Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fargo, ND vs Grand Forks, ND
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Fargo needs about $84,500 in Grand Forks to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Grand Forks, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Fargo.
A few differences
- Fargo is higher on median household income ($66,998 vs $63,627).
- Grand Forks is lower on cost of living index (83 vs 85).
- Grand Forks is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($967/mo vs $972/mo).
Fargo vs Grand Forks · facet by facet
| Facet | Fargo, ND | Grand Forks, ND |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $281,900 | $249,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $972/mo | $967/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.98% | 0.98% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 85 | 83 |
| Groceries index | 97 | 97 |
| Utilities | $140/mo | $140/mo |
| Median household income | $66,998 | $63,627 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Crime index | 42/100 | 42/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Fargo, ND · Grand Forks, ND
Questions & answers
- Is Fargo cheaper than Grand Forks?
- Grand Forks has the lower day-to-day cost index (83 vs 85 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Grand Forks equals $85,000 in Fargo?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fargo needs about $84,500 in Grand Forks to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Grand Forks lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Fargo.