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CITY

Moorhead

Minnesota · 46,533 residents (2025 est.) · 22.3 sq mi
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The short version

Moorhead is a city of 45,036 people in Minnesota. This skews young, with a median age of 31.3. The population is up 40% since 2000. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. The foreign-born share is 6%. Density works out to 2,021 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $72,761, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 63%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Moorhead

What changed most since 1990

  • Black share0.4% → 6.0% (+5.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts

Among the 42 cities and towns in the Fargo metro

  • 29th in household income$72,761
  • 15th in share with a bachelor's degree41.6%
  • 20th in home value$249,000
  • 6th in diversity score42.8

Its weight in Clay County

Moorhead's population equals 68% of Clay County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 90% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
45,036
+40%since 2000
from 32,177 in 2000
46,533 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,021 / sq mi
+40%since 2000
from 1,444 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
31.3
+9%since 2000
from 28.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
22.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
31K35K39K42K46K19902000201020202024Moorhead
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.3%(2,853)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(2,802)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.8%(3,084)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 199.1%(4,110)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2412.5%(5,617)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.8%(6,230)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.6%(6,105)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.9%(4,438)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 649.1%(4,094)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747%(3,137)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.6%(1,638)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(928)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$72,761
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,781 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,546
+119%since 2000
from $17,150 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.4%
+24.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.452
+7%since 2010
from 0.421 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services7%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration5.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$249,000
+63%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,033
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $428 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
58.1%
−5.6 ptssince 2000
from 63.7% in 2000
41.9% rent
Vacancy rate
3.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.28 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.3%
−6.7 ptssince 2009
from 57.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.4
+9%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
60
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.1%(29,001)
Black0.7%(240)
Hispanic / Latino4.5%(1,439)
Asian1.2%(400)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80.4%(36,221)
Black6%(2,700)
Hispanic / Latino5.3%(2,375)
Asian2%(881)
Other6.3%(2,859)
Diversity Score
43
+81%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.6%(1,600)
Puerto Rican0.7%(317)
Cuban0.2%(74)
Venezuelan0.1%(37)
Colombian0.1%(27)
Argentine0%(16)
Peruvian0%(12)
Asian origin
Hmong0.5%(220)
Vietnamese0.3%(154)
Bangladeshi0.3%(138)
Asian Indian0.2%(95)
Filipino0.1%(66)
Sri Lankan0.1%(64)
Laotian0.1%(34)
Chinese0.1%(23)
Korean0%(19)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0.1%(32)
Ancestry
German26.7%(12,044)
Norwegian24.1%(10,863)
Irish6.3%(2,841)
English5.5%(2,459)
Swedish5%(2,236)
French3.2%(1,427)
Polish2.7%(1,218)
American2.3%(1,049)
Arab1.8%(822)
Dutch1.6%(728)
Italian1.5%(668)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Finnish1.2%(521)
Danish1%(454)
Scottish1%(449)
Czech0.8%(379)
Somali0.7%(330)
Russian0.4%(187)
West Indian0.4%(178)
Kenyan0.4%(177)
Welsh0.4%(168)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(161)
Belgian0.4%(158)
Croatian0.3%(149)
Iraqi0.3%(141)
Swiss0.3%(134)
Ghanaian0.3%(130)
Haitian0.3%(125)
Ukrainian0.2%(93)
Greek0.2%(78)
Lebanese0.2%(76)
British0.1%(46)
Romanian0.1%(45)
Nigerian0.1%(43)
Austrian0.1%(42)
Serbian0.1%(41)
Hungarian0.1%(40)
Syrian0.1%(32)
Jamaican0.1%(29)
Latvian0.1%(28)
Barbadian0.1%(24)
Ethiopian0%(21)
Brazilian0%(18)
Slovak0%(14)
Canadian0%(12)
Iranian0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
41.6%
+12.1 ptssince 2000
from 29.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.3%
+7.6 ptssince 2000
from 87.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.6%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.8 min
+78%since 2000
from 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.7%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 79.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.6%
+9.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
11.0%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2011
from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
70.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 71.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
80.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 81.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
16.8%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.9%
+12.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 53.5% in 2009
Foreign born
5.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.1%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.5%
+4.1 ptssince 2012
from 9.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.1%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.1%
+13.2 ptssince 2017
from 75.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.7%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 91.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
79.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 78.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
92.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 93.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married45.2%(8,007)
Married46.1%(8,155)
Widowed1.6%(283)
Divorced7.1%(1,253)
Women 15+
Never married41%(7,628)
Married41.8%(7,773)
Widowed6.4%(1,194)
Divorced10.8%(2,004)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.1%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
61.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 62.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 75.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 32.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)43.5%(762)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.5%(324)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26%(456)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.7%(48)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,751 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Moorhead, decade by decade

Moorhead population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199032,295$58,238$147,84427.9%12.8
200032,177$63,359$153,20129.5%23.0
201038,065$64,157$205,85935.6%27.3
202044,505$74,201$242,77136.6%44.4
202445,036$72,761$249,00041.6%42.8

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Moorhead

Oakland Park
Pop 45,332
DeLand
Pop 46,346
Greenacres
Pop 44,736
Westchester
Pop 52,032
Places similar to Moorhead
Head to head

Compare Moorhead to nearby cities

MOORHEAD VS
Fargo
Income$66,998−8%
Home value$281,900+13%
Population136,275+193%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOORHEAD VS
West Fargo
Income$90,665+25%
Home value$321,900+29%
Population41,175−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOORHEAD VS
Wahpeton
Income$62,750−14%
Home value$171,300−31%
Population8,141−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOORHEAD VS
Detroit Lakes
Income$62,958−13%
Home value$265,800+7%
Population10,019−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Moorhead, Minnesota?

Moorhead, Minnesota has about 45,036 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Moorhead, Minnesota?

The typical household in Moorhead, Minnesota earns about $72,761 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Moorhead, Minnesota expensive?

In Moorhead, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $249,000, and the typical rent is about $1,033 a month.

How educated are people in Moorhead, Minnesota?

About 41.6% of adults age 25 and over in Moorhead, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Moorhead, Minnesota?

About 16.1% of people in Moorhead, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Moorhead, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Moorhead, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 12,741 residents, a change of about 39 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →