Park River, North Dakota, 2006
Park River’s story
147 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1879Park River is settled
Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,363
2025 Census estimate · −4.1% since 2020
Typical home
$188K
+9% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
46.5
years
Jobs based here
631
Balanced
Is Park River a good place to live?
The best of Park River’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents 65 or older than Park River. Park River is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 69% of U.S. towns. Among 18 North Dakota towns, just 1 have a lower typical home value than Park River. Park River has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Park River stand out
Where Park River beats most towns.
Small town
1,363 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Kensington TownshipRushford TownshipPark River
How Park River grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Dakota), ordered by how far Park River is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income$69K median household incomeC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 3.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →HealthFirst Care Health Center 0.6 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsBOpen →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life0.5 library visits per resident; 15.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Park River: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Park River, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Park RiverEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Park RiverNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpConsolidated Waste, Ltd.Trash haulerTown site
Register to voteNot requiredNorth Dakota has no voter registration: you show ID at the polls.vote.govWho runs elections hereWalsh County AudiorWalsh County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5827058270 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Park River.
HousingCost of living grade A+
Park River’s typical home value is about $188K
The typical Park River home is worth about $188,000, up 9% in a year, 35% below the North Dakota typical home. At $818 a month, Park River’s median rent is below both North Dakota’s towns ($977 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 67% of households own their home in Park River.
$188KZillow home value
| Park River | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $818 a month | $977 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 57% | 73% |
Typical home value
Park River$188K
North Dakota$291K
+9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
Park River’s public schools outperform 52% of North Dakota districts
Its public schools are run by the Park River Area 8 school district. Its two schools are below.
52%of ND districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park River Area Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 275 | C− |
| Park River Area High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 195 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ND on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
Park River stands out in North Dakota and nationally: the median age there is higher
At 46.5 years, Park River’s median age is above both the North Dakota town median (33.9 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Park River has lost 4.1% of its people since 2020, down to 1,363 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (25% statewide); people 65 and older are 26% of residents (17% statewide).
46.5median age · ND 35.9
| Park River | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 years | 33.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 22% | 26% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 30% | 29% |
Park RiverNorth DakotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school32%
Some college22%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.7 points. Across North Dakota, 48.8% of residents are women.
| Park River | ND | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.4% | 13% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.2% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.6% | 11.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.1% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.1% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 10.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 11.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.6% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.2% | 6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.3% | 25.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.9% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.8% | 14% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.5% | 23% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.4% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Park River
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Park River since 2013.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2013
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Park River, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Park River has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Park River’s July high is 80°F.
80°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–18°
Spring29–51°
Summer56–78°
Fall33–52°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
80°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in three working residents works right in Park River
About one in 3 of Park River’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Park River is 16 minutes. Jobs based in Park River fell to 631 in 2023, 58 fewer than in 2013.
34%work in town
| Park River | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 34% | 39% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 9.8% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Park River34%
Grafton19%
Grand Forks7%
Fargo7%
Kensington Township5%
15 mi
median commute distance
631
jobs based in Park River
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 69% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Park River is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Park River beats the North Dakota average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 39% of Park River adults have high blood pressure.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Park River | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 29% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 22% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
32 measures vs. North Dakota
4 better19 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Park River | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 17.2% | 21.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.6% | 76.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.8% | 6.1% |
First Care Health Center
0.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,648 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Park River
18pages on Park River
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Park River; the nearest are
University of North DakotaUniversity or college · Public · Grand Forks44.8 mi$10,951 in-state tuitionLake Region State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Devils Lake54.9 mi$5,520 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Park River residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
About Park River
City in North Dakota, United States
Park River is a city in Walsh County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 1,424 at the 2020 census. Park River was founded in 1884. Park River was named after the river Park River. The controversial and often peripatetic father of John D. Rockefeller, William Avery Rockefeller, lived for a time on a 160-acre ranch in Park River that his son had purchased for him. The senior Rockefeller lived in the town through the 1890s, even after the original property was sold by his son in 1889. In 1903, a Park River blacksmith named Samuel Holland built a motor car called the Holland Special. He built at least five more cars between 1903 and 1908.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1884
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 994 ft
- ZIP code
- 58270
- Area code
- 701
Questions about Park River
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Park River, ND expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is Park River, ND known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Paul Thorlakson and Roland Flint.