Griggs County, North Dakota

County in North Dakota, United States

County in North Dakota

Griggs County

County

The Griggs County Courthouse in Cooperstown.
Photographed in 1892.

Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota

North Dakota's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 47°27′23″N 98°13′56″W﻿ / ﻿47.456334°N 98.232286°W﻿ / 47.456334; -98.232286
Country|  United States
State|  North Dakota
Founded| February 18, 1881 (created)
June 16, 1882 (organized)
Named after| Alexander Griggs
Seat| Cooperstown
Largest city| Cooperstown
Area

• Total

| 716.580 sq mi (1,855.93 km2)
• Land| 708.685 sq mi (1,835.49 km2)
• Water| 7.895 sq mi (20.45 km2)  1.10%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 2,306

• Estimate

(2024)

| 2,227
• Density| 3.142/sq mi (1.213/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code| 701
Congressional district| At-large
Website| griggscountynd.gov

Griggs County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,306.[1] The county seat and the largest city is Cooperstown.[2]

## History

[edit]

The county was created by the Dakota Territory legislature on February 18, 1881, with territories partitioned from Barnes, Foster, and Traill counties. It was not organized at that time, nor was it attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. It was named for Alexander Griggs, a steamboat captain who is credited with founding Grand Forks.[3]

The county organization was effected on June 16, 1882. Its boundary was altered in 1883 when Steele County was partitioned off; it has retained its present boundary since then.[4][5]

The Conrad and Sylvia Fogderud farm in Griggs County is known as "Little Tornado Alley" due to the many tornadoes that have occurred there.[6]

Outline map of Griggs County, North Dakota, 1910

## Geography

[edit]

The Sheyenne River flows southward through the east-central part of Griggs County, discharging into Lake Ashtabula at the county's SE corner. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds across its central part, mostly devoted to agriculture.[7] The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is a hill at its NW corner, at 1,562' (476m) ASL.[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 716.580 square miles (1,855.93 km2), of which 708.685 square miles (1,835.49 km2) is land and 7.895 square miles (20.45 km2) (1.10%) is water.[9] It is the 51st largest county and the third-smallest county in North Dakota by total area.[10]

### Major highways

[edit]

* North Dakota Highway 1
* North Dakota Highway 45
* North Dakota Highway 65
* North Dakota Highway 200

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Nelson County (north)
* Steele County (east)
* Barnes County (south)
* Stutsman County (southwest)
* Foster County (west)
* Eddy County (northwest)

### National protected area

[edit]

* Sibley Lake National Wildlife Refuge

### Lakes

[edit]

Source:[7]

* Hoot-E-Too Lake
* Jones Lake
* Lake Addie
* Lake Ashtabula (part)
* Lake Five
* Lake Jessie
* Lake Norway
* Lake Silver
* Long Lake
* Phelps Lake
* Pickerel Lake (part)
* Plum Lake
* Red Willow Lake
* Round Lake
* Rush Lake
* Sibley Lake

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 2,817| | —
1900| 4,744| | 68.4%
1910| 6,274| | 32.3%
1920| 7,402| | 18.0%
1930| 6,889| | −6.9%
1940| 5,818| | −15.5%
1950| 5,460| | −6.2%
1960| 5,023| | −8.0%
1970| 4,184| | −16.7%
1980| 3,714| | −11.2%
1990| 3,303| | −11.1%
2000| 2,754| | −16.6%
2010| 2,420| | −12.1%
2020| 2,306| | −4.7%
2024 (est.)| 2,227| [11]| −3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[1]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Griggs County was $135,835.[16]

### 2020 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2020, there were 2,306 people. 1,378 houses.

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,420 people, 1,131 households, and 694 families in the county. The population density was 3.4 inhabitants per square mile (1.3/km2). There were 1,461 housing units at an average density of 2.1 per square mile (0.81/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.8% white, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 60.8% were Norwegian, 36.7% were German, 5.9% were English, 5.6% were Swedish, and 1.2% were American.

There were 1,131 households, 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.6% were non-families, and 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.70. The median age was 51.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,085 and the median income for a family was $51,570. Males had a median income of $33,169 versus $27,038 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,122. About 9.5% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

### Population by decade

[edit]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Binford
* Cooperstown (county seat)
* Hannaford

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Jessie
* Sutton

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Source:[7]

* Karnak
* Walum
* Mose

### Townships

[edit]

* Addie
* Ball Hill
* Bartley
* Broadview
* Bryan
* Clearfield
* Cooperstown
* Dover
* Greenfield
* Helena
* Kingsley
* Lenora
* Mabel
* Pilot Mound
* Romness
* Rosendal
* Sverdrup
* Tyrol
* Washburn
* Willow

Township Numbers and Range Numbers[17] | Range 61  | Range 60  | Range 59  | Range 58

|
|
|
|

Township 148  | Rosendal | Willow | Pilot Mound | Lenora
Township 147  | Bryan | Addie | Tyrol | Romness
Township 146  | Kingsley | Clearfield | Cooperstown | Washburn
Township 145  | Mabel | Helena | Ball Hill | Sverdrup
Township 144  | Dover | Bartley | Greenfield | Broadview

## Politics

[edit]

Griggs County voters usually vote Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

