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Living in
Grand Forks.
About
Life in Grand Forks
If you're considering Grand Forks, you're looking at a stable mid-sized city with solid fundamentals: low unemployment at 2.1%, a median household income around $64k, and housing that's genuinely affordable compared to regional peers, with median home values about $250k and rent averaging under $1,000. The University of North Dakota is a real anchor here, shaping the community's character and providing consistent employment, and you'll find legitimate job diversity across education, healthcare, defense, and manufacturing. The downtown has historic charm with ongoing revitalization efforts, while newer commercial corridors like 32nd Avenue South offer standard shopping and dining.
Grand Forks at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.5%
Foreign-Born
7.7%
Broadband Internet
87.4%
of households
Population Growth
+2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.7% foreign-born, most often from Somalia
Who lives in Grand Forks: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Grand Forks, the largest foreign-born group is from Somalia (12.0%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.3%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.9%
of households
Married Couples
32.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.09
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for ND
Rent, home values, and income in Grand Forks
Rent and home values here are close to the ND average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
86.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,167
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $305,083 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below ND average
Unemployment in Grand Forks
Unemployment in Grand Forks is 0.4 percentage points lower than the ND average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Grand Forks Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.8 min avg
How Grand Forks residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Grand Forks, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Grand Forks International Airport (GFK)
Regional airport · few flights94k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 18% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Grand Forks runs 18% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
269.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,007.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Grand Forks Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
57.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Grand Forks County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Grand Forks County, which includes Grand Forks, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,500 |
| 2023 | 19 | Heavy Snow | $1.0M |
| 2022 | 44 | Blizzard | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $166,000 |
| 2020 | 32 | Hail | $580,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | Blizzard | $300,000 |
| 2018 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Grand Forks County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate78°F summers, 2°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Grand Forks has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 2°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
51°/30°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
53°/34°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
19°/2°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.8"
Annual Snowfall
48.7"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
179
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
100
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15°F | -1°F | 0.49" |
| Feb | 20°F | 3°F | 0.56" |
| Mar | 34°F | 17°F | 0.91" |
| Apr | 52°F | 31°F | 1.19" |
| May | 67°F | 44°F | 2.99" |
| Jun | 76°F | 55°F | 4.13" |
| Jul | 80°F | 59°F | 3.55" |
| Aug | 79°F | 57°F | 3.03" |
| Sep | 70°F | 47°F | 2.42" |
| Oct | 53°F | 35°F | 2.00" |
| Nov | 35°F | 20°F | 0.83" |
| Dec | 21°F | 6°F | 0.73" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Grand Forks
Grand Forks has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Altru Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Grand Forks
Grand Forks's student/teacher ratio is 11.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 40.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Grand Forks
Public · 4-year · 9,981 students · in-state tuition $11,645 · 59% graduate · median earnings $67,456 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Grand Forks
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Grand Forks
Grand Forks Public Library
2110 Library Circle, Grand Forks
Cities Near Grand Forks
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Grand Forks.
Planning a move to Grand Forks?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Grand Forks FAQ
Is Grand Forks, North Dakota affordable?⌄
Grand Forks's median rent is $980/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,627/year. Median home value is $249,900.
Is Grand Forks, North Dakota safe?⌄
Grand Forks's violent crime rate was 270 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2008 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Grand Forks, North Dakota?⌄
Grand Forks has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Grand Forks, North Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Grand Forks is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $980/month and median household income is $63,627/year. The median home value is $249,900. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Grand Forks, North Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Grand Forks is 15 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from