City profile · North Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Fargo, ND

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fargo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

129,064
Residents
$66,029
Median income
$269,800
Median home
$1,112
Median rent (state)

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
30th
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 $1,112 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 82.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

129,064 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Dakota

Median Household Income

$66,029 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average

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 income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% 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

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Fargo's strongest outlier among North Dakota cities

Among the 246 North Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Fargo ranks #12 - the 95th 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
#44 of 246
76th 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

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.

44thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

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. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
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+)

$269,800 40th percentile more affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fargo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fargo, ND Fargo, ND's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fargo, ND-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fargo, ND median $66,029/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fargo, ND's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fargo, ND. Diagonal = perfect equality.

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

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

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
120,000 residents125,000 residents130,000 residents135,000 residents140,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 125,989 residents 136,275 residents ▲ +8.2%
Fargo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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
2019 483
2020 1,124
2021 1,146
2022 1,233
2023 1,272
2024 651

Permit volume increased 35% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

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

State-average estimates for North Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fargo sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,112/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Dakota

Bismarck
74,146 people
Grand Forks
58,882 people
Minot
47,922 people
West Fargo
39,325 people
Williston
27,964 people
Dickinson
25,216 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fargo's 129,064 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Santa Clara, CA
129,239 people
Norman, OK
128,714 people
Lewisville, TX
128,313 people
Lehigh Acres, FL
127,391 people
Columbia, MO
127,200 people
Abilene, TX
127,130 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fargo's $66,029 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lonsdale, AR
$66,031 median income
Portage Lakes, OH
$66,027 median income
Wiconsico, PA
$66,023 median income
Pound, WI
$66,023 median income
Viroqua, WI
$66,039 median income
Barry, IL
$66,017 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fargo, ND Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fargo, ND - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.8% 8.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.7% White 80.8% Black or African American 8.3% Asian 3.9% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 5.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fargo compares to nearby North Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fargo (this city) 129,064 $66,029
Bismarck 74,146 $77,608
Grand Forks 58,882 $63,838
Minot 47,922 $77,431
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ND FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fargo, ND?

What is the population of Fargo, ND? +

129,064 people live in Fargo, ND according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fargo, ND? +

The median household income in Fargo is $66,029 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fargo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fargo; the closest available measure is the North Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 89.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Fargo, ND safe? +

Fargo has a total crime rate of 4195.1 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fargo, ND? +

Fargo's median home value sits at $269,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Fargo? +

Climate normals put Fargo's yearly average temperature at 41.4°F, 24.4 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.