Cass County vs Grand Forks County
Cass County, North Dakota versus Grand Forks County, North Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Cass County and Grand Forks County score about the same overall (47 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cass County | Grand Forks County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $65k |
| Cost of Living | $39k | $41k |
| Home Value | $270k | $235k |
| Monthly Rent | $909 | $941 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.22% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 3.46% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.32% | 9.85% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 9°F | 6°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.7 in | 23.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0 in | 48.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 82.4 | 57.7 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 64.9 | 61.2 |
| Violent Crime | 2180/100k | 1553/100k |
| Property Crime | 3141/100k | 2603/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 186,328 | 72,927 |
| Median Age | 32.7 | 30.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.28 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.08 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+14 |
| White (%) | 83.4% | 82.5% |
| Black (%) | 6.5% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 4.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 6.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 12.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 239 mi | 290 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.4% | 85.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.43 | 1.92 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cass County or Grand Forks County more affordable?
- Cass County has the lower cost of living: its index is $39k, compared with Cass County's $39k and Grand Forks County's $41k. Median rent is $909 in Cass County versus $941 in Grand Forks County.
- Is Cass County or Grand Forks County safer?
- Grand Forks County has the lower violent crime rate. Cass County reports 2180/100k and Grand Forks County reports 1553/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cass County or Grand Forks County?
- The median home value is $270k in Cass County and $235k in Grand Forks County, so homes are more affordable in Grand Forks County.