National Rankings
The Fargo Moorhead area is ranked among the best places in the country to live, work, attend school and conduct business. A few of the more recent rankings include the following:
- According to Joe Yogerst, one of the authors of National Geographic's Secret Journeys of Lifetime: 500 of the World's Best Hidden Travel Gems, ND Tops 10 Best Hidden Places List (March 2012)
- According to the survey called Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index ND is ranked as #2 and MN # 3 among Happiest States (Feb 2012)
- Fargo ranked #8 on the list of most romantic cities according to Redbox based on their rating on the number of romantic comedies rented in 2011 ( Jan 2012)
- Cass County, N.D. is Americas Best Affordable Place, according to Business Week, which took into account cost of living and quality of life factors when ranking U.S. counties
- According to Livability.com's Top 10 College Towns Fargo is ranked # 10 (Oct 2011)
- #2 Best City for Men 2011, Men's Health Magazine. Men's Health also ranks our region's men as the 9th most "financially fit" in the nation.
- According to Health Magazines, Fargo is among the healthiest cities in America (Read More - December 2010).
- Milken Institute names Fargo Moorhead Best-Performing Small Metro in the nation. (Milken Institute Report).
- #1 secure midsize U.S. city (150,000 to 500,000 population) in the 6th annual Most Secure U.S. Places to Live rankings, Farmer's Insurance Group of Companies.
- #3 according to Children's Health Magazine 100 Best Places to Raise a Family listing (October 2009).
- #7 in Forbes Best Places for Business and Careers in March 2009. This is the sixth consecutive year that Fargo has made the top ten for small metropolitan areas. The index ranks cities according to cost of doing business, educational attainment of the population, income growth, projected job growth and net migration.
- #5 in Forbes ranking of the Top College Towns for Jobs in May 2009.
- The Fargo Moorhead job market was ranked eight out of the top 25 for finding employment, according to MSN and CareerBuilder.com. (October 2008)
- Fargo Moorhead was named the fifth healthiest place in America to live and retire by the AARP in its September/October 2008 magazine.
- Fargo is one of the cleanest cities in the nation, according to the American Lung Association-State of the Air 2008 report card. The Association's annual air quality report card also awarded North Dakota with straight A's for its air quality in the eight counties monitored. (May 2008)
- Sperling's Best Places lists Fargo among the top ten cities for its low cost of living, good job prospects and high quality of life. (March 2008)
- CQ Press ranks North Dakota as the third safest state this year and tenth "Most Livable State." Minnesota was named the fourth "Most Livable State" and grabbed the top spot for "Healthiest State" in the nation. (March 2008)
- Men's Health ranked Fargo among the top ten cities with the least personal debt. Fargo garnered an A+ for low credit card debit, low bankruptcy rates and good overall credit ratings. (April 2008)