Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Fargo as a whole is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Fargo differs from North Dakota on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fargo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fargo
Fargo has a top-rated hospital
Sanford Medical Center Fargo is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Fargo
Fargo runs below North Dakota on six chronic conditions, most of all cancer (6.5% vs 8.2%), heart disease (4.9% vs 6.1%) and stroke (2.5% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the North Dakota figure falls outside Fargo’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Fargo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fargo is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #5 of 23 in North Dakota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 64%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Fargo’s median household income is $66,998; among the 10,195 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
At 136,275 residents, Fargo is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Fargo
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Fargo, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Fargo; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Fargo adults…
Fargo runs below ND on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 68 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fargo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Fargo adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Fargo runs above North Dakota.
1 in 3 Fargo adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.4% of Fargo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Fargo and the towns around it
Fargo’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | A | 34.3% | 8.1% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Stanley Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Reed Township | A | 34.3% | 8.2% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| West Fargo | A | 34% | 7.3% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Horace | A | 34.3% | 7.6% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Frontier | — | — | — | — | |
| Pleasant Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Briarwood | — | — | — | — |
Stanley Township, Frontier, Pleasant Township and Briarwood: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fargo adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fargo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fargo is better than North Dakota on 10 and worse on 3; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Fargo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fargo | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%13.2–16.5 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10%9–11.2 | 11.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.1 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%30.6–38.2 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.8%25.4–30.2 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31%28.5–33.5 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.2%19.4–23.2 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.2 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%6–7.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%8.1–12.1 | 10.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%16.5–21.2 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.5%18.9–24.2 | 21.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%27.2–34.9 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.8–7.9 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.1%71–77 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.2–69.3 | 64.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78.3–82.5 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73%70.3–75.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%61.9–69.9 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%73.6–84.6 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.5–27 | 21.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%28.1–34.3 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%17.9–22.7 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%10–12.8 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%8–10.4 | 8.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.2–7.9 | 6.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%6.3–8.7 | 6.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.3%21.9–27 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.9–10 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.6–14.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Fargo
Is Fargo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fargo is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #5 of 23 in North Dakota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fargo?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 38.2%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fargo?
Sanford Medical Center Fargo in Fargo, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Fargo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fargo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–7.9%), against 7.3% across North Dakota.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Fargo more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fargo.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.