Best Life Index › States › North Dakota › Cities › Grand Forks

North Dakota city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Grand Forks?

What it costs to live in Grand Forks, and how it compares with other North Dakota cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

17

9th best value in North Dakota

How much you get for what you pay, versus other North Dakota cities.

Overall livability

32

9th overall in North Dakota

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Grand Forks is home to about 58,867 people. A typical home runs $215,900 and a household earns around $53,600, a price-to-income ratio of 4.0. Among North Dakota's cities, it ranks 9th for value and 9th overall.

Grand Forks at a glance

Median home price

$215,900

9th in ND of 9

Median rent

$850/mo

Median household income

$53,600

Home price to income

4.0x

Unemployment

4.1%

7th in ND of 9

School rating

3/10

8th in ND of 9

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in ND of 9

Walk score

6/100

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‹ See all top North Dakota cities ranked  ยท  North Dakota state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within North Dakota only. Updated 2026.