The Town FilesNorthwood, North Dakota
City in Grand Forks County · population 982 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $208,200
- Household income
- $78,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 33.5
Northwood is a city of 982 people in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $208,200, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of North Dakota towns, easier by car than 98% of North Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 95% of North Dakota towns.
How Northwood 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 Northwood is worth $208,200, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $78,571, which is more affordable than 48% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $681 a month. 64.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Northwood | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $208,200 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $681 | $775 |
| Median household income | $78,571 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 64.2% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Northwood
| People | Northwood | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 35.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.2% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 87.3% |
Weather in Northwood
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -3.7°F. About 23.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.4 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 189 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northwood since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on August 26, 2007 about 0.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 8, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 27, 2015.
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 Northwood itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Northwood
2 public schools with 341 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 188 | 12.5 |
| NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 153 | 13.9 |
Towns near Northwood
- Hatton, ND8.2 mi · 712 people · home $140,800
- Larimore, ND12.6 mi · 1,260 people · home $203,900
- Grand Forks AFB, ND17.5 mi · 2,002 people · home $9,999
- Portland, ND18.4 mi · 578 people · home $194,000
- Mayville, ND19.6 mi · 1,854 people · home $198,200
- Thompson, ND21.6 mi · 1,101 people · home $281,900
- Grand Forks, ND25.7 mi · 59,166 people · home $249,900
- East Grand Forks, MN29.0 mi · 9,176 people · home $255,600
Northwood questions
Is Northwood, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Northwood scores better for retirees than 89% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 31%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Northwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Northwood is valued at $208,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,571, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $681 a month.
What is the weather like in Northwood?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -3.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.9 inches of precipitation a year and 48.4 inches of snow.
Does Northwood get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on August 26, 2007. 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)