Grand Forks County

Grand Forks County, North Dakota — key demographics

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~73,700 (U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, July 1, 2023)
• 2020 Census: 73,170

Age

• Under 5 years: ~6%
• Under 18 years: ~19%
• 65 years and over: ~13%
• Median age: ~30 years (Sources: Census QuickFacts 2023 for age shares; ACS 2019–2023 for median age)

Gender

• Female: ~47%
• Male: ~53% (Source: Census QuickFacts 2023)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~86%
• Black or African American alone: ~4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~4%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0–0.2%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5–6%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~83% (Sources: Census QuickFacts 2023; ACS 2019–2023)

Households

• Total households: ~29,500–30,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~51% of households
• Married-couple families: ~35%
• Nonfamily households: ~49%
• Living alone: ~36% of households; about 10% are 65+ living alone (Source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Insights

• Young age profile and smaller household sizes reflect the University of North Dakota’s student population.
• The county remains predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest but growing racial and ethnic diversity.
• Slight male majority is consistent with a large student and military presence (Grand Forks AFB).

Grand Forks County, ND (2020 pop. 73,170) has roughly 51 residents per square mile, with about 81% living in the City of Grand Forks.

Estimated email users: ~57,300 residents age 13+ (≈78% of the total population), using age‑specific U.S. adoption rates applied to the county’s age mix.

• By age (users): 13–17 ≈ 4.0k; 18–24 ≈ 13.9k; 25–44 ≈ 17.9k; 45–64 ≈ 13.5k; 65+ ≈ 8.1k.
• Gender split: roughly mirrors population (≈51% male, 49% female), yielding ≈29.2k male and ≈28.1k female email users.

Digital access and trends:

• About 92% of households subscribe to broadband and ~96% have a computer device (ACS).
• High access supports near‑universal email use among connected adults (Pew research finds email adoption above 90% for U.S. adults; slightly lower among 65+).
• Gigabit fiber and high‑speed cable are available in Grand Forks city; extensive campus connectivity around the University of North Dakota boosts 18–24 engagement.
• The county’s population concentration in the urban core, combined with strong broadband subscription levels, indicates reliable, dense connectivity for most residents, with rural areas benefiting from improving fixed and mobile coverage.

Grand Forks County, ND — mobile phone usage profile

Headline user estimates

• Population baseline: 73,170 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: about 59,000 (ACS 2022 age structure).
• Estimated adult smartphone users: about 52,000 (≈88% of adults), derived by applying Pew Research age-specific smartphone ownership rates to the county’s younger age mix.
• Smartphone-only internet users: about 12,000–14,000 adults (≈20–24%), higher than North Dakota’s overall share due to the county’s large student and renter population.
• Wireless-only telephony households: majority of adults live in wireless-only households, consistent with national NHIS trends; Grand Forks County skews above the state average because of its age and renter composition.

Demographic breakdown and usage implications

• Younger profile than the state: Median age is roughly three to four years lower than the North Dakota median, driven by the University of North Dakota. Adults 18–29 are materially overrepresented relative to statewide.
  • Estimated smartphone ownership by age in the county:
    • 18–29: ≈96%
    • 30–49: ≈95%
    • 50–64: ≈83%
    • 65+: ≈61%
  • The larger 18–29 cohort lifts the overall county ownership rate several points above the state average.
• Housing tenure and income:
  • Renter share is notably higher in Grand Forks County than statewide, reflecting student and service-sector housing patterns. Renters adopt prepaid and MVNO plans at higher rates and are more likely to be smartphone-only for home internet.
  • Median household income is modestly lower than the statewide median, reinforcing prepaid and family-plan uptake and occasional mobile-first behavior among younger and lower-income households.
• Racial/ethnic and nativity mix:
  • The county is more diverse than the North Dakota average and has a higher foreign-born share due to the university and refugee resettlement. These segments show strong mobile-first communication and messaging app usage, which increases cross-carrier and over-the-top data demand.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Nationwide MNO presence: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), T-Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county.
• 5G footprint:
  • 5G mid-band is established in the Grand Forks urban area, with low-band 5G extending along the I‑29 and US‑2 corridors and into population centers. Mid-band 5G delivers materially higher capacity on campus and in dense retail zones than typical rural North Dakota counties.
• LTE coverage:
  • Outdoor LTE coverage is effectively countywide along primary corridors and in populated areas. River valley topography and exurban edges still experience occasional indoor and in-vehicle attenuation, but overall reliability in the city is strong compared with rural western and tribal areas of the state.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • The city of Grand Forks is on multiple regional fiber routes via Dakota Carrier Network members and Midco. Robust fiber backhaul enables higher 5G sector capacity in town than the state’s rural average.
  • Fixed broadband competition from Midco (cable/fiber) and Lumen/CenturyLink (DSL/fiber in select footprints) reduces pure mobile substitution in the city core but supports high Wi‑Fi offload for smartphones.
• Public safety and campus systems:
  • FirstNet coverage enhancements benefit public safety users countywide.
  • High device density on the UND campus supports deployed small cells and sector splits in high-traffic venues, improving median speeds compared with many non‑metro counties.

