Population 131,986 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Fargo
Household size in Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.20 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.23 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Fargo is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.8 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.4 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.6 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.6, 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. The median age has crept up from 33.0 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the east.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Fargo than nationally: 8.7%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across North Dakota. The single-parent share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Fargo
Renters in Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.1% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.2% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.7% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.0% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Fargo rent: 56.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.8 points, mirroring the country. Only one other North Dakota city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of renters.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Fargo than nationally: 6.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Of the 14 North Dakota cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +11 | +6 |
Homes in Fargo are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $656 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $767 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $860 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,051 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$395 | +$458 | +$606 |
Rent in Fargo runs $1,051 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $395 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Fargo
Bachelor's degrees in Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.6% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.5% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.9% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fargo: 45.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other North Dakota city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.0% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fargo: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. North Dakota as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Fargo
| Period | Fargo | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Fargo than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Still, the rate is higher than in North Dakota as a whole (2.8%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Fargo compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | 2.23 | 33.6 | 8.7% | 56.0% | 6.9% | 1988 | $1,051 | 45.9% | 95.5% | 3.7% |
| Prairie Rose | 2.64 | 30.6 | 1.4% | 23.5% | 2.9% | 2004 | $1,110 | 56.7% | 99.3% | 1.4% |
| Moorhead | 2.33 | 33.3 | 9.8% | 40.7% | 4.9% | 1984 | $1,095 | 41.6% | 94.9% | 4.9% |
| West Fargo | 2.64 | 33.2 | 8.4% | 35.7% | 7.2% | 2003 | $1,437 | 47.1% | 97.2% | 1.4% |
| Frontier | 1.93 | 35.8 | 10.8% | 48.7% | 5.3% | 2014 | $1,284 | 40.6% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Reiles Acres | 2.83 | 32.7 | 1.1% | 7.5% | 2.1% | 2007 | $1,703 | 51.5% | 97.6% | 3.2% |
| Dilworth | 2.36 | 37.1 | 9.7% | 29.4% | 5.8% | 1982 | $1,044 | 37.1% | 92.2% | 2.2% |
| Horace | 2.77 | 33.3 | 6.3% | 7.3% | 3.3% | 2007 | $2,016 | 45.4% | 96.6% | 0.4% |
| Wild Rice | 2.66 | 44.3 | 2.6% | 0.0% | 1.9% | 1999 | $1,339 | 43.1% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| North River | 2.68 | 44.0 | 5.7% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 1989 | $943 | 56.7% | 99.6% | 0.6% |
| St. Benedict | 2.31 | 28.6 | 13.2% | 52.9% | 3.0% | 2011 | $1,101 | 72.5% | 99.7% | 9.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chula Vista, CA · Cicero, IL · Champaign, IL · Bayonne, NJ · Alameda, CA · Bethlehem, PA · Ashburn, VA · Ann Arbor, MI · Allen, TX · Ankeny, IA
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 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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