Dilworth, Minnesota

Dilworth is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,612 at the 2020 census,^[4] and was estimated to be 4,811 in 2024.^[5] Dilworth is one of the core cities of the Fargo–Moorhead metro area; it is on the eastern border of Moorhead. Dilworth is home to the historic Star Lite Motel and the Dilworth Rail Yard, one of the BNSF Railway's largest and busiest facilities in Minnesota.

The history of Dilworth, Minnesota, is deeply intertwined with the expansion of the Northern Pacific Railway in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From its beginning as a small railroad siding, it grew into a vital divisional terminal, shaping the community's development, economy, and demographics.

The community began in 1883 when the Northern Pacific Railroad established a siding at that point, initially naming it Richardson.^[7] However, the name was short-lived. In November 1884, the settlement was renamed Dilworth in honor of Joseph Dilworth of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Joseph Dilworth was a coffee importer who served as a director of the Northern Pacific Railroad from 1875 to 1881 and was one of its original stockholders.^[8][7]

For its first two decades, Dilworth was little more than a minor station with a siding serving two grain elevators, lacking a depot or a resident agent. The turning point came in 1906 when the Northern Pacific's facilities in the nearby, rapidly growing city of Fargo became overcrowded. The railroad needed a new site for its divisional terminal, and Dilworth was chosen.^[9]

By July 1906, the Northern Pacific had purchased nearly 500 acres of land around the siding to build its new headquarters. A key feature of this new terminal was a massive roundhouse, a large, circular building designed for servicing locomotives. In the center of the structure was a turntable that rotated engines toward one of the 45 stalls for repairs and refitting. This facility made Dilworth the largest railroad village in western Minnesota and the new heart of the railroad's operations in the region.^[7][9]

The establishment of the railroad terminal triggered explosive growth. The village's population grew from virtually zero in mid-1907 to nearly 500 by the spring of 1910. The townsite was platted in 1906, and the first post office opened in 1907, with Rasmus Haugsted as the first Postmaster.^[7] To accommodate the influx of railroad workers, a railroad hotel was established, providing temporary housing until permanent homes could be built.^[9]

On August 17, 1911, the village of Dilworth was formally incorporated, establishing its own government and law enforcement.^[7] The first Mayor was F. C. Alsop, with Christian Haugsted serving as the Clerk.

The rapidly growing community quickly established key institutions.

• Schools: The Clay County Commission approved School District 81 on March 3, 1896, initially for just eight school-age children. In 1905, a new one-room schoolhouse was built. By 1908, as the railroad brought more families, the school's population had swelled to 93 students, necessitating the construction of a much larger school building.^[9]
• Churches: One of the earliest institutions was the Dilworth Presbyterian Church, which broke ground on May 15, 1907. It was dedicated debt-free on August 11 of the same year and is likely the oldest building still standing in Dilworth. The establishment of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church followed shortly after. In 1907, a priest from Moorhead surveyed the local Catholic population, and after a few years of celebrating mass in private homes, a concrete block church was dedicated in September 1910. This building served the congregation until the current church was built in 1964.^[9]
• Fire Department: The Dilworth Fire Department was established in 1911. By 1928, its equipment consisted of two hose carts and was operated by an 18-member volunteer group.^[9]

Businesses quickly sprang up to serve the new population. In the summer of 1907, a lumber yard and two general stores opened. By 1910, Dilworth was home to a bank, two hotels, a grocery store, a dairy, a meat market, a bakery, and several restaurants and barbershops. The railroad was the lifeblood of the economy, with nearly 70% of the town's 498 residents employed by the Northern Pacific.^[9]

A significant demographic feature of early Dilworth was its large community of Italian Americans. The Northern Pacific Railway actively recruited workers from Italian communities in Minneapolis and Wisconsin in 1909. This led to the formation of a distinct neighborhood on the south side of the railroad tracks, which became known as **"Little Italy"** by those living on the north side.^[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.464 square miles (8.97 km²), of which 3.461 square miles (8.96 km²) is land and 0.003 square miles (0.01 km²) (0.09%) is water.^[2]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 1,941 estimated households in Dilworth with an average of 2.40 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $89,577. Approximately 13.7% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Dilworth has an estimated 72.4% employment rate, with 38.2% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 94.1% holding a high school diploma.^[11]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (88.9%), Spanish (3.4%), Indo-European (2.2%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.7%), and Other (4.8%).

The median age in the city was 39.7 years.

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,612 people, 1,828 households, and 1,213 families residing in the city.^[15] The population density was 1,436.76 inhabitants per square mile (554.7/km²). There were 1,942 housing units at an average density of 604.98 inhabitants per square mile (233.6/km²). The racial makeup was 85.95% White, 3.40% African American, 1.93% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.71% from some other races and 6.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.66% of the population.^[16]

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,024 people, 1,595 households, and 1,053 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,215.7 inhabitants per square mile (469.4/km²). There were 1,727 housing units at an average density of 521.8 inhabitants per square mile (201.5/km²). The racial makeup was 93.29% White, 0.47% African American, 2.14% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.19% from some other races and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.69% of the population.

There were 1,595 households, of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.11.

The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 28.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,001 people, 1,160 households, and 787 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,510.6 inhabitants per square mile (583.2/km²). There were 1,238 housing units at an average density of 623.2 inhabitants per square mile (240.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.64% White, 0.03% African American, 1.80% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 4.20% from some other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.63% of the population.

There were 1,160 households, out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,571, and the median income for a family was $42,887. Males had a median income of $32,857 versus $21,226 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,726. About 13.7% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

According to the City's 2025 Summary Budget ^[17]

According to the City's 2010 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,^[18] the employers in the city are:

Dilworth is connected to Moorhead and Fargo with the public transit provider MATBUS.

U.S. Route 10 (more commonly called Highway 10) serves as a main roadway in the city. Interstate 94 is nearby, connected to U.S. 10 by Minnesota State Highway 336.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which operates between Seattle/Portland and Chicago, passes through the town on BNSF tracks, but makes no stop. The nearest station is located in Fargo, 4 miles (6.4 km) to the west.

Roman Catholic

• St. Elizabeth Catholic Church^[19]

Evangelical Lutheran in America

• Dilworth Lutheran Church^[20]

Presbyterian

• First Presbyterian Bible Church of Dilworth^[21]

Assemblies of God

• River Valley Church^[22]

• City of Dilworth – official website
• Dilworth Community Guide
• Dilworth Photo Gallery