Fargo is a United States city located in the state of North Dakota. It is the county seat of Cass County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 90,599 which makes it the largest city in North Dakota. It has a twin city, Moorhead, Minnesota. The larger Fargo-Moorhead area also encompasses the communities of West Fargo, North Dakota and Dilworth, Minnesota. The metropolitan area has a population of approximately 140,000.
The city of Fargo is the crossroads and economic center of a large portion of eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Fargo is a retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and educational hub for the region. Fargo is home to North Dakota State University (NDSU). The local newspaper is The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. It is also the corporate headquarters for Maintenance Engineering, the world leader in premium quality lighting.
Fargo is located at 46°52'17" North, 96°48'31" West (46.871414, -96.808658).
Fargo sits on the western bank of the Red River of the North in a very flat region known as the Red River Valley. The Red River Valley was once a part of glacial Lake Agassiz, which drained away about 9,300 years ago. The lake sediments deposited from Lake Agassiz made the land around Fargo some of the richest in the world for agricultural uses. Early settlers sometimes called the Red River Valley a new "Garden of Eden"
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 98.3 km2 (37.9 mi2). 98.3 km2 (37.9 mi2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 90,599 people, 39,268 households, and 20,733 families residing in the city. The population density is 922.0/km2 (2,388.2/mi2). There are 41,200 housing units at an average density of 419.3/km2 (1,086.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 94.17% White, 1.02% African American, 1.24% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. 1.29% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The top 6 ancestry groups in the city are German (40.6%), Norwegian (35.9%), Irish (8.6%), Swedish (6.5%), English (5.2%), French (4.7%).
There are 39,268 households out of which 26.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% are married couples living together, 7.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.2% are non-families. 34.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 2.91.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 19.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,510, and the median income for a family is $50,486. Males have a median income of $31,968 versus $22,264 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,101. 11.8% of the population and 6.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.8% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The economy of the Fargo area has historically been dependent on agriculture. That dominance has decreased substantially in recent decades. Now, the city of Fargo has a growing economy based on food processing, manufacturing, technology, retail trade, higher education, and healthcare. The largest non-governmental employers in the city include MeritCare Health System, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, US Bank, and Microsoft. North Dakota State University is the largest governmental employer in the city.
The area that is present day Fargo was an early stopping point for steamboats floating down the Red River during the 1870s and 1880s. The city of Fargo was originally named "Centralia." The city was then renamed to "Fargo". This was in honor of Northern Pacific Railway director and Wells Fargo Express Company founder William Fargo. The area started to flourish after the arrival of the railroad and the city became known as the "Gateway to the West".
During the 1880s, Fargo became the "divorce capital" of the Midwest due to very lenient divorce laws. A major fire struck the city on June 7, 1893. The proprietor of a grocery store accidentally started the blaze as she emptied ashes behind her store on a windy day. The fire destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. However, Fargo was quickly rebuilt with new buildings made of brick, new streets, and a water system. North Dakota State University was founded in 1890 as North Dakota's land-grant university. It was first called the "North Dakota State College of Agriculture."
Fargo-Moorhead boomed after World War II and the city grew rapidly. The coming of the two Interstates (I-29 and I-94) revolutionized travel in the region and pushed growth of Fargo to the south and west of the city limits. In 1972, the West Acres Shopping Center was constructed near the intersection of the two Interstates. This mall would become the catalyst for retail growth in the area. It would also spell the beginning of a time of decline for the downtown area of Fargo.
In recent years, Fargo has seen dramatic growth both in population and economic activity. Several businesses now have major operations in the community including Microsoft and Navteq. The city's major retail districts on the outskirts are booming, but so is the downtown area due, at least in part, to investments made by the city and private developers. From the late 1990s onward, Fargo has consistently had one of the lowest unemployment rates of any Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. This, coupled with Fargo's low crime rate and the plentiful supply of affordable housing in the community, has prompted Money magazine to rank the city near the top of its annual list of America's most livable cities throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Source:
FargoNorthDakota.com
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