Washburn, North Dakota
Washburn is a city of 1,507 people in McLean County, North Dakota, founded in 1882.
Why visit Washburn
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Former McLean County Courthouse and McLean County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 2°F, and about 43 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Washburn
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Washburn
Washburn is a city in southern McLean County, North Dakota, United States. Located along the upper Missouri River, it is the county seat of McLean County. The population was 1,300 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Washburn, North Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks5
Former McLean County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Washburn, North Dakota, formerly listed on the NRHP in North Dakota
McLean County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Washburn, North Dakota, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes2
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship3
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of Washburn
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 2°F | 0.4 in | 7.2 in |
| Feb | 27°F | 5°F | 0.5 in | 6.4 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 0.6 in | 6.9 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 30°F | 1.5 in | 4.1 in |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 2.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 52°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 57°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 55°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 46°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 57°F | 32°F | 1.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Nov | 40°F | 19°F | 0.7 in | 6.6 in |
| Dec | 27°F | 9°F | 0.5 in | 8.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Washburn (0 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
McLean County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-13: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-01: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-07-12: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 39 miles away.
- Underwood 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Wilton 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Stanton 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Turtle Lake 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Hazen 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Garrison 31 mi northwest, about 50 min by car
- Mandan 33 mi south, about 53 min by car
- Bismarck 35 mi south, about 57 min by car
- Beulah 35 mi west, about 56 min by car
- Lincoln 40 mi southeast, 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
- Washburn Tractor Trek, Ua747sp, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FORMER MCLEAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- North Dakota Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Gooseterrain2, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.