Grand Forks cost of living
Prices in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area run at 86.7 against a national average of 100, ranking it #357 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 59.7.
What drives the number
Prices in Grand Forks run at 86.7 where the national average is 100, so about 13.3 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #357 of 387 metro areas. Against North Dakota as a whole it is 2.3 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 59.7 against goods at 95.6 and other services at 77.1, so the overall figure of 86.7 understates how affordable the housing itself is. That combination, ordinary prices with cheap rent, is what people are usually looking for and rarely find. Goods at 95.6 are themselves 4.4 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 86.7 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Grand Forks is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,590 | $29,410 | $33,922 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | $34,370 | $39,642 | $34,580 |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | $29,730 | $34,291 | $31,190 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,250 | $76,550 | $88,293 | $93,600 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,170 | $81,810 | $94,360 | $102,950 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,150 | $37,850 | $43,656 | $34,900 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,090 | $35,530 | $40,980 | $35,240 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,040 | $41,200 | $47,520 | $38,940 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 86.7.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | 104.8 | 111.8 | #31 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | 91.8 | 69.4 | #250 |
| Bismarck | 91.0 | 84.0 | #268 |
| Mankato | 91.0 | 79.9 | #271 |
| Fargo | 90.9 | 81.1 | #273 |
| Rochester | 90.8 | 78.6 | #276 |
Grand Forks: common questions
Is Grand Forks expensive?
Prices are 13.3% below the national average, a parity of 86.7 where the country is 100. It ranks #357 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against North Dakota as a whole it is 2.3 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Grand Forks?
The median worker there earns $48,280, which buys what $55,686 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 59.7 against goods at 95.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.