Grand Forks, ND — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·North Dakota·Grand Forks

Grand Forks County · Grand Forks · population 59,845

First-time buyers
Grand Forks, ND
Image: Wikipedia · Grand Forks, North Dakota
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
72
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Grand Forks stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 7.6% in the last year. rents up 7.5% in the last year.

Median home $295,824
1-year +7.6%
5-yr CAGR +4.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$296k$203k$238k$273k$308k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,187/mo$834$1,046$1,258202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent127134100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 20.8
Lean rent

At a 20.8 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Grand Forks. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
84 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
64 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
51 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
47 · w10%
Long thesis

Grand Forks has held up across the cycle: home values at $295,824 with +4.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Grand Forks's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Grand Forks

Grand Forks is a city in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, with an estimated population of 59,845. The median home value in Grand Forks is $295,824 as of 2026-04, up 7.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Grand Forks average $1,187 per month, up 7.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 7.6% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 7.5% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 7.5% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Grand Forks (Wikipedia)

Grand Forks is a city in and the county seat of Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 59,166 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 59,845 in 2024, making it the third-most populous city in the state, after Fargo and Bismarck. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks metropolitan statistical area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or the Grand Cities.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorBrandon BochenskiCite web
Area29.318 sq mi
Elevation837 ft
FoundedJune 15, 1870
Motto"A Place of Excellence"
Density2055.16/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Grand Forks County right now.

NWS active alerts (ND)North Dakota Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Grand Forks County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Grand Forks

Mandan, ND73 · RisingWilliston, ND62 · RisingDickinson, ND62 · RisingBismarck, ND74 · Rising

Run the numbers for Grand Forks

ToolCan I afford Grand Forks?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Grand Forks rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Grand Forks to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolGrand Forks cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
21° / 1°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
83° / 59°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
209
~57% of year
Annual precip
18″ rain
39″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Grand Forks listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Grand Forks area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$73,900
North Dakota state median
Top industries (state-level)
Oil & Gas (Bakken)AgricultureManufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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