Grand Forks, ND
Living in Grand Forks
Real estate is what I do. This is my town.
What it’s like to live in Grand Forks
Living in Grand Forks means living in a blue-collar university town of about 60,000 people on the Red River. There’s an Air Force base down the road, a hockey arena that feels like church, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota right across the bridge. Winters are real and nobody shuts down for them.
I moved here when I was seven, left for eight years in the Air Force, and came back on purpose. I live in Near North in a house built in 1894. This page is what I tell people who ask me whether they should live here, and where.
Grand Forks in a minute
Big enough to have what you need. Small enough that you’ll see someone you know at the grocery store.
How it got here
French fur traders called this spot Les Grandes Fourches, the big forks, because two rivers meet right by what’s now downtown. In 1870 a steamboat captain named Alexander Griggs froze in on the Red, spent the winter camped here, and the town grew up around him. A town founded by a guy who got stuck in the cold and decided to stay. Sounds about right. Grand Forks Herald
What keeps it running
It’s a university town, a hospital town, an Air Force town and a farm town all at once. UND brings the young energy and the hockey. Grand Forks Air Force Base sits about 15 miles west, near Emerado. Ag keeps the whole valley honest. That mix is why the town doesn’t empty out when the students leave for summer.
Back to the topThe people
This town is about as blue collar as they get. Everywhere you look, there are hardworking people doing their best for their families and living their lives.
Everyone’s nice, but it’s keep-to-yourself nice. I’ll wave at you from the driveway every single morning. Just don’t show up on my porch with cookies. Give it a winter or two and you’ll be doing the same wave.
“There’s nothing to do here”
Transplants say it. Locals say it too. It’s wrong. You just have to know where to look and be willing to go exploring. If a friend moved here tomorrow, here’s where I’d take them first:
- Breakfast at Darcy’s Cafe. Get the cinnamon roll pancakes. Do not sleep on this place.
- A Hawks game at the Ralph. Friday or Saturday night, with a big chunk of the town in one building.
- Downtown for coffee, at Urban Stampede or Sweetwaters inside The Olive Ann.
- Chippers at Widman’s. Chocolate covered potato chips. Trust me.
The full list of twelve staples, with a “save” button for each, lives in my Grand Forks relocation guide.
Back to the topNeighborhoods
Grand Forks is about 29 square miles, so nothing is far. What changes from one side of town to the other is the age of the houses, the size of the yards, and what you’ll pay.
Quick pick
What matters most to you?
Tap one and I’ll point you at where I’d start looking. Tap it again to see them all.
My neighborhood
Near North
A few blocks north of downtown
- The houses
- Old homes like my 1894 mixed in with newer ones, built where houses came down after the ’97 flood. Huge trees and all the personality in town.
- Who it fits
- People who want character and want downtown a few blocks away.
- The catch
- Older houses need a closer look: foundation, wiring, the sewer line. And some blocks sit close to the river, so we check the flood map.
Kids everywhere
Riverside
North side, along the river
- The houses
- Established blocks around Riverside Park, with the pool and the park right there.
- Who it fits
- Young families. In the summer there are kids playing everywhere. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in the city.
- The catch
- The name says it. Being near the river means asking about flood zones and flood insurance on every house.
Historic
Reeves Drive
Just south of downtown
- The houses
- The premier historic neighborhood in Grand Forks. Big, beautiful old homes on a boulevard street.
- Who it fits
- Anyone who loves an old house with a story and wants to live in one of the best ones.
- The catch
- You pay for the history, then you keep paying to maintain it. Old houses are a lifestyle.
Big old homes
Belmont
North to south, the whole way
- The houses
- One of the original roads in town. The north end is full of big homes with a lot of history, and Belmont runs all the way to the south end, where the homes just keep getting bigger.
- Who it fits
- People who like a street with roots, and want to pick their era by picking their block.
- The catch
- The age and price of a Belmont house change a lot from one end to the other. The block matters more than the street name.
Starter homes
University
Around UND
- The houses
- Plenty of rentals and plenty of solid starter homes. Some buyers live in one for a few years, then keep it as a rental when they move up.
- Who it fits
- First-time buyers, and anybody who wants a future rental. Judy’s is down the street, and that’s where you’ll find Hawks players when they’re not on the ice.
- The catch
- Rentals on the block mean student neighbors. Some years that’s quiet. Some years it isn’t.
Where everyone wants to be
The south end
Around and south of 32nd Ave
- The houses
- Newer homes, bigger yards and newer schools, close to all the shopping on 32nd Ave.
- Who it fits
- Families who want move-in ready and room for the kids to run.
- The catch
- Everyone wants it, so you’ll pay more and compete harder for the good ones.