How Grand Forks County differs from North Dakota overall

• Higher smartphone penetration: About 88% among adults in the county versus an estimated mid‑80s statewide, attributable to a larger 18–29 cohort and higher education presence.
• More mobile-first behavior: Smartphone‑only internet use reaches roughly one in five adults locally, several points above the state average, reflecting more renters, students, and lower fixed‑line attachment among young adults.
• Better mid-band 5G availability and capacity: Grand Forks city has broader mid‑band 5G sectors and denser macro coverage than most rural counties, yielding higher median downlink speeds and more consistent indoor performance.
• Greater plan diversity: Higher prevalence of prepaid and MVNO lines among students and younger workers, with strong adoption of budget carriers that ride the big three networks.
• Traffic profile: Heavier per‑user mobile data consumption around campus, hospital, and retail corridors than typical ND counties, supported by strong fiber backhaul and sector capacity in the city.

Key takeaways

• About 52,000 adults in Grand Forks County use smartphones, with ownership concentrated at very high rates among 18–49 and lower but rising among seniors.
• The county’s urban core, university population, and robust fiber backhaul produce a mobile experience—coverage, speeds, and reliability—that is stronger than the state’s rural average.
• Mobile-first internet use and prepaid/MVNO adoption are meaningfully higher than statewide, driven by demographics and housing patterns, even as fixed broadband remains widely available in the city.

Social media usage in Grand Forks County, ND — short breakdown (2024)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use; Pew Research Center, 2024 U.S. baseline that closely reflects Grand Forks County)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~50%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• WhatsApp: ~26%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~19% Local nuance: Because Grand Forks County skews younger (University of North Dakota and Grand Forks AFB), Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok typically run a few points higher than the U.S. adult average, while Facebook is slightly lower among under-30s but remains strong overall via older residents and rural townships.

Age-group profile (Pew 2024 adoption patterns applied to the county’s age mix)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube ≈95%; Instagram ≈75–80%; Snapchat ≈65–70%; TikTok ≈60–65%; Facebook ≈55–60%.
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ≈90%+; Facebook ≈70–75%; Instagram ≈60%+; TikTok ≈35–40%; Snapchat ≈30%.
• Ages 50–64: YouTube ≈80%+; Facebook ≈70%+; Instagram ≈40%; TikTok ≈20%; Snapchat ≈15%.
• Ages 65+: Facebook ≈50%; YouTube ≈50%; Instagram ≈15%; TikTok ≈10%; Snapchat ≈5%. Local nuance: The large 18–29 cohort lifts Instagram/Snap/TikTok penetration and engagement relative to typical rural counties.

Gender breakdown (directional, consistent with 2024 national usage)

• Women over-index on Facebook and Instagram and especially Pinterest (women roughly 2x+ more likely than men to use Pinterest).
• Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.
• TikTok and Snapchat skew slightly female; LinkedIn is closer to gender parity.

Behavioral trends seen in Grand Forks County–type markets (college town + military + Upper Midwest)

• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how-to, sports, and long-form; Instagram Reels/TikTok for local dining, events, and student life.
• Snapchat is a primary daily messaging/updates channel for students; Stories outperform feed posts for 18–29.
• Facebook remains the community hub: local groups (housing, buy/sell, garage sales), school and weather alerts, events, and Marketplace; peak engagement around severe weather, road conditions, and UND/Fighting Hawks hockey.
• X usage is concentrated around sports, breaking news, and weather; Reddit around gaming, tech, UND-specific subs, and regional outdoors/hunting.
• Time-of-day cadence: student-driven spikes late evening (7–11 p.m.) Thu–Sat; lunchtime and commute windows are strong for Facebook and newsy content.
• Messaging integration matters: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp for family and cross-border/regional ties; Snapchat DMs for peer groups.
• LinkedIn is active for healthcare, aviation/engineering, and university recruiting; best for employer branding and early-career pipelines.

Notes on interpretation

• Percentages above are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage and are the most reliable proxy; Grand Forks County’s younger profile generally pushes Instagram/Snap/TikTok a bit higher and Facebook a bit lower among under-30s while keeping Facebook strong overall.