Fargo and Rochester receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Fargo
Rochester
Opportunity
75 · Top 15%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
64 · Top 28%
vs72 · Top 15%
Climate
49 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 47%
vs55 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 41%
vs96 · Top 44%
Access
90 · Top 24%
vs99 · Top 4%
Economic stability
87 · Top 6%
vs94 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Fargo | Rochester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,459 | 228,522 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,756 | $91,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,190 | $50,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 92/sq mi | 92/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,100 | $306,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 74.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,268 | 1,495 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.1% | 86.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 38.9 | 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.
Rochester
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Fargo, ND-MN Metro Area · Rochester, MN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology