1st Advantage MortgageAbout 77% of Griggs County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $61,711. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's North Dakota license first.
On this page
- Griggs County at a glance
- What Griggs County households earn
- What it costs to live in Griggs County
- Employment and commuting in Griggs County
- Towns and communities in Griggs County
- The counties around Griggs County
- Budget math at the Griggs County median
- Borrowing situations common in Griggs County
- Who lives in Griggs County, in numbers
- Checking a lender's license in North Dakota
- Four steps for Griggs County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Griggs County at a glance
Griggs County is home to about 2,245 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 42nd most populous of 53 county-level areas in North Dakota. Spread over 709 square miles, that works out to roughly 3.2 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Griggs County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 5 places in the county (3 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Cooperstown, with about 918 residents, or 41% of the county. Because Griggs County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
What Griggs County households earn
The median household income in Griggs County is $61,711; statewide it is $76,657, so Griggs County runs 19% below North Dakota as a whole.
| Yearly household income | Griggs County | Gap to North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.6% | +8.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.7% | +1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 16.5% | -11.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 11.1% | +1.5 pts |
Some 30% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 28% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 11.7% of Griggs County residents in poverty, against 10.8% across North Dakota. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.538 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Griggs County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Griggs County
A typical Griggs County rental runs $573 a month including utilities, which is 40% below North Dakota. 36% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 14% spend half or more. Home values center on $119,300, or 1.9 years of median income. 77% of Griggs County households own their home and 23% rent.
| Housing | Griggs County | North Dakota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $573/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $119,300 | $249,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 39% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.3% | 6.6% | n/a |
Because most Griggs County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Employment and commuting in Griggs County
By the Census industry count, 24% of employed Griggs County residents work in agriculture, forestry and mining and 14% in education and health care. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 24% of workers here, versus 8% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 1.4% in Griggs County. About 73% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 5.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Griggs County workers | vs North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 23.9% | +15.9 pts |
| Education and health care | 14.1% | -11.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.6% | +3.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.5% | +1.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.0% | -4.3 pts |
| Other services | 6.5% | +1.8 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Griggs County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Towns and communities in Griggs County
5 Census places fall mainly inside Griggs County; the 5 biggest are below. They account for 1,187 residents, leaving about 47% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Live in one of these Griggs County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooperstown | city | 918 | $51,375 | $569 | 5 mi |
| Binford | city | 168 | $37,143 | $394 | 9 mi |
| Hannaford | city | 77 | $50,625 | $456 | 10 mi |
| Sutton | CDP | 16 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Jessie | CDP | 8 | n/a | n/a | 6 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
The counties around Griggs County
Steele County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Stutsman County, is 48 miles off. Foster County leads the group on income ($87,831), Eddy County trails ($50,850), and Griggs County out-earns 1 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griggs County | - | $61,711 | $573/mo | 77% |
| Steele County, ND | 24 mi | $77,500 | $738/mo | 78% |
| Foster County, ND | 30 mi | $87,831 | $780/mo | 80% |
| Nelson County, ND | 32 mi | $67,193 | $582/mo | 75% |
| Eddy County, ND | 36 mi | $50,850 | $590/mo | 72% |
| Barnes County, ND | 36 mi | $68,038 | $779/mo | 71% |
| Stutsman County, ND | 48 mi | $61,856 | $774/mo | 63% |
Budget math at the Griggs County median
How much room does a median Griggs County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $5,143 gross per month ($61,711 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $573 uses 11%
- $1,278: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- Under a 43% cap, $2,211 total minus rent leaves $1,638
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Griggs County's.
Borrowing situations common in Griggs County
What the Griggs County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Retirees. At a median age of 51.5, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Griggs County borrower sees (free reports).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Who lives in Griggs County, in numbers
Degree holders: 26% of adults over 25. 5.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Griggs County | North Dakota | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 | 35.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.0% | 32.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.0% | 6.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.2% | 6.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 10.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.4% | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Griggs County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 53.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.5% |
| 60+ min | 2.9% |
Checking a lender's license in North Dakota
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Griggs County, check the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the North Dakota state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Griggs County borrowers
A short checklist for Griggs County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the North Dakota guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Griggs County?
$61,711 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $76,657 for North Dakota. It ranks 47th of 53 in the state.
How does Griggs County rent compare with North Dakota?
$573 locally versus $954 for the state, 40% below.
Which towns does the Griggs County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 5 Census places: Cooperstown, Binford, Hannaford, Sutton, Jessie.
Does living in Griggs County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Griggs County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for Griggs County residents?
The North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in North Dakota; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.