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Thief River Falls, Minnesota Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

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Thief River Falls is located in Pennington County, Minnesota, near the Minnesota-North Dakota border. The city is situated on the banks of the Red Lake River and covers an area of 10.2 square miles. Thief River Falls has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature in January is 11°F and the average temperature in July is 72°F.

The city was first settled in 1887 and incorporated in 1896. Thief River Falls has a mayor-council form of government with five council members elected at large to serve four-year terms. The economy of Thief River Falls is mainly focused on agriculture, manufacturing, and retail trade. The city’s largest employer is Digi-Key Electronics, a global electronic components distributor that employs over 1,200 people locally.

The city has two public school districts: Thief River Falls Public Schools and Lincoln High School Independent School District #2143. There are also two private schools: St Bernard’s Catholic School and Trinity Lutheran Church & School. Thief River Falls also has several post-secondary institutions including Northland Community & Technical College and Northwest Technical College – Thief River Campus.

Thief River Falls features many landmarks such as the historic Pennington County Courthouse built in 1896, the Old Mill Park which features an old flour mill built in 1900, the Seven Clans Casino located on Highway 59 South near the Red Lake Indian Reservation, and the Ralph Engelstad Arena which serves as home to both high school hockey teams as well as Division I hockey team Minnesota State University – Mankato Mavericks men’s ice hockey team. Additionally, there are several museums including Pennington County Historical Museum that showcases artifacts from early settlers to present day residents of Thief River Falls as well as a variety of other attractions such as golf courses, parks and trails for outdoor recreation activities like camping, fishing or hiking along with many restaurants offering local cuisine sure to please any palate!

Population: 8,410. Estimated population in July 2024: 8,377 (-0.4% change)
Males: 3,994 (47.5%), Females: 4,416 (52.5%)

Pennington County

Zip code: 56701

Demographics

Median resident age: 37.9 years
Median household income: $30,759
Median house value: $59,800

Population by Race

Races in Thief River Falls:

  • White Non-Hispanic (95.7%)
  • Hispanic (1.6%)
  • American Indian (1.5%)
  • Two or more races (0.9%)
  • Other race (0.6%)

Ancestries: Norwegian (49.8%), German (21.1%), Swedish (15.0%), French (7.1%), Irish (5.9%), Polish (4.0%).

Elevation: 1133 feet

Land area: 4.8 square miles

Population by Education

Thief River Falls, Minnesota is a small city of 8,876 people located along the banks of the Red Lake River in Northwestern Minnesota. The city is the center of a vibrant agricultural and industrial economy, with a large population of Native Americans and immigrants from other parts of the world. Thief River Falls has a diverse population that includes Caucasians, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, Native Americans and many other ethnicities. The median age in Thief River Falls is 36 years old, with 28% being under 18 years old and 13% over 65 years old. The city is home to many businesses such as 3M Corporation and Digi-Key Electronics who provide jobs to local residents. In addition to these businesses, there are also many small businesses located throughout the city that provide goods and services to the community. There are several churches in Thief River Falls which serve as spiritual centers for local residents. Education is also important in Thief River Falls; there are two public school districts: Polk County Schools (K-12) and Red Lake County Schools (K-12). There are also several private schools available for students who wish to pursue higher education options. The City of Thief River Falls has several parks and recreational areas where residents can enjoy outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, swimming and birdwatching. Overall, Thief River Falls provides its citizens with an excellent quality of life that includes a strong economy, cultural diversity and access to educational opportunities.

For population 25 years and over in Thief River Falls

  • High school or higher: 79.1%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.7%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 4.7%
  • Unemployed: 8.5%
  • Mean travel time to work: 11.7 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Thief River Falls city

  • Never married: 27.7%
  • Now married: 51.2%
  • Separated: 1.0%
  • Widowed: 10.1%
  • Divorced: 9.9%

2.1% Foreign born (0.7% Latin America, 0.6% Asia, 0.4% North America, 0.3% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +279 (+3.4%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Thief River Falls:

  • NORTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER (120 LABREE AVE S)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Thief River Falls:

  • RIVERVIEW HOSPITAL AND NURSING HOME (about 38 miles; CROOKSTON, MN)
  • NORTH VALLEY HEALTH CENTER (about 40 miles; WARREN, MN)
  • FIRST CARE MEDICAL SERVICES (about 49 miles; FOSSTON, MN)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Thief River Falls:

  • THIEF RIVER FALLS REGIONAL (about 5 miles; THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN; Abbreviation: TVF)
  • GRAND FORKS INTL (about 70 miles; GRAND FORKS, ND; Abbreviation: GFK)
  • HECTOR INTL (about 94 miles; FARGO, ND; Abbreviation: FAR)

Other public-use airports nearest to Thief River Falls:

  • RED LAKE FALLS MUNI (about 22 miles; RED LAKE FALLS, MN; Abbreviation: D81)
  • CROOKSTON MUNI KIRKWOOD FLD (about 37 miles; CROOKSTON, MN; Abbreviation: CKN)
  • WARREN MUNI (about 37 miles; WARREN, MN; Abbreviation: D37)

Colleges and Universities

College/University in Thief River Falls:

  • NORTHLAND COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,214; Location: HWY 1E; Public; Website: www.northland.cc.mn.us)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Thief River Falls:

  • UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA-MAIN CAMPUS (about 64 miles; GRAND FORKS, ND; Full-time enrollment: 9,935)
  • MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY-MOORHEAD (about 88 miles; MOORHEAD, MN; Full-time enrollment: 6,400)
  • CONCORDIA COLLEGE AT MOORHEAD (about 88 miles; MOORHEAD, MN; Full-time enrollment: 2,771)
  • NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 98 miles; FARGO, ND; Full-time enrollment: 8,836)
  • NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE-BEMIDJI (about 100 miles; BEMIDJI, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,761)
  • BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY (about 100 miles; BEMIDJI, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,562)
  • NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE (about 131 miles; WAHPETON, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,176)

Schools

Public high schools in Thief River Falls:

  • LINCOLN SR. (Students: 699; Location: 1ST & KNIGHT; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • NORTHWEST ALC (Students: 24; Location: 230 LABREE AVE. S.; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Thief River Falls:

  • CHALLENGER EL. (Students: 877; Location: 601 COUNTY RD. 61; Grades: PK – 05)
  • FRANKLIN MID. (Students: 495; Location: 300 SPRUCE AVE. S.; Grades: 06 – 08)

Libraries

Library in Thief River Falls:

  • NORTHWEST REGIONAL LIBRARY (Operating income: $803,786; Location: 210 LABREE AVENUE NORTH; 105,140 books; 4,867 audio materials; 4,343 video materials; 365 serial subscriptions)

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