Hillsboro, North Dakota
Hillsboro is a city of 1,704 people in Traill County, North Dakota, founded in 1880.
Why visit Hillsboro
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 5 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Amos and Lillie Plummer House and Traill County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 1°F.
Weather in Hillsboro
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Hillsboro
Hillsboro is a city in Traill County, North Dakota. It is the county seat of Traill County. The population was 1,649 at the 2020 census. Hillsboro was founded in 1881.
From the Wikipedia article Hillsboro, North Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks5
Amos and Lillie Plummer House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Single-family detached home in Hillsboro, North Dakota
Traill County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
County courthouse in Hillsboro, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes5
Where to stay2
Hillsboro Campground & RV Park
Campground · 0.5 mi
203 6th Street Southwest, Hillsboro
History
The area along the Goose River that is now Hillsboro was first settled by German and Norwegian settlers around 1870. In 1880, the present day site of Hillsboro was founded under the name "Comstock". Local folklore tells of the residents of nearby Caledonia, North Dakota turning away a shabby surveyor because of his appearance. This man was then offered hospitality by residents in the tiny settlement of Comstock. The man turned out to be railroad baron James J. Hill.
Hill was so impressed by the kindness showed to him by the residents of this small community that he decided to place his Great Northern Railway there instead of in Caledonia. The name of Comstock was platted as "Hill City" in September 1880 in honor of Mr. Hill. The city was then renamed "Hillsboro" in 1883 after it was discovered that there was already a "Hill City" elsewhere in Dakota Territory, now a part of South Dakota.
The routing of the railroad through Hillsboro gave the young city the motivation to attempt to have the county seat moved there from Caledonia, which had been the seat of Traill County since its organization in 1875. The ensuing contest grew bitter and heated, with Caledonians arming themselves, posting guards in the town, and organizing a committee for defense. Hillsboro residents took to calling the defense committee Tigers of the Jungle and Irreconcilables.
From the History section of Hillsboro, North Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran
204 East Caledonia Avenue, Hillsboro
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries2
Healthcare1
Map of Hillsboro
26 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18°F | 1°F | 0.6 in |
| Feb | 22°F | 4°F | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 36°F | 20°F | 1.2 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 34°F | 1.4 in |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 2.8 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 3.6 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 61°F | 3.4 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 2.6 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 50°F | 2.2 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 37°F | 2.2 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 22°F | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 24°F | 9°F | 0.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hillsboro 3 N Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Traill County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2024-02-15: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Winter Storm)
- 2022-07-13: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-07-09: Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-01: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hector International Airport (FAR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 35 miles away.
- Ada 27 mi east, about 43 min by car
- Crookston 33 mi northeast, about 54 min by car
- Grand Forks 36 mi north, about 57 min by car
- East Grand Forks 36 mi north, about 59 min by car
- Casselton 36 mi south, about 57 min by car
- West Fargo 38 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Fargo 39 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Moorhead 40 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Dilworth 40 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Grand Forks AFB 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Traill County Courthouse, Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0
- AmosPlummerHouse, SH5544, CC BY-SA 4.0
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