Fargo vs Grand Forks
Fargo, North Dakota versus Grand Forks, North Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fargo and Grand Forks score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fargo | Grand Forks |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $41k |
| Home Value | $255k | $237k |
| Monthly Rent | $900 | $927 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.26% | 1.21% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.80% | 9.68% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 9°F | 6°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.0 in | 22.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.7 in | 48.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 38.3 | 34.9 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 67.0 | 59.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2891/100k | 1689/100k |
| Property Crime | 4166/100k | 3002/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 127,319 | 58,935 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 29.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.32 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+14 |
| White (%) | 80.2% | 80.7% |
| Black (%) | 8.5% | 4.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.2% | 4.9% |
| Asian (%) | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 14 min |
| Walkability | 13.2/20 | 15.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 220 mi | 280 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.6% | 85.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.53 | 22.23 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Fargo or Grand Forks more affordable?
- Grand Forks has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Fargo's $44k and Grand Forks's $41k. Median rent is $900 in Fargo versus $927 in Grand Forks.
- Is Fargo or Grand Forks safer?
- Grand Forks has the lower violent crime rate. Fargo reports 2891/100k and Grand Forks reports 1689/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fargo or Grand Forks?
- The median home value is $255k in Fargo and $237k in Grand Forks, so homes are more affordable in Grand Forks.