Fargo and West Fargo 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
West Fargo
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs77 · Top 10%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs51 · Top 50%
Climate
49 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs94 · Top 23%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Fargo | West Fargo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 131,627 | 40,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,998 | $90,665 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,734 | $48,836 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,557/sq mi | 2,479/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $281,900 | $321,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $946 | $1,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.9% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 677 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.4% | -29.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | 0°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.8 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.72 | 12.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.5% | 43.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 45.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.4% | 31.5% | 2024-25 school 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.
West Fargo
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, strong wind, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fargo
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
West Fargo
71
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fargo, ND · West Fargo, ND · How this is calculated: methodology