Grand Forks is a city in the U.S. state of North Dakota. It is the county seat of Grand Forks County and the third largest city in North Dakota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 49,321. Named after the forking of the Red River of the North with the Red Lake River near the downtown area, the city lies on the west bank of the Red River. It has a twin city, East Grand Forks, Minnesota, which lies on the east side of the Red River. The two communities make up the metropolitan area often called "Greater Grand Forks" or "The Grand Cities" (although that nickname is newer and not as generally accepted). The city of Grand Forks occassionally uses the nickname "The Sunflake City".
Grand Forks is home to the University of North Dakota (UND) and the Grand Forks Air Force Base (located 13 miles west of town). These two entities are among the largest employers in the state. Historically dependent on local agriculture, the city's economy has moved towards one centered on higher education, health care, the retail and service sector, and some scientific research. The city is somewhat of a hybrid of an agricultural town and a college town.
The city became known for its battle with the flooding Red River during April of 1997 in what is referred to as The Flood of 1997. Today, Grand Forks has mostly recovered from the flooding. The metropolitan area encompasses two counties and is seen as the retail, educational, healthcare, and entertainment center of a large portion of northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.
Grand Forks is located at 47°54'44" North, 97°3'17" West (47.912326, -97.054860).
Grand Forks sits on the western bank of the Red River of the North in an area known as the Red River Valley. The term "Forks" refers to the forking of the Red River with the Red Lake River. This junction is located near downtown Grand Forks.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.9 km2 (19.2 mi2). 49.8 km2 (19.2 mi2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Since it is in one of the flattest parts of the world, the city has very few differences in elevation. There are no lakes in or near Grand Forks. The meandering Red River and the English Coulee flow through the community and provide some break in the terrain. The Red River Valley is the result of an ancient glacier carving its way south during the most recent Ice Age. Once the glacier receded, it formed a glacial lake called Lake Agassiz. The ancient beaches can still be seen as rolling hills west of town.
As of the census of 2000, there are 49,321 people, 19,677 households, and 11,058 families residing in the city. The population density is 989.8/km2 (2,563.0/mi2). There are 20,838 housing units at an average density of 418.2/km2 (1,082.8/mi2).
The racial makeup of the city is 93.35% White, 0.86% African American, 2.75% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The top 6 ancestry groups in the city are Norwegian (36.4%), German (34.7%), Irish (10.6%), French (6.5%),Polish (6.2%), English (6.1%).
There are 19,677 households out of which 28.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% are married couples living together, 10.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% are non-families. 31.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 22.9% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $34,194, and the median income for a family is $47,491. Males have a median income of $30,703 versus $21,573 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,395. 14.6% of the population and 9.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The economy of Grand Forks has historically been dependent on the surrounding agricultural lands. However, since the middle part of the 20th Century, Grand Forks' economy has become more diversified. Now, government (federal, state, and civic) and the health care industry dominate the employment scene in the city.
The University of North Dakota is the largest employer in the metropolitan area. Nearby Grand Forks Air Force Base employs a large number of civilian workers in addition to its enlisted personnel. Altru Health System is the largest private employer.
Other major employers include manufacturing firms (LM Glasfiber, Cirrus Design), call centers (Amazon.com, SEI Information Technologies), and food producers (J. R. Simplot Company and the state-owned North Dakota Mill and Elevator). A substantial number of people are also employed in the city's retail and services sectors.
The city is actively involved in the economic development process, helping existing firms grow and attracting new ones. A portion of sales tax revenues is set aside for this, some of it going into the Grand Forks Growth Fund. Companies can request low-interest loans or grants from the this fund provided they meet certain criteria, such as paying a relatively high wage and doing most of their business outside the city's trade region. Cirrus Design and Amazon.com have dealt with the Growth Fund.
The city also contributes to the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC), a public-private organization that also receives funding from banks and other major businesses. The EDC plays a consulting role for businesses, such as identifying suitable sites for expansion or assembling public funding packages. Its other key role is to vet businesses to see if they're suitable for funding by the Growth Fund.
UND has long been seen by community leaders as an "economic engine" for the city. Besides its regular faculty, it also has business-like components such as the Energy and Environmental Research Center, which has contracts all over the world. UND hosts a technology incubator called the Center For Innovation. More recently, the University has been working to commercialize its research. A major thrust in that direction is an effort to build a technology park in the southwestern part of the city, through the affiliated UND Research Foundation. The tech park, as proposed, would house two germ labs and would feature high levels of security, allowing for defense-related research.
Another economic opportunity for the city is the addition of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission to Grand Forks Air Force Base. Economic development officials hope the huge emphasis the Air Force is putting on UAVs will attract new businesses to Grand Forks. The base currently hosts KC-135 Stratotankers, which will gradually be transferred to other bases around the country.
Source:
GrandForksNorthDakota.com
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