Quality of Life

East Grand Forks by the Numbers

23 +

Miles of Trails

9100 +

Residents

15

Parks

8

Schools

Recreation

From hockey rinks, to swimming, to fishing, and camping, we have it here and you never have to leave town. 

Camp downtown on the rolling river that flows north in the Red River State Recreation Area .

Get caught up in the roar of the crowd cheering at the youth hockey games.

Rent a plot at the community garden and go for a swim later. Find out more by clicking the button below. 

Bike Path
DDA bike share pic

Transportation

Bikes, buses, and scooters, oh my! Collaborative programs with the City of East Grand Forks and City of Grand Forks offer different transportation methods. 

Hop a ride on the Grand Rides powered by Altru Bike Share program or use one of the Bird Scooters to zip around town. 

Bird iphone app  | Bird android app

Let someone else do the driving with the Cities Area Transit (CAT). Download the tracking app for rider info. 

Photo credit: DDA

School District

East Grand Forks public school district is rated #4 out of 7 for best districts within Polk Co. MN and #30 out of 321  for best districts of athletes per Niche.com. Also check out Riverside Christian School and Sacred Heart School for private school education. 

school kids seated at desks inside classroom with lesson on the dry erase board-3
MN Heights

Neighborhoods

Live downtown with walkable restaurants and services or live in the south of town, nestled in the woods. Dream of living on the golf course, go north to find your house. We have the place you will want to call home. 

Neighborhoods:

  • The Point
  • Water's Edge
  • Coulee View
  • Downtown

Click the button to learn about ways to buy or build a house in East Grand Forks.

Health Care

Access to local physicians, dentists, optometrists,  pharmacies, and more are within a 15 minute drive.

Altru Hospital in Grand Forks is five miles away and the Clinic is across from City Hall. Sanford Clinic offers walk-in services. 

Visit our business directory to schedule an appointment with a care provider. 

sanford side
IMG_8137

Library

It's more than just books. Our library has a full calendar of activities each month for all ages. 

Women's book study, seed swaps, Lego club, and much more. Visit the link below to find out about more activities and great literature. 

Learn about the rich history of East Grand Forks on the Library's Walking Tour.

Public Safety

Our fire and police departments are responsive and active within the community. They're here to help ensure a safe and comfortable community and business economy.

You won't want to miss the East Grand Forks Association of Firefighter Local 3423's Cats Incredible Catfishing Tournament. 

Meet our police & firemen at the annual city's Showcase Event!

fire and police
a snow plow moving snow off the road in midwestern town

Public Works

They're here to keep the streets in good working order, remove residential refuse & recycling, mitigate stormwater, and much more. 

Find out about the yearly curbside pick-up, free of charge along with a household hazardous waste and electronic drop-off.

Veterans

East Grand Forks and Minnesota care about supporting those who have served our nation. Several programs are available for military and their families. 

Check out the optical assistance plans available based on income and family size. 

Other programs include: 

For more information on the Dept of Veteran Affairs, visit: https://mn.gov/mdva/

memorial
snowmobiling

Winter Activities

Sure it's cold here but the community heats up with seasonal activities! 

Check out the Red River Snowmobiling Club that meets in East Grand Forks.

Fat tire biking, running, sledding, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing accessible by using the Greenway of Greater Grand Forks. 

Outdoor ice skating rinks provided by Parks & Rec.

Take in a movie and warm, comfort food in the downtown district.

Head over to the water for some ice fishing with friends.

Get your heart racing by visiting hot fitness classes or the gym.

The Campbell library features art exhibits and other activities. Or check out the East Grand Forks Performing Arts Center and Heritage Village for events. 

Photo credit: Visit Greater Grand Forks

Cost of Living

East Grand Forks has a lower cost burden than Grand Forks, ND in several categories including:

  • Housing
  • Property tax rates
  • Special assessments
  • Food costs
  • Clothing
  • Healthcare

East Grand Forks, MN ranks 17% below the US average for overall cost of living. Source: OpenAI 2025

KnickKnack TnT e
NCTC Nursing

Northland Technical & Community College

Affordable: "the 2023 to 2024 academic year, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college averaged just $3,990 per year — up just $130 year-over-year. Compare that to $11,260 (up $310) at a public four-year institution and $41,540 (up $2,140) at a four-year private school."

High Job Placement: The degrees are valuable and lead to high job placement rates of 97% 1 year post-graduation.

Photo credit: Northland Community & Technical College 

Fly through downtown EGF

Drone video credit: EGF Police Officer Hodny 2025