Cost of living in Grand Forks research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Grand Forks is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in North Dakota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Grand Forks is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Grand Forks is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Grand Forks ranks as the #5 cheapest in North Dakota out of 14.
Grand Forks ranks as the #1,974 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Grand Forks is $215,900.
The median income in Grand Forks is $53,611.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Grand Forks has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Dakota, Grand Forks has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Dakota's index of 96.
The standard of living in Grand Forks ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 14 places we measured in North Dakota. By definition, that implies Grand Forks ranks as the #9 most expensive place in the Peace Garden State.
For more reading on life in Grand Forks, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Grand Forks. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Grand Forks is 86.
The Groceries index in Grand Forks is 95.
The Health index in Grand Forks is 108.
The Housing index in Grand Forks is 92.
The Transportation index in Grand Forks is 101.
The Utilities index in Grand Forks is 96.
Living Expense | Grand Forks | North Dakota | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 92 | 96 | 100 | |
Services | 86 | 98 | 100 | |
Groceries | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
Health | 108 | 112 | 100 | |
Housing | 92 | 86 | 100 | |
Transportation | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
Utilities | 96 | 100 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Dakota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Grand Forks is $215,900.
The Median Rent in Grand Forks is $850.
The Median Income in Grand Forks is $53,611.
The Home Value To Income in Grand Forks is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Grand Forks is 0.19x.
Statistic | Grand Forks | North Dakota | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $215,900 | $209,900 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $850 | $853 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $53,611 | $68,131 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 3.1x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.15x | 0.2x |
Item | Grand Forks | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Shampoo | $1.23 | $1.06 |
Movie | $7.13 | $10.68 |
Bowling | $10.5 | $14.67 |
Haircut | $17.64 | $18.62 |
Beauty Salon | $33.67 | $39.05 |
Item | Grand Forks | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Ground Beef | $4.51 | $4.22 |
Fried Chicken | $1.68 | $1.39 |
Milk | $2.51 | $2.05 |
Potatoes | $3.82 | $3.29 |
Pizza | $10.38 | $10.62 |
Beer | $8.99 | $9.38 |
Toothpaste | $2.65 | $2.34 |
Item | Grand Forks | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $122.5 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $172.24 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $82.05 | $99.13 |
Item | Grand Forks | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.11 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $52.64 | $50.07 |
Item | Grand Forks | North Dakota |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $148.14 | $167.67 |
Phone | $187.95 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Grand Forks. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
East Grand Forks, MN has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Grand Forks.
Thief River Falls, MN has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Grand Forks.
Crookston, MN has a cost of living index of 80, 0.9x Grand Forks.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Grand Forks |
---|---|---|---|
East Grand Forks, MN | 9,140 | 90 | 1.0x |
Thief River Falls, MN | 8,791 | 83 | 0.9x |
Crookston, MN | 7,509 | 80 | 0.9x |