Grand Forks, ND Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Grand Forks, ND Summary

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 100, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Grand Forks is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Grand Forks ranks as the #5 cheapest in North Dakota out of 13.

  • Grand Forks ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Grand Forks is $285,642.

  • The median income in Grand Forks is $63,838.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
100
Grand Forks's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Grand Forks, ND?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Grand Forks has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Dakota, Grand Forks has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than North Dakota's index of 94.

The standard of living in Grand Forks ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 13 places we measured in North Dakota. By definition, that implies Grand Forks ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Peace Garden State.

For more reading on life in Grand Forks, check out:

5 out of 13
In North Dakota
2,621 out of 6,489
In America

Grand Forks Cost Of Living Vs. North Dakota

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 92.

  • The Groceries index in Grand Forks is 95.

  • The Health index in Grand Forks is 103.

  • The Housing index in Grand Forks is 105.

  • The Transportation index in Grand Forks is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Grand Forks is 109.

Living Expense Grand Forks North Dakota National Average
Overall 100 94 100
Services 92 96 100
Groceries 95 93 100
Health 103 111 100
Housing 105 87 100
Transportation 94 101 100
Utilities 109 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Dakota, check out:
Grand Forks Cost of Living Vs. ND

Grand Forks, ND Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Grand Forks is $285,642.

  • The Median Rent in Grand Forks is $958.

  • The Median Income in Grand Forks is $63,838.

  • The Home Value To Income in Grand Forks is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Grand Forks is 0.18x.

Statistic Grand Forks North Dakota United States
Median Home Value $285,642 $281,608 $303,400
Median Rent $958 $934 $1,348
Median Income $63,838 $75,949 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.15x 0.21x
$285,642
Median Home Value
$958
Median Rent
$63,838
Median Income

Grand Forks, ND Costs By Category

Detailed Grand Forks Services Costs Vs. North Dakota

Item Grand Forks North Dakota
Shampoo $1.04 $1.28
Movie $8.02 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $22.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $38.0 $45.56

Detailed Grand Forks Groceries Costs Vs. North Dakota

Item Grand Forks North Dakota
Ground Beef $5.52 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.48 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $10.49 $12.09
Beer $10.11 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.88 $3.7

Detailed Grand Forks Health Costs Vs. North Dakota

Item Grand Forks North Dakota
Optometrist $140.67 $125.68
Doctor $169.5 $135.78
Dentist $96.0 $113.29

Detailed Grand Forks Transportation Costs Vs. North Dakota

Item Grand Forks North Dakota
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.0 $59.92

Detailed Grand Forks Utilities Costs Vs. North Dakota

Item Grand Forks North Dakota
All Electricity $222.79 $193.99
Phone $191.52 $192.25

Grand Forks SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Grand Forks

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 96, 1.0x Grand Forks.

  • Thief River Falls, MN has a cost of living index of 92, 0.9x Grand Forks.

  • Crookston, MN has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Grand Forks.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Grand Forks
East Grand Forks, MN 9,067 96 1.0x
Thief River Falls, MN 8,841 92 0.9x
Crookston, MN 7,388 90 0.9x

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