If it were my own kid buying their first place, I’d send them to Near North or University. Lower cost to get in, homes still in good shape, and room to build value with updates and remodels while they live there.
Looking a little outside town? East Grand Forks, Thompson, Manvel, Emerado and Crookston are all ones I work. Wondering what changes when you cross the bridge? I wrote that up in Grand Forks vs. East Grand Forks.
Back to the topLiving with the river
You can’t understand Grand Forks without 1997. The flood shaped where people live today, and it still matters when you buy a house here.
In April 1997 the Red River crested at 54.35 feet, higher than the dikes could hold. About 90% of the town evacuated, and 83% of the homes in Grand Forks took damage. Downtown burned while it was underwater. More than 20,000 volunteers came to help us rebuild. FEMA
After the water went down, 694 homes and 493 other buildings were torn down to make room for permanent flood protection. ND Legislature That land between the new dikes and the river became the Greenway: about 2,200 acres of parks and trails. Source When you see an empty grassy block near the river with old driveways cut into the curb, that’s what you’re looking at.
What it means for you as a buyer
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map. It’s free and takes a minute.
- Ask about flood insurance, even outside the high-risk zone. Regular homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding.
- Ask what happened to the house in ’97. A lot of older homes near the river were repaired, not replaced. I’ll help you find out what was done.
- Check the basement. My buyer guide has the full list of what I look at in houses up here.
The money stuff locals know
Two things every Grand Forks buyer should know about before writing an offer. Most people moving here have never heard of either one.
Special assessments
When the city puts in streets, sidewalks, curbs or water lines, the cost gets split among the properties that benefit and paid back over years, on top of property tax. When you buy a house, you can take those payments over with it. Before you write an offer, we find out what’s still owed. The city explains how it works on its special assessments page.
The Primary Residence Credit
North Dakota homeowners can get up to $1,600 a year off property tax on the house they live in. You apply online between January 1 and April 1. Free money, and a lot of people forget to ask for it. ND Tax
Income taxes on each side of the river are laid out in my relocation guide. I’m a REALTOR, not a tax pro, so run your own numbers with one.
Back to the topFebruary
February is only hard if you make it hard.
Yeah, it gets cold. Thirty-five below happens almost every year, and when the wind picks up it feels worse. But it doesn’t shut the city down like it would somewhere else. Unless there’s a real blizzard with 50 to 60 mph winds, the kids go to school, we go to work, and the hockey game is still sold out.
We thrive in the cold. We still live our lives up here, and we live them well. The block heater, remote start and the rest of the winter checklist are in my relocation guide.
Back to the topQuestions people ask me about living in Grand Forks
Is Grand Forks a good place to live?
I think so, and I came back on purpose to prove it. It’s affordable compared to a lot of the country, nothing is more than a short drive away, and people work hard and look out for each other. If you can’t stand cold or you need a big-city nightlife, be honest with yourself. If you want a real community, you’ll find one here.
What’s the best neighborhood in Grand Forks?
Depends what you need. The south end is where most people ask about first: newer homes, bigger yards, newer schools. For character and walking distance to downtown, Near North and Reeves Drive. For the lowest cost to get in, University and Near North. Use the quick pick in the neighborhoods section above.
Is there anything to do in Grand Forks?
Way more than people think. Hawks hockey at the Ralph, the Greenway trails, the Town Square farmers market in the summer, Hollydazzle downtown in November, the Potato Bowl French Fry Feed in September, and a downtown with real local coffee and restaurants. You have to go looking.
Do I need flood insurance in Grand Forks?
Your lender will require it if the house sits in a high-risk zone on the FEMA map. Outside those zones it’s optional, and I’d still get a quote, especially anywhere near the river. Look up any address on FEMA’s flood map.
How do schools work in Grand Forks?
Grand Forks Public Schools runs twelve elementary schools, four middle schools and two main high schools, Central and Red River. Source Which school a house feeds into depends on the exact address, so confirm it with the district before you fall in love with a house.
Should I live in Grand Forks or East Grand Forks?
Grand Forks has the bigger city feel and most of the shopping and restaurants. East Grand Forks feels like a small Minnesota town, and you’re out in the country in no time. Taxes are different on each side. I broke it all down in Grand Forks vs. East Grand Forks.
Thinking about Grand Forks?
Let’s talk about where you’d fit.
Tell me what you need and I’ll tell you which part of town I’d start in, and why. Call or text me at 701.314.2202, or start with one of my free guides.
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Not quite what you needed?
The six communities I actually sell in are broken down one by one. If you’ve already picked the town and you’re ready to look, the buyer guide is the next one. And here’s who you’d be working with.