Smart Asset recently published a list of the top 25 hockey towns in the nation, not surprised that many towns in the upper Midwest scores a place on the list but the #1 spot went to a North Dakota town.

Some of the other communities that landed on the list include-

  • Mankato, MN
  • St. Cloud, MN
  • Bemidji, MN

And at #1 is Grand Forks, ND! According to Smart Access-

It’s a good time to be a hockey fan in Grand Forks. The recently-renamed Fighting Hawks men’s hockey team have made it to back-to-back Frozen Fours and as of this writing are ranked second in the country in both national college hockey polls. The UND women’s team likewise rates among the best in the country, landing at 8th and 9th in the two current polls.

So far this season, the men’s team has averaged more than 11,000 in home-game attendance, which equals a sell out for every game. The town rated first for hockey fan intensity, scoring a perfect 100.

But the good news doesn’t end there. Grand Forks also rated as the top town for its overall quality of life. It has an unemployment rate of just 1.9% (as of November 2015), the lowest rate of any town in SmartAsset’s study. Likewise, it rates in the top 25 of all U.S. hockey towns for its low housing costs and high concentration of dining and entertainment establishments.

You can see the methodology used to compile the list here.

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