Town guide

North Fork, Minnesota

North Fork is a township in Stearns County, Minnesota, home to about 218 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56312 and 56316.

Homes sold for a median of $142 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.

Population2186 per sq mi
Median home value$261,100Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$142Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking29%Median of 2 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in North Fork

2 ZIP codes, 2 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside North Fork. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up North Fork’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around North Fork

Distances

Nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)100 miles away
Closer regional airportSaint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)50 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN96 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL448 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of North Fork; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents North Fork

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

North Fork had 273 residents in the 2020 census, up 8% since 2000.

It’s the 1781st largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.

Stearns County grew from 44,464 residents in 1900 to 158,292 in 2020.

North Fork population by census2000: 253, 2010: 247, 2020: 273253200024720102732020

Stearns County, 1900–2020

Stearns County population, 1900 to 20201900: 44,464, 1910: 47,733, 1920: 55,741, 1930: 62,121, 1940: 67,200, 1950: 70,681, 1960: 80,345, 1970: 95,400, 1980: 108,161, 1990: 118,791, 2000: 133,166, 2010: 150,642, 2020: 158,29244K’00’1056K’20’3067K’40’5080K’60’70108K’80’90133K’00’10158K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 1°F. About 31.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 50 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near North ForkJan: high 20°F, low 1°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 25°F, low 5°F, 1 in; Mar: high 38°F, low 17°F, 1.8 in; Apr: high 54°F, low 31°F, 3.1 in; May: high 68°F, low 46°F, 3.5 in; Jun: high 78°F, low 57°F, 4.9 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 61°F, 4.2 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 59°F, 3.5 in; Sep: high 72°F, low 50°F, 3.5 in; Oct: high 57°F, low 35°F, 2.6 in; Nov: high 39°F, low 22°F, 1.6 in; Dec: high 25°F, low 9°F, 0.9 in20°1°Jan0.925°5°Feb1.038°17°Mar1.854°31°Apr3.168°46°May3.578°57°Jun4.982°61°Jul4.280°59°Aug3.572°50°Sep3.557°35°Oct2.639°22°Nov1.625°9°Dec0.9Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, New London, MN weather station (15 miles away).

Jobs in Stearns County

84,123 jobs at 4,474 businesses in Stearns County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Stearns CountyHealth care and social assistance: 17,077 jobs; Manufacturing: 11,671 jobs; Retail trade: 11,013 jobs; Construction: 7,054 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 6,885 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 4,344 jobs; Wholesale trade: 4,191 jobs; Company headquarters: 4,129 jobsHealth care and social assistance 20% Manufacturing 14% Retail trade 13% Construction 8% Hotels and restaurants 8% Transportation and warehousing 5% Wholesale trade 5% Company headquarters 5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

4 doctors and other health care providers list an office in North Fork’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

  • Centracare Health System - Melrose HospitalCritical access hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Melrose17.6 miles
  • Glacial Ridge HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Glenwood18.1 miles
  • Centracare Health System - Sauk CentreCritical access hospital · emergency room · Sauk Centre18.2 miles

Providers with an office here

Dentists1
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants1
Physical and occupational therapists1
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies1

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around North Fork

Parks (2 nearby)

  • City Park · 5 acres2.3 mi
  • Brooten Park · 2 acres1.9 mi

Libraries

  • Myrtle Maybee Public Library4.9 mi

Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in North Fork

Public schools here are run by Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa School Dist, Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa ElementaryBrootenPre-K–5294Public2.3 mi
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Sec.Belgrade6–12316Public5.2 mi
Bbe Learning CenterBelgrade7–12—Alternative Education5.2 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where North Fork is

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Towns near North Fork

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Shares ZIP codes with Belgrade City, Brooten, Crow River, Burbank, Lake George Township (Stearns County), Colfax, Roseville Township (Kandiyohi County), Crow Lake, Lake Johanna, Lake Henry Township, Norway Lake, Bangor, Raymond Township, Grove Lake and Regal.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.