Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Grand Forks, ND

    Is Grand Forks a good place to live?

    Watch Grand Forks

    Grand Forks ranks #6 of 7 North Dakota cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (38/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $243,300
    +2.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $958
    per month
    Household income
    $63,838
    median
    Unemployment
    2.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Grand Forks

    The median home value in Grand Forks is $243,300 and median rent is $958 a month, against a median household income of $63,838. Homes cost about 3.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Grand Forks crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across North Dakota the 2025 rate was 240 violent and 1,495 property crimes per 100,000 people — #27 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Grand Forks, ND

    Grand Forks has about 58,882 residents, 2.9% unemployment and 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Grand Forks with

    Grand Forks vs FargoGrand Forks vs BismarckGrand Forks vs MinotGrand Forks vs West FargoGrand Forks vs WillistonGrand Forks vs Dickinson

    More: Where to move in North Dakota · Best counties in North Dakota

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report