Young Professionals Rejoice: 4 Reasons Why Young Professionals Love Grand Forks

So, you’re looking to start fresh somewhere new. Maybe you’ve just finished school and are looking to make a name for yourself in a new city. Maybe you’ve started a family and you’re looking for a cheap place to live that has plenty of opportunities for a career path that’ll support your new lifestyle. Maybe you live for the grind of a professional lifestyle, but don’t particularly care for the two-hour commute back and forth to your office every day. Whatever your reasons for wanting to move, you won’t need to look further than Grand Forks, North Dakota. Why? I’m glad you asked.

Let’s talk about how much money you’re spending for the privilege of staring at four walls in a big city apartment. Really, though, what good is living in the big city if you can’t afford to do anything other than pay rent? I dare you to compare your current cost of living to that of Grand Forks, ND; it can’t be beat! The Grand Forks region has everything you want from big city living without the jacked-up prices. But the cost of living isn’t always just measured in money; think about how you spend your time, too. The average commute to and from work in North Dakota is just 17 minutes! Think of all the fun things you could do with that extra hour you’ve been using to pick Jr. up from football practice!

Young people find taking care of their mental health to be especially important, and when looking for a new home, finding a place with a healthy work-life balance is a crucial consideration. For those who live in North Dakota, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the state is consistently listed as one of the happiest in the country. It isn’t difficult to find meaningful, flexible work in Grand Forks, and the kind people here make it easy to form strong relationships quickly. The smaller population density means more opportunities for your ideas to be heard, and more leadership opportunities. After work, there’s no shortage of things to do. Visit Greater Grand Forks is a great resource that is constantly being updated with new and exciting activities that you can take part in.

I get it, moving somewhere can be daunting with all the new places and new faces. It doesn’t have to be that way! Grand Forks has businesses and organizations that exist solely to help get your new life off the ground. Let’s take a closer look at a few of them:

• Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals
  It’s all in the name! GGFYP is a non-profit created and run by young professionals, for young professionals. They create leaders in the community by fostering opportunities for learning, offering a meaningful network of great people, and putting on events that showcase the most fun things to do in our region. With nearly 300 members, it’s one of the largest YP chapters and even has a full-time executive director who wakes up every single day thinking about how to make Grand Forks a better place for young people.
• University of North Dakota Center for Innovation
  You don’t need to be a student at UND to use the UND Center for Innovation. It’s an entrepreneurial incubator that not only has rentable office space and meeting rooms, but also offers business coaching and help finding startup funding.
• The 701 Coworking
  If you’re looking to do freelance or remote work, but still want the support of a vibrant community of professionals, consider the 701 Coworking! Located downtown Grand Forks, its members enjoy unlimited complimentary coffee, printing, and gigabit internet speeds. You’ll get a key fob with 24/7 access, and there’s even a full kitchen!

So, I’ve convinced you to move to the Grand Forks region or North Dakota. You’re not going to regret it! Now, you’re probably wondering where to get started. Don’t get overwhelmed, check out this Relocation Guide that will answer most of your questions and get you on the right path. Don’t hesitate to check out the rest of the Greater Grand Forks: Way Cooler than You Think! website for more articles, activity guides, and video testimonials about our great region.

I hope this list will help you find some fun during your eighteenth through twentieth years of life. Whatever brings you happiness is what makes you an adult. It doesn’t matter if you love painting, chugging coffee, or spending your last paycheck. You’re an adult now, so own it! And remember, you can be tried in the court of law as an adult too, so stay out of trouble.