Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.
Place dossier plate
SheetND-FARGO-ND · Fargo, ND 129,064 pop · income 44th pct · 45 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Fargo
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Fargo on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Lehigh Acres · lowest
62,330
Lehigh Acres · lowest
62,330 median HH income
35.9% of the leader · rank #1
Wiconsico · near
66,023
Wiconsico · near
66,023 median HH income
38.0% of the leader · rank #2
Pound · near
66,023
Pound · near
66,023 median HH income
38.0% of the leader · rank #3
Portage Lakes · near
66,027
Portage Lakes · near
66,027 median HH income
38.0% of the leader · rank #4
Fargo · this city
66,029
Fargo · this city
66,029 median HH income
38.0% of the leader · rank #5
Lonsdale · near
66,031
Lonsdale · near
66,031 median HH income
38.0% of the leader · rank #6
Santa Clara · highest
173,670
Santa Clara · highest
173,670 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Fargo on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 129,064.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Fargo - the verdict
Fargo ranks in the 44th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
44th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Fargo, ND
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 129,064 residents in Fargo, a mid-sized U.S. city within North Dakota. Fargo households earn a median of $66,029 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Typical homes in Fargo are valued around $269,800, and the median resident age is 32.2 years. 43.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 71.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 651 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 35% from five years earlier. Fargo's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 4195.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Fargo's yearly average temperature at 41.4°F with 24.4 inches of precipitation per year.
Living costs in North Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 89.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $965 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $200 across North Dakota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 22.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Fargo's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from schools and households to within-city variation to housing and income to reported crime to work and mobility to climate and hazard context to comparison shortlist to population change; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Fargo, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count, local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
Question 1
What does the education layer cover for Fargo?
The NCES join finds 29 public schools within the city match. 43.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 45 Census tracts to this city.
How far does income reach against housing in Fargo?
The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 6.3%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.
Which cities make useful reference points for Fargo?
Within North Dakota, the closest population matches are Bismarck (74,146 residents, $77,608 income); Grand Forks (58,882 residents, $63,838 income); Minot (47,922 residents, $77,431 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Santa Clara, CA (129,239 residents); Norman, OK (128,714 residents); Lewisville, TX (128,313 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Reported crime
What can the FBI record say about safety in Fargo?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 4195.1 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, above the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 84% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Property rate
3696.9
Violent rate
498.2
Total reported rate
4195.1
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 78.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.8%
Work from home
8.1%
Drive alone
78.7%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 74,799 workers age 16+.
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 41.4°F, with 24.4 inches of precipitation. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for North Dakota is 22.2 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Mean temperature
41.4°F
Annual precipitation
24.4 in
FEMA risk index (state avg)
22.2
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +10,286 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +8.2% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 651 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+8.2%
2025 estimate
136,275
2020 estimate
125,989
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
Below median income · poverty 6.3% (Below-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
89.0 (US=100)
Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average
C
City profile score · Fargo, ND
55/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Cost of living A
89.0 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Bachelor's+ share B+
43.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Poverty rate C
6.3%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Household income D
$66,029
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
498 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Fargo profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 89/100 (A) · 89.0 index
Bachelor's+ share: 78/100 (B+) · 43.2%
Poverty rate: 57/100 (C) · 6.3%
Household income: 43/100 (D) · $66,029
Violent crime: 16/100 (F) · 498 /100k
Where Fargo sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Fargo's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Fargo highlighted among 12 peers.Read the chart values
Fargo, ND (this city): home $269,800, crime 4,195/100k
Santa Clara, CA : home $1,527,900, crime 2,684/100k
Norman, OK : home $239,300, crime 2,527/100k
Lewisville, TX : home $350,200, crime 1,705/100k
Columbia, MO : home $268,300, crime 2,665/100k
Abilene, TX : home $178,900, crime 2,188/100k
Bismarck, ND : home $291,400, crime 2,678/100k
Grand Forks, ND : home $243,300, crime 2,641/100k
Minot, ND : home $254,400, crime 1,722/100k
West Fargo, ND : home $302,200, crime 1,178/100k
Williston, ND : home $262,700, crime 2,753/100k
Dickinson, ND : home $252,400, crime 2,003/100k
How does Fargo compare to other US cities?
Here's how Fargo stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income44% higher than other cities
Home value60% pricier than other cities
Median rent7% pricier than other cities
Safety6% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
Zoom in to just North Dakota and the picture shifts: Fargo ranks #21 of 21 North Dakota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Fargo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Dakota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
North Dakota-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Fargo near the bottom of North Dakota's cities
Among the 246 North Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Fargo ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fargo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#126 of 227
44th percentile in North Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 246
0th percentile in North Dakota
Median Home Value
#20 of 226
91st percentile in North Dakota
Poverty Rate
#110 of 246
54th percentile in North Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#12 of 246
95th percentile in North Dakota
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Dakota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
44th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Fargo's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Fargo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.
How Fargo's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$269,80040th percentilemore affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Fargo's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.1×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#10,934 of 15,516
More affordable than 30% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#318 of 750
Mid-size cities (50,000–199,999)
At 4.1×, Fargo sits in the moderate band:
national rank #10,934 of 15,516 and #318 of 750mid-size cities (50,000–199,999).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$66,029Fargo, ND median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Fargo, ND median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Fargo, ND.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)43.2%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)6.3%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)71.7%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
129,064
Median Income
$66,029
Median Home Value
$269,800
Median Age
32.2
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
71.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
43.2%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
4195.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
498.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3696.9
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.
Climate
Avg Temperature
41.4°F
Annual Precipitation
24.4"
Annual Snowfall
N/A
Schools
Total Schools
29
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Fargo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
125,989 residents
2021
129,472 residents
2022
131,776 residents
2023
133,822 residents
2024
135,187 residents
2025
136,275 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
651
housing units authorized
Single-Family
241
detached homes
Multifamily
410
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
483
311
172
$96.4M
2020
1,124
450
674
$190.7M
2021
1,146
410
736
$218.1M
2022
1,233
413
820
$223.2M
2023
1,272
292
980
$264.7M
2024
651
241
410
$154.5M
Permit volume increased 35% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
78.7%
Carpool
6.6%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
8.1%
Other
2.3%
Based on 74,799 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
North Dakota statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $200
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across North Dakota at $200 (electricity about $90 , water and sewer about $40 ).
These are North Dakota statewide averages, not a meter reading for Fargo. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
North Dakota's BEA cost-of-living index is 89.0 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Fargo is $965/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to North Dakota statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 22.2 / 100 (Very Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a North Dakota statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Fargo sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Fargo compares to similar-size North Dakota cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.