Fargo cost of living
Prices in the Fargo, ND-MN metro area run at 90.9 against a national average of 100, ranking it #273 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 81.1.
What drives the number
Prices in Fargo run at 90.9 where the national average is 100, so about 9.1 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #273 of 387 metro areas. Against North Dakota as a whole it is 1.9 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 95.7, rents at 81.1, other services at 77.3. Goods are close to national almost everywhere, because most are shipped and priced nationally, so it is worth noticing when rents behave the same way. Goods at 95.7 are themselves 4.3 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 90.9 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Fargo is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 4,970 | $78,990 | $86,898 | $93,600 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,140 | $44,040 | $48,449 | $38,940 |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,980 | $35,450 | $38,999 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,970 | $30,010 | $33,014 | $30,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,720 | $93,710 | $103,091 | $102,950 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,180 | $57,110 | $62,827 | $57,440 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,040 | $40,720 | $44,796 | $42,830 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,890 | $38,220 | $42,046 | $34,900 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 90.9.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | 104.8 | 111.8 | #31 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | 91.8 | 69.4 | #250 |
| Bismarck | 91.0 | 84.0 | #268 |
| Mankato | 91.0 | 79.9 | #271 |
| Rochester | 90.8 | 78.6 | #276 |
| Sioux Falls | 90.6 | 77.6 | #278 |
Fargo: common questions
Is Fargo expensive?
Prices are 9.1% below the national average, a parity of 90.9 where the country is 100. It ranks #273 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against North Dakota as a whole it is 1.9 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Fargo?
The median worker there earns $49,690, which buys what $54,664 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 81.1 against goods at 95.7. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.