Midland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Midland
Fargo
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs75 · Top 15%
Growth
68 · Top 23%
vs64 · Top 28%
Climate
63 · Bottom 39%
vs49 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 45%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 45%
vs91 · Bottom 41%
Access
93 · Top 19%
vs90 · Top 24%
Economic stability
84 · Top 9%
vs87 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Midland | Fargo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 180,019 | 259,459 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,952 | $76,756 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,552 | $44,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 99/sq mi | 92/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,400 | $289,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 917 | 1,268 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -41.9% | -18.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 0°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 19.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 33.0 | 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
Midland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, drought.
Fargo
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: Midland, TX Metro Area · Fargo, ND-MN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology