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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Fargo, ND

Population: 127,319 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
64/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$13,250
Total Revenue
$9.1B
Total Debt
$161.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
32.3%$544.5M
Utilities
17.1%$288.1M
Housing & Community Development
14.1%$237.1M
Public Welfare
11.6%$195.7M
Parks & Recreation
9.1%$153.4M
Interest on Debt
6.5%$110.1M
Health
3.1%$52.0M
Fire Protection
1.8%$30.7M
Highways & Roads
1.6%$27.5M
Sewerage
1.5%$26.0M
Hospitals
1.0%$16.1M
Police
0.3%$5.7M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.4%$37.2M
Sales Tax
1.4%$131.0M
Income Tax
1.9%$173.7M
Intergovernmental
8.5%$772.2M
Charges & Fees
2.8%$256.8M
Other
4.2%$380.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$45/person
Fire Protection$241/person
Highways & Roads$216/person
Parks & Recreation$1,205/person
Health$409/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)75/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$161.1M
Long-Term Debt$739.0M
Debt Per Capita$1,266
Cash & Securities$25.0M

Compare Cities

See how Fargo stacks up against another city.

vs Bismarck, NDvs Grand Forks, ND
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Dakota

Bismarck, ND

Pop. 74K

C
Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$14,170

Grand Forks, ND

Pop. 59K

C
Total Spending
$368.0M
Per Capita
$6,244

Compare Fargo With

Bismarck, ND

Spending: $14,170/person · Grade: C

Grand Forks, ND

Spending: $6,244/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Fargo, ND spends $13,250 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.7B for a population of 127,319. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (64/100).

Fargo, ND has total expenditures of $1.7B and total revenue of $9.1B. The city carries $161.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Fargo, ND employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Fargo, ND has a Fiscal Health Score of C (64/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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