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Fargo, MN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Fargo, MN is $1,112 per month, ranking #475 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $75,523, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 17.7% of income on housing. Rent in Fargo has increased 17.8% year over year. The area has a population of 255K, with 44.5% of households renting.

17.7%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,112
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$75,523
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$940
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+17.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
255K
Population
Census ACS
44.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$276,600
Median Home Value
6.2%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.4%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$768
Studio
$917
1 Bedroom
$1,112
2 Bedroom
$1,547
3 Bedroom
$1,865
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Fargo, MN, a household earning the area median income of $75,523 would spend 17.7% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$44,480
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$21
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$940
$172 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+27.4% since 2021
$8732021$8592022$9112023$9442024$1,0122025$1,1122026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Minnesota is $11.13/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 76.9 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Fargo is 11.4%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$11.13/hr
Hours/Week Needed
76.9 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.4%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Fargo is $276,600. At a median income of $75,523, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.7x. 6.2% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,936 est. mortgage
vs $1,112 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.2%
of housing units

Other Areas in Minnesota

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
$1,709/mo
2BR FMR · 20.9% burden
Rochester
$1,407/mo
2BR FMR · 18.8% burden
Duluth
$1,232/mo
2BR FMR · 20.8% burden
St. Cloud
$1,206/mo
2BR FMR · 19.1% burden
Mankato
$1,171/mo
2BR FMR · 18.8% burden

Compare Fargo

vs Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MNvs Rochester, MNvs Duluth, MN

Areas With Similar Rent to Fargo

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Fargo, MN is $1,112 per month. A studio is $768/mo, a 1-bedroom is $917/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,547/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $940/mo.

Fargo has a rent burden of 17.7%, meaning a household earning the median income of $75,523 would spend 17.7% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $44,480.

Fargo's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,112/mo is $138 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Fargo ranks #475 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Fargo without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $44,480, or a full-time hourly wage of $21/hour. The area median income is $75,523.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Fargo increased by 17.8% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.