Grand Forks, North Dakota
Among the top 21% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 65% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 31% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 25% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 79% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 15% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 2% for commute time
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Grand Forks is a mid-size city in North Dakota with about 59,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include walkability, commute time, and cost of living. It rates lower on property crime and airport distance.
Official websitegrandforksgov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
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warm
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77%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in0.6 in
humid 28%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 96% of US places
Home Value$237k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$927better than 48% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 32% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.21%better than 38% of US places
Income Tax2.50%better than 82% of US places
Sales Tax7.04%better than 55% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.68%better than 52% of US places
Unemployment3.7%better than 51% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)6°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.8 in17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall48.7 inbetter than 14% of US places
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 45% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 76% of US places
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 37% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.9better than 86% of US places
School Quality59.1better than 51% of US places
Violent Crime1689/100kbetter than 13% of US places
Property Crime3002/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Community
Population58,93598th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age29.17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3265th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0972nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1439th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.7%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.9%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.3%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.9%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time14 minbetter than 98% of US places
Walkability15.2/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance280 mibetter than 3% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.7%better than 48% of US places
Amenities Nearby22.23better than 23% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 18% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Grand Forks an affordable place to live?
- Grand Forks is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 96% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Grand Forks?
- The median home value in Grand Forks is $237k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Grand Forks?
- Median household income in Grand Forks is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Grand Forks?
- Median gross rent in Grand Forks is $927 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Grand Forks safe?
- Grand Forks is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1689/100k (better than 13%). Property crime is 3002/100k.
- What is the weather like in Grand Forks?
- Grand Forks averages 69°F in July and 6°F in January, with 22.8 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Grand Forks?
- Public-school quality in Grand Forks is about average, scoring better than 51% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Grand Forks?
- The average one-way commute in Grand Forks is 14 min.
Places near Grand Forks
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)