87.3% |
Weather in Grand Forks AFB
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows -3.1°F. About 21.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Forks AFB since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 11, 1958 about 9.7 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 52 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 16, 1985.
Severe weather in Grand Forks County since 1996
Grand Forks County has been included in 38 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 |
| July 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4717: Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| October 2, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4565: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 9, 2020 | Flood | DR-4553: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Grand Forks County
Grand Forks County had 40,704 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,530 a year. Unemployment was 1.7% in 2023; in Grand Forks AFB itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Grand Forks AFB
2 public schools with 290 students, about 8.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATHAN TWINING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 206 | 9.0 |
| NATHAN TWINING MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 84 | 7.0 |
Towns near Grand Forks AFB
- Larimore, ND11.4 mi · 1,260 people · home $203,900
- Grand Forks, ND14.3 mi · 59,166 people · home $249,900
- Northwood, ND17.5 mi · 982 people · home $208,200
- East Grand Forks, MN17.6 mi · 9,176 people · home $255,600
- Thompson, ND18.3 mi · 1,101 people · home $281,900
- Hatton, ND22.2 mi · 712 people · home $140,800
- Minto, ND23.3 mi · 616 people · home $109,300
Grand Forks AFB questions
Is Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grand Forks AFB scores better for retirees than 1% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 1%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.7).
How much does a house cost in Grand Forks AFB?
The median owner-occupied home in Grand Forks AFB is valued at $9,999 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,782, so homes cost about 0.1 times income. Median rent is $1,626 a month.
What is the weather like in Grand Forks AFB?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows -3.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.7 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.
Does Grand Forks AFB get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Forks AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 11, 1958. 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)