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Living in
Moorhead.
About
Life in Moorhead
Moorhead offers a stable, affordable Midwest living experience with genuine economic resilience. The job market is genuinely strong—unemployment sits at 3.1% with major employers spanning sugar processing, malt manufacturing, and container production, so finding work isn't the struggle it is in many regions. Housing is reasonable compared to national standards, with median home values around $249,000 and rents averaging $1,033 monthly, though you'll want to factor in heating costs during winters that average 53 inches of snow and bring real cold.
Moorhead at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
89.1%
of households
Population Growth
+4.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Iraq
Who lives in Moorhead: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Moorhead, the largest foreign-born group is from Iraq (15.0%), and 2.2% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
23.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.0%
of households
Married Couples
40.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.28
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Moorhead
In Moorhead, rent runs 19% below the MN average, and home values are 24% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,104
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $291,109 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below MN average
Unemployment in Moorhead
Unemployment in Moorhead is 0.8 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Moorhead Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.8 min avg
How Moorhead residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Moorhead, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Hector International Airport (FAR)
Small hub599k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 8% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Moorhead runs 8% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
302
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,486.1
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Moorhead Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
73.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clay County, which includes Moorhead, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | None reported |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $500 |
| 2023 | 17 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 30 | Blizzard | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $250,000 |
| 2019 | 39 | Blizzard | $110,000 |
| 2018 | 21 | Hail | Not estimated |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clay County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cass County, ND (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 24 miles from Moorhead) is typically good — 275 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
275
per year
Moderate Days
75
per year
Unhealthy Days
7
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Cass County, ND (24 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 4°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Moorhead has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 4°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
53°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
55°/35°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
21°/4°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
26.1"
Annual Snowfall
52.7"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
170
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
109
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17°F | -0°F | 0.73" |
| Feb | 23°F | 4°F | 0.72" |
| Mar | 37°F | 18°F | 1.33" |
| Apr | 54°F | 32°F | 1.72" |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 3.40" |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 4.66" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.37" |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 2.74" |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 2.94" |
| Oct | 55°F | 36°F | 2.51" |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.05" |
| Dec | 23°F | 8°F | 0.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Moorhead
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Moorhead's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Prairie St John's
Psychiatric · 1.9 mi away · Fargo
Sanford Medical Center Fargo
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.3 mi away · Fargo
Fargo VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 3 mi away · Fargo
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Moorhead
Moorhead's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 41.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Public · 4-year · 3,072 students · in-state tuition $11,056 · 59% graduate · median earnings $55,234 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,829 students · in-state tuition $32,480 · 70% graduate · median earnings $62,622 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
3.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,471 students · in-state tuition $11,738 · 64% graduate · median earnings $65,925 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Moorhead
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Moorhead
Moorhead Library
118 5th St S, Moorhead
Cities Near Moorhead
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Moorhead?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Moorhead FAQ
Is Moorhead, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Moorhead's median rent is $1,033/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $72,761/year. Median home value is $249,000.
Is Moorhead, Minnesota safe?⌄
Moorhead's violent crime rate was 302 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1486 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Moorhead, Minnesota?⌄
Moorhead has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Moorhead, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Moorhead is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,033/month and median household income is $72,761/year. The median home value is $249,000. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Moorhead, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Moorhead is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from