Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety85#2,401/15,637
Economy44#8,704/15,631
Housing34#9,852/14,977
Health53#7,311/15,609
Healthcare52#7,435/15,650
Environment91#1,463/15,453
Education74#4,059/15,649
Infrastructure84#2,480/15,650
Community87#2,069/15,651
Leisure & amenities75#3,876/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where East Grand Forks, Minnesota ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Polk County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Mammography screening · high61.0%
99/100Minnesota 54.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Social associations · high20.7 /10k
98/100Minnesota 12.2 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low91 min
98/100Minnesota 134 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesPolk County value
Property crime rate · low372 /100k
94/100Minnesota 1,412 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationPolk County value
High school diploma or higher · high94.7%
94/100Minnesota 93.9%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Average commute time · low17.4 min
94/100Minnesota 22.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Weaknesses

New business applications · low8.3 /1k
9/100Minnesota 12.7 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauPolk County value
Job growth · low-1.4%
20/100Minnesota -0.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataPolk County value
Adult obesity · high39.9%
23/100Minnesota 37.1%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Mental health care shortage · high17.0
23/100Minnesota 7.5United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationPolk County value
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.6 /10k
23/100Minnesota 1.4 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPolk County value
Natural hazard risk · high71.3
25/100Minnesota 27.82025Federal Emergency Management AgencyPolk County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
81.8% (2015-2019) → 93.2% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
53.3% (2015-2019) → 64.0% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
New homes permittedWorsening
1.5 /1k (2021) → 0.8 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−49%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Median household incomeImproving
$60,091 (2015-2019) → $77,549 (2020-2024)
+29%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
2.6% (2015-2019) → 7.1% (2020-2024)
+4.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
30.4% (2015-2019) → 26.0% (2020-2024)
−4.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, East Grand Forks, Minnesota improved on 2 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+11 points81.8% → 93.2%
Household income+29%$60,091 → $77,549

Declined1

Uninsured+4.5 points2.6% → 7.1%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of East Grand Forks, Minnesota between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	14.8 min2015-2019	17.4 min2020-2024	+2.5 min	Within the margin of error	23%
Bachelor's degree or higher	30.4%2015-2019	26.0%2020-2024	−4.3 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Broadband subscriptions	81.8%2015-2019	93.2%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	66%
Child poverty rate	14.8%2015-2019	14.7%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	46%
Effective property tax rate	1.17%2015-2019	1.20%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	12%
High school diploma or higher	93.4%2015-2019	94.7%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	50%
Home price to income ratio	3.3×2015-2019	3.3×2020-2024	+0.0×	Within the margin of error	78%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4492015-2019	0.4162020-2024	−0.033	Within the margin of error	76%
Median household income	$60,0912015-2019	$77,5492020-2024	+29%	Improved	53%
Poverty rate	12.2%2015-2019	12.4%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	41%
Rent as share of income	32.2%2015-2019	36.0%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Rent-burdened households	53.3%2015-2019	64.0%2020-2024	+11 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Unemployment rate	3.9%2015-2019	3.5%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	59%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	2.6%2015-2019	7.1%2020-2024	+4.5 points	Declined	12%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like East Grand Forks, Minnesota five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of East Grand Forks, Minnesota in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, East Grand Forks, Minnesota itself moved −0.9 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

9,028 residents (±20)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (+2.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

9,028 residents (±20)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

White77%6,942
Black3.8%†346
Hispanic or Latino10%938

Education

5,655 residents (±226)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

No high school diploma5.3%†300
High school or GED24%1,350
Some college30%1,673

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,445 households (±190)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Under $25k18%613
$25k–50k18%614
$50k–75k13%437
$75k–100k13%459
$100k–150k20%683
$150k–200k13%462
$200k or more5.1%†177

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $150k–200k (+8.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,445 households (±190)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Own68%2,337
Rent32%1,108

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

1,077 households (±167)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Under $75026%†281
$750–1,00037%†400
$1,000–1,50031%†330

Home values

2,337 homes (±172)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Under $150k15%†344
$150k–250k33%775
$250k–400k39%906

Age of homes

3,672 homes (±197)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

2010 or later6.7%†247
2000–200914%†503
1980–199921%764

Size of homes

3,672 homes (±197)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Studio2.5%†91
1 bedroom7.5%†277
2 bedrooms32%1,180

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

4,634 workers (±286)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Drive alone80%3,689
Carpool8.0%†369
Public transit1.1%†52
Walk3.5%†160
Bike0.3%†12
Work from home6.0%†279
Other1.6%†73

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Walk (+3.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

4,355 workers (±284)

East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Minnesota share

Under 15 min48%2,110
15–29 min38%1,645
30–44 min6.8%†296

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Grand Forks, ND-MN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Polk County, the county holding most of East Grand Forks's residents.

Polk County has 733 employer establishments, 240 for every 10,000 residents (0.97× the US rate of 248; 0.89× Minnesota's), with 8,944 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,103. The Census Bureau also counts 2,179 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 733; 2,179 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 240; US 248 · Minnesota 268
Paid employees: 8,944
Average annual pay: $47,103; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Polk County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	60	19.6	1.27×More than typical	279	$87,427	193
Religious organizations	44	14.4	2.60×More than typical	237	$22,561	—
Restaurants and other eating places	41	13.4	0.73×Fewer than typical	730	$20,918	6
Ambulatory health care services	34	11.1	0.53×Fewer than typical	460	$64,722	58
Insurance agencies and brokerages	27	8.8	2.01×More than typical	82	$55,598	44
Building equipment contractors	24	7.9	1.30×More than typical	110	$61,400	25
Construction of buildings	22	7.2	0.95×About typical	185	$82,924	91
Truck transportation	22	7.2	1.42×More than typical	308	$44,789	83
Full-service restaurants	21	6.9	0.89×About typical	410	$23,076	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	21	6.9	1.02×About typical	67	$39,836	163
Gasoline stations	18	5.9	1.82×More than typical	251	$19,239	—
Landscaping services	17	5.6	1.59×More than typical	46	$46,348	53

Rank places for an industry Open Polk County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 30,563 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $829 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in East Grand Forks, Minnesota: $0.09 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $829; −89% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.09; US $2,007
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Offices, Boards and Divisions$829100%

Top recipients

JOY MARIE FILIPSKI$829100.0%
THE SCHEMMER ASSOCIATES INC.$00.0%

Spending by fiscal year

1KFY2017
447.3FY2018
230.2FY2019
6.2KFY2020
852.5FY2022
49.4KFY2024
7.9KFY2025
829.1FY2026

Top industries (NAICS)

Business support services · 5614$829100.0%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, so they do not add up across cities.

East Grand Forks, Minnesota's figures are part of those of Polk County, MN ($3.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: East Grand Forks is mostly in Polk County.

See federal money in Polk County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

East Grand Forks, Minnesota is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Michelle FischbachR-MN-7 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 0.4%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Polk County89100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Grand Forks, ND-MN97

Other cities and towns in Polk County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2717612

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends