The Town FilesThompson, North Dakota
City in Grand Forks County · population 1,101 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $281,900
- Household income
- $118,281
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 44.2
Thompson is a city of 1,101 people in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $281,900, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks more upscale than 96% of North Dakota towns, better for young professionals than 94% of North Dakota towns, better for retirees than 87% of North Dakota towns.
How Thompson 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 Thompson is worth $281,900, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $118,281, which is more affordable than 57% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 93.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thompson | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,900 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $775 | $775 |
| Median household income | $118,281 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 93.9% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Thompson
| People | Thompson | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.0% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.1% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 12.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 87.3% |
Weather in Thompson
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -1.3°F. About 22.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.6 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thompson since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 9.8 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 48 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 27, 2016.
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 Thompson itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Thompson
2 public schools with 672 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMPSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 412 | 16.5 |
| THOMPSON HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 260 | 12.4 |
Towns near Thompson
- Grand Forks, ND10.0 mi · 59,166 people · home $249,900
- East Grand Forks, MN11.4 mi · 9,176 people · home $255,600
- Grand Forks AFB, ND18.3 mi · 2,002 people · home $9,999
- Hatton, ND19.0 mi · 712 people · home $140,800
- Northwood, ND21.6 mi · 982 people · home $208,200
- Mayville, ND21.7 mi · 1,854 people · home $198,200
- Portland, ND22.7 mi · 578 people · home $194,000
- Crookston, MN23.1 mi · 7,482 people · home $185,600
Thompson questions
Is Thompson, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thompson scores better for retirees than 87% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 52%. 11.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Thompson?
The median owner-occupied home in Thompson is valued at $281,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $118,281, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Thompson?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -1.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.8 inches of precipitation a year and 48.6 inches of snow.
Does Thompson get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thompson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. 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)