United States presidential election results for Griggs County, North Dakota[18] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 963  | 74.71% | 301  | 23.35%  | 25  | 1.94%
2020 | 907  | 72.56% | 308  | 24.64%  | 35  | 2.80%
2016 | 847  | 66.96% | 298  | 23.56%  | 120  | 9.49%
2012 | 771  | 57.41% | 536  | 39.91%  | 36  | 2.68%
2008 | 682  | 51.90% | 598  | 45.51%  | 34  | 2.59%
2004 | 907  | 63.03% | 505  | 35.09%  | 27  | 1.88%
2000 | 920  | 62.63% | 484  | 32.95%  | 65  | 4.42%
1996 | 731  | 46.53% | 670  | 42.65%  | 170  | 10.82%
1992 | 773  | 44.02% | 647  | 36.85%  | 336  | 19.13%
1988 | 1,020  | 54.11% | 846  | 44.88%  | 19  | 1.01%
1984 | 1,254  | 59.89% | 828  | 39.54%  | 12  | 0.57%
1980 | 1,342  | 61.84% | 636  | 29.31%  | 192  | 8.85%
1976 | 1,086  | 48.01%  | 1,122  | 49.60% | 54  | 2.39%
1972 | 1,312  | 58.10% | 901  | 39.90%  | 45  | 1.99%
1968 | 1,110  | 49.84% | 1,008  | 45.26%  | 109  | 4.89%
1964 | 885  | 37.03%  | 1,505  | 62.97% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 1,278  | 49.90%  | 1,279  | 49.94% | 4  | 0.16%
1956 | 1,212  | 50.78% | 1,173  | 49.14%  | 2  | 0.08%
1952 | 1,727  | 66.19% | 872  | 33.42%  | 10  | 0.38%
1948 | 1,036  | 44.31%  | 1,180  | 50.47% | 122  | 5.22%
1944 | 990  | 44.45%  | 1,228  | 55.14% | 9  | 0.40%
1940 | 1,117  | 43.09%  | 1,464  | 56.48% | 11  | 0.42%
1936 | 666  | 24.46%  | 1,665  | 61.15% | 392  | 14.40%
1932 | 428  | 18.01%  | 1,838  | 77.32% | 111  | 4.67%
1928 | 1,329  | 52.45% | 1,182  | 46.65%  | 23  | 0.91%
1924 | 738  | 33.33%  | 116  | 5.24%  | 1,360  | 61.43%
1920 | 1,739  | 73.84% | 530  | 22.51%  | 86  | 3.65%
1916 | 521  | 40.86%  | 668  | 52.39% | 86  | 6.75%
1912 | 144  | 14.47%  | 434  | 43.62% | 417  | 41.91%
1908 | 605  | 51.84% | 493  | 42.25%  | 69  | 5.91%
1904 | 688  | 66.80% | 232  | 22.52%  | 110  | 10.68%
1900 | 527  | 54.44% | 407  | 42.05%  | 34  | 3.51%

## Education

[edit]

School districts include:[19]

* Barnes County North Public School District 7
* Dakota Prairie Public School District 1
* Finley-Sharon Public School District 19
* Griggs County Central School District 18
* Hope-Page Public School District 85
* Midkota Public School District 7

Former:

* Hope Public School District 10[19] \- Consolidated with Page district in 2020[20]

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Griggs County, North Dakota
* USS Griggs (APA-110), U.S. Navy ship named for this county

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 145.
4. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
5. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
6. ^ Jackson, William (2024). North Dakota Tornadoes Twisters & Cyclones. Dickinson, ND: Valley Star Publications. pp. 100–101\. ISBN 979-8-89480-378-4.
7. ^ a b c "Griggs County, North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
8. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Griggs County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 20, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
9. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
10. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: _ County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
11. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved July 1, 2025.
12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
14. ^ 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.
15. ^ "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.
16. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
17. ^ Township Numbers - ND.gov
18. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
19. ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Griggs County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022. \- Text list \- The page shows Hope School District as still separate from Hope-Page. 2010 map and 2010 text list
20. ^ "Enrollment History Public School Districts 2009-2021". North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved August 19, 2021. \- Check the 2020-2021 spreadsheet, which lists a single "Hope Page" school district, and compare with all previous sheets which show them as two separate school districts.

## External links

[edit]

* Griggs County – official website
* Griggs County map, North Dakota DOT

Places adjacent to Griggs County, North Dakota

| Eddy County | Nelson County |

|
|

|  |
Foster County |

Griggs County, North Dakota

| Steele County
|  |
Stutsman County | Barnes County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Griggs County, North Dakota, United States

County seat: Cooperstown

Cities|

* Binford
* Cooperstown
* Hannaford

Map of North Dakota highlighting Griggs County

Townships|

* Addie
* Ball Hill
* Bartley
* Broadview
* Bryan
* Clearfield
* Cooperstown
* Dover
* Greenfield
* Helena
* Jessie
* Kingsley
* Lenora
* Mabel
* Pilot Mound
* Romness
* Rosendal
* Sverdrup
* Tyrol
* Walum
* Washburn
* Willow

CDPs|

* Jessie
* Sutton

Other
communities|

* Mose
* Walum

* North Dakota portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of North Dakota

Bismarck (capital)

Topics|

* Index
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Society|

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Regions|

* Badlands
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Larger cities
pop. over 5,000|

* Bismarck
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* Fargo
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* Jamestown
* Mandan
* Minot
* Valley City
* Wahpeton
* Watford City
* West Fargo
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Smaller cities
pop. 1,000–5,000|

* Beach
* Beulah
* Bottineau
* Bowman
* Burlington
* Cando
* Carrington
* Casselton
* Cavalier
* Cooperstown
* Crosby
* Ellendale
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* Hettinger
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* Horace
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* New Town
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* Watford City
* Wishek

Counties|

* Adams
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* Ward
* Wells
* Williams

North Dakota portal

Authority control databases

International|

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* United States
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Other|

* Yale LUX

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