PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Grand Forks, ND-MN

LiveAbility 74.4/100 places Grand Forks #1 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

86.7
Cost index (US=100)
$1,089
2BR rent / mo
$66,228
Median salary
74.4
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Grand Forks ranks #1 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (74.4/100), with its strongest marks in schools and cost of living.

#1
of 387 US metros · Exceptional
796,568
metro-area population
257
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
499
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: climate (8/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Grand Forks ranks #1 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 86.7 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,089/mo, median salary $66,228; LiveAbility Score 74.4/100, strongest in schools and cost of living.

Signature: LiveAbility 74.4/100 places Grand Forks #1 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 86.7 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,089/mo.

LiveAbility 74.4/100 puts Grand Forks in the top third (#1 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Grand Forks area is 46,030.

Grand Forks vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

74 Top 1% higher than 99% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Grand Forks housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Grand Forks MSA; housing RPP 59.7 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,089/mo.

Studio
$863
/month
1 Bedroom
$868
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,089
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,515
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,827
/month

Grand Forks wages and employment

Grand Forks posts 46,030 total employment with median salary $66,228 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$66,228
Mean Salary
$69,555
Total Employment
46,030

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Retail Salespersons $34,440
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,540
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $41,080
Registered Nurses $79,070
Cashiers $30,980

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Grand Forks area from NCES.

Schools
499
Enrollment
118,286
Student:Teacher
11.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Grand Forks area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$10,925
per year
Toddler (Center)
$9,978
per year
Preschool (Center)
$9,249
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Grand Forks's composite Life Score is 61.4/100 (C), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
92/100
Elite
Wages
67/100
Strong
Rent
84/100
Elite
Crime
67/100
Strong
Schools
3/100
Bottom decile
Childcare
44/100
Below average
Environment
22/100
Weak

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Grand Forks ranks #1 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 74.4/100 - a composite of 7 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized). Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Schools (97/100)

Grand Forks - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Grand Forks's strongest dimensions are schools and cost of living; its weakest among scored dims is climate at 8/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%; this metro uses 7 of 8 dims with renormalized weights.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Grand Forks to

Burlington Burlington-South Burlington Canton-Massillon Cape Coral-Fort Myers Cape Girardeau Carson City

Metros near Grand Forks on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Grand Forks on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Grand Forks cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Grand Forks wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Grand Forks?

Grand Forks runs a $66,228 median salary at a 86.7 cost index, ranking #1 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Grand Forks's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Grand Forks head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Grand Forks
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.