52,838
Population
Sunny Days: 197
50100 Affordability
89100 Schools
31100 Diversity
82100 Safety
I have always said I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota.
-Theodore Roosevelt
Grand Forks, North Dakota
The Forks
The Best Thing About Grand Forks?
Housing
Home prices in Grand Forks are hard to beat. Due to its isolated location and low population, there are an abundance of affordable homes, particularly compared to other college towns. Add to that its convenient position midway to just about everything in the region: Duluth, Minneapolis, Winnipeg, and the western side of North Dakota, and many find it the ideal place to buy. The price you pay for a one-bedroom apartment in much of the country will net you a large, spacious home in Grand Forks.
Here's a local on all that is happening in Grand Forks in the winter:
People like to shit on GF, but there's plenty to do in the winter. There's free snowshoe and ski rentals at Lincoln park. Ice fishing on the river, or the pond by South middle school. Ice rinks everywhere including town square. there's curling and Broomball leagues. There's the indoor water parks at choice fitness and canadinn. We have 2 axe throwing venues in town. There's lazer tag, trampolines, and an arcade at Northern air. the ND museum of art is always nice. Plus many more indoor sports leagues. And plenty of bars and restaurants.
The Worst Thing About Grand Forks?
Weather
The weather is undeniably the hardest part of Grand Forks to both longtime residents and newcomers. The cold arrives after Labor Day, and Winter officially begins in late October. From there, it does not let up until late April or early May most years. The flat landscape leads to wind chills and massive amounts of snow most of the winter, and the omnipresent darkness can also negatively affect those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. Summer in turn tends to be hot and humid, and residents frequently have to contend with high amounts of insects and flash flooding from the river. Keep it in mind before making the move.
Here's a local on what living in the climate is like:
You'll need lots of clothes in winter but you'll be able to get from building to building pretty quickly. Being the Midwest, we get both extremes of weather, hot and muggy, and cold and dry, but we get a lot of pleasant days. Grand Forks itself is particularly bad with weather because it's on the open prairie, too far from any large bodies of water to have a stable temperature. And the openness means the winds can be really intense.
Lifestyle of Grand Forks
In spite, or perhaps because of, the weather, the residents of Grand Forks pride themselves on heartily embracing the winter. Winter activities such as cross country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and skating are popular pastimes, and the local University of North Dakota is home to one of the biggest and most popular college hockey franchises in the world. Hockey games in particular are the epicenter of community culture, informing much of the bar and nightlife scene each year. In the summer, flat trail hiking and biking and fishing are popular activities, as is gardening during the short but affluent growing season. For those less interested in the outdoors, the university brings in a high number of concerts and theatrical productions each year, and several art and history museums decorate the city.
Additionally, keep in mind that while Grand Forks is a college town and the student population might run a bit more progressive, Grand Forks is a conservative city so buyer beware if that ain't your cup of tea.
Check out the Grand Forks calendar of events to see how the city plays during the year: https://www.visitgrandforks.com/events/
Worklife of Grand Forks
For a city that to many will seem isolated from obvious industries Grand Forks has a diverse economy not particularly bound by any one sector. Grand Forks Air Force base employs large numbers of civilian workers in addition to military personnel. The university employs plenty of professors and administrators and Altru Health System is a big employer of healthcare workers.
Wind farming is a major source of jobs for scientists and general workers in the the energy industry. And of course, Grand Forks’ agricultural sector continues to thrive to this day, along with the food processing plant. It's a surprisingly diverse economic base for a city that is at a distance from the obvious financial centers.
Why You Should Move Here Now
Affordable Culture
Affordability in a college town is kind of the holy grail. You get the benefits of a university in culture and energy but you spend a lot less than you would in a bigger city. Add on being surrounded by largely untamed wild land, and a population of friendly small town folk and you have a sense of why you should put it on your short list.
Living in Grand Forks
Neighborhoods in Grand Forks
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Downtown
Young Professionals/College Students
Downtown Grand Forks is the center of the business district of the city as well as its cultural and entertainment hub. If you want to live and possibly work within a short walk of much of what happens here then Downtown should be #1 on your list of neighborhoods to check out.
Some of what has driven this concentration is the presence of the University of North Dakota's main campus in the neighborhood. That means the Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is home to the UND Fighting Hawks hockey team and hosts concerts and other events is right here. The downtown is also home to the Grand Forks Public Library and the Empire Arts Center, which presents live performances like theater and music, movies, and other important cultural events.
Downtown is the heart of the restaurant, cafe, and bar/pub scene in North Forks so whatever your social preference you'll find it here. Finally, the city's largest farmer's market is open year from June through September near the City Hall and it acts as a real glue for those who live downtown and those who live in the suburbs and those who come from the rural areas surrounding North Forks.
The housing includes cool converted lofts in the historic buildings and newer apartment developments. Condo purchases and rentals are aplenty for students and young professionals. Costs are low relative to other college downtown neighborhoods.
Southside Historic District
Families
The Near Southside Historic District is one of the premier neighborhoods in North Folks with Mid 19th Century Revival and Late Victorian architecture dominating the homes and commercial buildings. Families love the spacious homes, tree-lined streets but perhaps even more so they appreciate that the neighborhood has several parks, including Lincoln Drive Park and Rotary Park where kiddos have tons of room to run around, ride on bike trails, play disc-golf and fish to their heart's desire. It's also home to the Grand Forks Public Library and the Grand Forks Herald newspaper so education and local knowledge is never far away.
Riverside
Families
Not surprisingly, the historic Riverside Neighborhood has many of streets tucked into the Red River that flows through the city of Grand Forks. Just as important to the character of the neighborhood is Riverside Park, an historic centerpiece of the city with every kind of recreational opportunity you can think of available. Bike/walk trails, hoop courts, fishing, frisbee golf, hockey rinks, tennis, swimming pool and tons and tons of open space for the kids to run and enjoy all seasons in the great outdoors.
Combine that outdoor culture with homes from the 1880s to the 1940s, and styles including Queen Anne, Tudor, Classical and Dutch and you can understand why families LOVE this neighborhood.