Population 3,345 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Fargo
Household size in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.39 | 2.20 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.54 | 2.28 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.44 | 2.23 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.48 | 2.23 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Downtown Fargo is a place of small households, averaging 1.48 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.39 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. No other Fargo neighborhood has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6 | 33.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.8 | 32.8 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.7 | 33.4 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 33.6 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.0 | +0.7 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.6, Downtown Fargo is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Fargo as a whole looks much the same.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 8.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.6 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Downtown Fargo, well below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Fargo.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Fargo
Renters in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.4% | 54.1% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 82.8% | 55.2% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.0% | 54.7% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 83.0% | 56.0% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.8 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Downtown Fargo rent: 83.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. More than half of owners (53.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 5.7% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 7.0% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 8.3% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 6.9% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.7% of the housing in Downtown Fargo, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Downtown Fargo has the highest vacancy rate of any Fargo neighborhood.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1982 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1983 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1986 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1988 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +5 | +11 | +6 |
Downtown Fargo is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Only one other Fargo neighborhood has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $471 | $656 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $554 | $767 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $661 | $860 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $844 | $1,051 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$373 | +$395 | +$458 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown Fargo pays $844 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 27.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Downtown Fargo has lower rents than the great majority of Fargo neighborhoods.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Fargo
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 38.6% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.2% | 40.6% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.5% | 42.5% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.0% | 45.9% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.5 pts | +7.3 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown Fargo is highly educated: 46.0% of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The picture is much the same across Fargo.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.2% | 94.5% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.2% | 95.0% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 94.7% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 95.5% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Downtown Fargo: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Fargo. Compared with other Fargo neighborhoods, though, Downtown Fargo has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Fargo
| Period | Downtown Fargo | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 4.8% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Fargo has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Fargo compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Fargo | 1.48 | 34.6 | 7.9% | 83.0% | 16.7% | 1955 | $844 | 46.0% | 95.0% | 2.8% |
| North Dakota State University | 2.79 | 21.4 | 4.4% | 88.8% | 5.2% | 1988 | $784 | 59.5% | 99.8% | 10.2% |
| Jefferson-Carl Ben | 2.18 | 35.7 | 14.8% | 40.3% | 8.4% | 1950 | $672 | 24.9% | 87.7% | 5.2% |
| Washington | 2.36 | 26.0 | 4.5% | 46.4% | 7.6% | 1968 | $864 | 69.3% | 95.9% | 4.0% |
| Westgate | 2.00 | 32.8 | 17.0% | 73.7% | 1.9% | 1984 | $832 | 25.6% | 97.0% | 0.0% |
| Northport | 2.05 | 38.8 | 5.4% | 47.1% | 10.9% | 1966 | $1,093 | 39.9% | 96.7% | 1.7% |
| Brunsdale | 2.00 | 37.0 | 13.3% | 54.8% | 10.8% | 1982 | $910 | 36.7% | 95.7% | 4.9% |
| West Acres | 2.12 | 26.2 | 20.9% | 97.4% | 9.6% | 1995 | $930 | 20.2% | 95.0% | 8.2% |
| Bluemont Lakes | 2.21 | 39.5 | 6.0% | 45.7% | 5.6% | 1995 | $1,002 | 48.4% | 91.5% | 3.9% |
| Village West | 1.85 | 33.5 | 13.1% | 72.8% | 9.4% | 1991 | $961 | 25.1% | 90.1% | 3.8% |
| Southpointe | 2.37 | 36.3 | 3.8% | 50.3% | 2.7% | 1990 | $999 | 37.2% | 97.4% | 8.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Blanco Gardens, San Marcos, TX · Denver International Airport, Denver, CO · Meredith Parkwood, Santa Ana, CA · Embrey Mill, Stafford, VA · Villas at Norcross, Norcross, GA · Orchidlands Estates, Keaau, HI · Upper East Side, Milwaukee, WI · West Cloverdale, Boise, ID · Downtown Frederick, Frederick, MD · The Gardens, Ocean City, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Fargo. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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