MSA: Grand Forks, ND-MN
Best places ranking: #13 among small metro areas Population: 97,279
Gridlock is to Grand Forks as soybean fields are to Manhattan -- you won't come across either on your next visit. The average commute here is just 14 minutes.
That's one part of what locals call Grand Fork's biggest draw: Excellent quality of life. The list is long -- the ease of getting to work, a top school system, access to quality health care, and the energy that comes from being home to a major university, the University of North Dakota, which has a student population of more than 13,000. Businesses in the Red River Valley enjoy some of the lowest taxes in the country -- and while the rest of the country struggled with the recession, oil-rich North Dakota pondered how to spend a $700 million surplus. For more cutting-edge pursuits, UND offers access to top research minds and facilities, particularly in the fields of energy and unmanned aerial flight. A friendly culture eases networking, and entrepreneurs say help is always a quick call away. The only major downside to doing business in Grand Forks, it seems, is that the city is a good distance from either population-heavy coast, so shipping and gathering resources can be a time- and expense-consuming challenge. -Kathleen Ryan O'Connor |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch Toolbox:
Resources for getting started in Grand Forks, ND
LEARNLocal startup resources
BORROWLocal smallbiz lenders
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Grand Forks Business Statistics
|
"This was the first coffee shop in North Dakota and it's still the only coffee roaster in town, so we have a great reputation and great word-of-mouth marketing." -Sarah Sand
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
