County GIS · State lines · October 20, 2026
Minnesota–North Dakota Border Counties and Their Parcel Maps
All 13 counties on the Minnesota–North Dakota line, with seats, populations and each official parcel map, plus what changes at the line.
Looking for the counties on the Minnesota–North Dakota border and their parcel maps? According to the Census Bureau's county adjacency file, 7 Minnesota counties touch 6 North Dakota counties along the line. Each one keeps its own property records and its own parcel viewer, so land near the line often means checking two counties in two states.
A farm, hunting tract or lake lot can sit in one state while the road, the neighbors or the rest of the property are in the other. This page lists every county that touches the line on either side, with links to each official parcel map.
Minnesota–North Dakota border at a glance
- Counties on the line: 13 (7 in Minnesota, 6 in North Dakota)
- With a verified public parcel viewer in our directory: 13 of 13
- Residents, 2023 estimates: about 125,311 on the Minnesota side and 310,502 on the North Dakota side
- Most populous on each side: Clay County, MN (66,258) and Cass County, ND (196,362)
- Largest by land area: Polk County, MN (1,971 sq mi) and Cass County, ND (1,765 sq mi)
Minnesota counties on the line
| County | Seat | Land (sq mi) | 2023 pop. | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | Moorhead | 1,045 | 66,258 | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| Kittson County | Hallock | 1,099 | 4,060 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Marshall County | Warren | 1,775 | 8,810 | county web map |
| Norman County | Ada | 873 | 6,329 | county web map |
| Polk County | Crookston | 1,971 | 30,412 | county web map |
| Traverse County | Wheaton | 574 | 3,136 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| Wilkin County | Breckenridge | 751 | 6,306 | county web map |
North Dakota counties on the line
| County | Seat | Land (sq mi) | 2023 pop. | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | Fargo | 1,765 | 196,362 | ArcGIS Experience Builder |
| Grand Forks County | Grand Forks | 1,436 | 72,708 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| Pembina County | Cavalier | 1,119 | 6,661 | InteractiveGIS |
| Richland County | Wahpeton | 1,436 | 16,558 | county web map |
| Traill County | Hillsboro | 862 | 7,908 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Walsh County | Grafton | 1,282 | 10,305 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
Which counties face each other
The Census adjacency file pairs counties that share a boundary. Use it to find the county across the line from the one you know:
- Clay County, MN borders Cass County, ND, Richland County, ND
- Kittson County, MN borders Pembina County, ND
- Marshall County, MN borders Grand Forks County, ND, Pembina County, ND, Walsh County, ND
- Norman County, MN borders Cass County, ND, Traill County, ND
- Polk County, MN borders Grand Forks County, ND, Traill County, ND
- Traverse County, MN borders Richland County, ND
- Wilkin County, MN borders Richland County, ND
What changes when you cross the line
- Different viewers. On the Minnesota side the official maps run on: county web map (4); ArcGIS Experience Builder (1); Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) (1); ArcGIS Web AppBuilder (1). On the North Dakota side: ArcGIS Web AppBuilder (2); ArcGIS Experience Builder (1); InteractiveGIS (1); county web map (1); Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) (1). Search boxes, parcel ID formats and the details shown in pop-ups will differ.
- Different records offices. Deeds, plats and tax bills are kept by the county where the parcel sits.
- Different rules. Zoning, septic permits and property tax are set locally and by each state, so check with the county on the side where you plan to build or buy.
Researching a tract that crosses the line
- Find the parcel in both counties' viewers. Each side will show only its own piece, with its own parcel number.
- Pull the recorded deed from each county's register or recorder, since each county records only the land inside its own boundary.
- Expect two tax bills, one from each county, and check each state's rules for homestead or farm exemptions.
- For a sale, a fence or a building permit, hire a licensed surveyor familiar with the line; tax-map lines are drawings, not surveys.
A quick way to check which side a spot is on
Tap the spot on the Platbookmapper Land Map. Its land report names the county and links straight to that county's parcel viewer, plus FEMA flood, USGS elevation, USDA soil and wetland results.
Related guides
More: Minnesota counties · North Dakota counties
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file, used for which counties share the line.
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer files, 2020 county land area.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals, Vintage 2023 (July 1, 2023 estimates)
- Platbookmapper county GIS directory (live data file behind our county pages, pulled October 20, 2026) for each county's official parcel viewer.
- County seats: Wikidata (county seat property), cross-checked against Census place names.