City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Moorhead, MN

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

44,706
Residents
$69,371
Median income
$246,300
Median home
$1,112
Median rent (state)

Moorhead - the verdict

Moorhead ranks in the 49th percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

49th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
31st
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: Moorhead, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 44,706 residents in Moorhead, a small city within Minnesota. Moorhead households earn a median of $69,371 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.6%. Moorhead's housing stock carries a median value of $246,300, and the median resident age is 31.2 years. 42.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 227 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 10% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2040.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 42.2°F with 26.1 inches of precipitation per year and 52.7 inches of snowfall.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near 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 $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Moorhead report an average commute of 15.2 minutes, with 74.1% driving alone and 11.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 73.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

44,706 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$69,371 /yr

Poverty 7.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Moorhead compare to other US cities?

Where Moorhead sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 49% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities
Safety 31% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Minnesota alone, Moorhead ranks #191 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Moorhead against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Moorhead toward the top of Minnesota's cities

Among the 784 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Moorhead ranks #93 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Moorhead only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#368 of 775
53rd percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#335 of 785
56th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#224 of 774
71st percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#278 of 785
64th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#93 of 784
88th percentile in Minnesota

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 Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

49thIncome percentile
31stSafety percentile

49th percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Moorhead's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Moorhead'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 46 Avg. percentile National median
Moorhead'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 Moorhead's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$246,300 45th percentile more affordable than 45% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Moorhead $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 - Moorhead, MN Moorhead, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Moorhead, MN-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 Moorhead, MN median $69,371/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%
Moorhead, MN'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 Moorhead, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 42.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
44,706
Median Income
$69,371
Median Home Value
$246,300
Median Age
31.2
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Labor force participation
67.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
42.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2040.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
365.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1675.3
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
42.2°F
Annual Precipitation
26.1"
Annual Snowfall
52.7"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
44,000 residents45,000 residents46,000 residents47,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 44,549 residents 46,533 residents ▲ +4.5%
Moorhead's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
227
housing units authorized
Single-Family
72
detached homes
Multifamily
155
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 206
2020 231
2021 284
2022 198
2023 335
2024 227

Permit volume increased 10% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.2 minutes
Drive Alone
74.1%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
11.8%
Other
1.7%

Based on 23,006 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota 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 Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Moorhead sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near 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
73.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Mankato
44,882 people
Shakopee
45,002 people
Maplewood
40,981 people
Cottage Grove
40,124 people
St. Louis Park
49,541 people
Richfield
36,725 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Moorhead's 44,706 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cleveland Heights, OH
44,694 people
North Lauderdale, FL
44,650 people
Burlington, VT
44,649 people
West Lafayette, IN
44,802 people
Fairfield, OH
44,597 people
York, PA
44,830 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Moorhead's $69,371 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ozark, MO
$69,372 median income
Modesto, IL
$69,375 median income
Seaton, IL
$69,375 median income
Hawarden, IA
$69,375 median income
Long Island, KS
$69,375 median income
Moorland, KY
$69,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Moorhead, MN 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 Moorhead, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.8% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.3% White 83.8% Black or African American 6.5% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 5.8% 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 Moorhead compares to nearby Minnesota cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Moorhead (this city) 44,706 $69,371
Mankato 44,882 $64,826
Shakopee 45,002 $110,989
Maplewood 40,981 $88,534
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Moorhead, MN?

What is the population of Moorhead, MN? +

Moorhead, MN counts 44,706 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Moorhead, MN? +

The median household income in Moorhead is $69,371 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Moorhead? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Moorhead; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is Moorhead, MN safe? +

Moorhead has a total crime rate of 2040.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Moorhead, MN? +

Moorhead's median home value sits at $246,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Moorhead? +

Climate normals put Moorhead's yearly average temperature at 42.2°F, 26.1 inches of precipitation, and 52.7 inches of snowfall per year. 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.