Midland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fargo
Midland
Opportunity
75 · Top 15%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth
64 · Top 28%
vs68 · Top 23%
Climate
49 · Bottom 2%
vs63 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 47%
vs60 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 41%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
90 · Top 24%
vs93 · Top 19%
Economic stability
87 · Top 6%
vs84 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Fargo | Midland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,459 | 180,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,756 | $92,952 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,190 | $49,552 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 92/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,100 | $309,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $1,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 67.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | 0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 30.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 11.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,268 | 917 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.1% | -41.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 13.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fargo
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, strong wind, hail.
Midland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, drought.
Full profiles: Fargo, ND-MN Metro Area · Midland, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology