10 Best Independent Living Communities in Fargo, ND

 

Independent Living in Fargo, ND

 

Independent living communities – also known simply as retirement communities – in Fargo, North Dakota are geared towards seniors who are able to live on their own, without daily assistance, and prefer to live among people their age. This usually means residents are self-sufficient and do not require hands-on care. Think of Fargo retirement communities as age-restricted (typically 55+) complexes, which provide organized activities, meal services, and transportation.

Cost of Independent Living in Fargo, ND

The median monthly cost of independent living in Fargo is about $1,833 in the city proper, and $3,155 within the metropolitan area. The median monthly cost for independent living in the state of North Dakota is around $3,148.

For this type of senior living, Fargo, North Dakota offers many great options, and A Place for Mom can help you find the right one.

Learn More About Fargo, ND

 

Cost of Living

 

Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota and may be one of the most affordable cities in the Midwest with a population over 100,000. This is reflected in the cost of living and grocery indexes which are equivalent to the national average. These index ratings are based on a scale where 100 is equal to the national average.

Cost-of-living index	Grocery index	Median rent	Rent burden	Median home value	Median family income	Estate tax
100	100	$1,100	16.2% spend more than 30% of their income on housing	$191,000	$51,000	No estate tax or inheritance tax.

 

 

Local Hospitals

 

There are three general hospitals in Fargo that provide emergency services to the city. They include:

• Essentia Health Fargo – With 133 beds, Essentia is a full service regional medical center with a level II trauma center. The community also has a Comprehensive Stroke Center that is on-call 24 hours a day.
• Sanford Medical Center – Boasting the regions only level I trauma center, Sanford is a 284 bed community that was built in 2017.
• Prairie St. John’s – Founded in 1997, Prairie is one of the premiere psychiatric hospitals in the region. The community has 110 beds and primarily treats patients struggling with mental health issues, substance use addiction or co-occurring disorders.

 

 

Weather and Climate

 

Fargo has a humid continental climate that varies between hot-summer and warm-summer designations depending on the year. This means that Fargo’s summers can range from extremely hot and humid to pleasant and mild. The winters in Fargo are below freezing, with high volumes of snow fall and a high potential for inclement weather such as blizzards or ice storms. On average, the humidity level for Fargo is roughly 71%. The average humidity levels are highest during the month of December at roughly 77%.

Seasonal Temperatures

Average summer temp	Typical summer high	Typical summer low	Average winter temp	Typical winter high	Typical winter low
70°F	86°F (July)	55°F (July)	14°F	26°F (December)	1°F (January)

 

Air Quality

Average air quality index rating	Average maximum air quality index rating
37 (Good)	53 in the month of December (Moderate)

The peak air quality conditions are rated as moderate. This means that those who are unusually sensitive should consider limiting the amount of time spent on outdoor exertion during the peak seasons.

Precipitation and Inclement Weather

Average monthly precipitation	Average maximum monthly precipitation	Average yearly snowfall	Inclement weather
2”	5” (June)	49”	Floods, thunderstorms, blizzards, ice storms, extreme cold temperatures

 

 

Demographics and Values

 

2016 Presidential Election for Cass county

Voted Democratic	Voted Republican	Voted Third Party
38.8%	49.26%	11.93%

 

Population Statistics

Population metro area	Population city proper	Population density	Population trend
204,820	122,359	949 people per square mile	Growing at a rate of 1.94%

 

Age

Median	55+	60+	70+	80+
30	21%	8%	4%	4%

 

Highest Level of Education

High-school diploma	College degree	Graduate degree
20%	39%	11%

 

Race & Ethnicity

Asian	Black	Hispanic	Native American	Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian	White	Two or more	Other or Not Specified
3.6%	5.5%	2.8%	1.1%	<1%	86.2%	2.9%	0.6%

 

Crime

Total crimes	Property crimes per 1,000 citizens	Violent crimes per 1,000 citizens
4,485	33	4

 

Miscellaneous

Unemployed	Participate in the labor force	Have some form of disability	Live in poverty	Widows	Veterans
3%	75%	10%	14%	5%	6%

Fargo is considered moderately friendly to members of the LGBTQ+ community. This means that, for the most part, members of the community can participate in public life without fear of bigotry or discrimination. However, this may vary from neighborhood to neighborhood.

 

Arts, Culture, Entertainment, and Recreation

 

When it comes to senior living, Fargo, ND is an excellent option for you or your loved one. While there are fewer wood-chipper accidents than the Coen brothers may suggest, Fargo does have a lot of Midwest and old Scandanavian charm. One unique aspect of living in Fargo, ND is that the city is commonly referenced in association with its sister city across the border, Moorhead, Minnesota.

Fargo is an excellent place to retire because it has more cultural opportunities than most other rural Midwest cities. This is due in part to the three different universities in the city which help to provide year round arts and cultural events. There are lots of shows and performances that are put on by the schools as well as by the Fargo-Moorhead Opera and the Fargo-Moorhead Orchestra.

For recreation, the city maintains a number of public parks and there are 6 golf courses including the Fargo Country Club and the Prairiewood Golfcourse. Many of the locals enjoy spending time outdoors with popular pastimes including fishing, duck hunting, cross country skiing, and most of all snowmobiling.

 

Transportation

For public transportation in the city, there is MATBUS, which is operated by the Fargo-Moorhead Metro Area Transit Authority. The buses primarily service college students and connect Fargo, Moordhead, the universities and the surrounding suburbs. For further travel options, there are many Greyhound bus routes as Fargo is considered the regional transportation hub between Duluth, Minneapolis, and the rest of the upper-Midwest.