Lisbon, North Dakota
Lisbon is a city of 2,259 people in Ransom County, North Dakota, founded in 1880.
Why visit Lisbon
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 5 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lisbon Bridge, Scenic Theater, Bradford Hotel and Lisbon Opera House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 0°F, and about 47 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lisbon
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lisbon
Lisbon is a city in and the county seat of Ransom County, North Dakota, United States.
From the Wikipedia article Lisbon, North Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Lisbon Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Bridge in Lisbon, North Dakota, United States
Museums and landmarks4
Bradford Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Listed on the NRHP in North Dakota
Lisbon Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Former theater in Lisbon, North Dakota, United States
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Lisbon Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Post office in Lisbon, United States of America
Ransom County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
County courthouse in Lisbon, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes5
I Scream You Scream
Restaurant · Burger, Ice Cream, Dessert
517 Main Street, Lisbon
Mo-Su 11:00-20:00
History
Lisbon was founded in 1880 by Joseph L. Colton, who named the new city after Lisbon, New York, his wife's hometown, not after Portugal's capital. Within four years, the town had a newspaper, the Star.
The campus of the North Dakota Veterans Home, established in 1891, provides retirement living for military veterans. Construction is underway for a large new facility adjacent to the current one.
Downtown Lisbon is home to the Scenic movie theater, which was established in 1911. The Scenic is the oldest, continuously running theater in the United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the theater remained open by providing outdoor showings.
From the History section of Lisbon, North Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Healthcare3
Map of Lisbon
28 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18°F | 0°F | 0.7 in | 9.7 in |
| Feb | 24°F | 3°F | 0.9 in | 7.1 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 16°F | 1.0 in | 7.8 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 29°F | 1.5 in | 4.5 in |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 54°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 58°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 55°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 46°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 32°F | 2.2 in | 1.5 in |
| Nov | 39°F | 19°F | 0.8 in | 7.4 in |
| Dec | 25°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lisbon Hcn (1 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
Ransom County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2024-02-15: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Winter Storm)
- 2023-07-05: Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-02-05: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Straight-Line Winds (Snowstorm)
- 2022-07-13: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-07-09: Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Britton Municipal Airport (TTO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 43 miles away.
- Enderlin 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Gwinner 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Casselton 39 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Horace 43 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- West Fargo 47 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fargo 50 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Ellendale 50 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Moorhead 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Breckenridge 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Dilworth 56 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min 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
- Ransom County Courthouse 2008, Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sheyenne River bridge Lisbon ND1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bradford Hotel (Lisbon, North Dakota), Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lisbon Pst Office, Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lisbon Opera House NRHP 79003727 Ransom County, ND, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
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