Louisville/Jefferson County Fargo

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Strongly Favorable
Cost Index: 93.1 → 90.9
Rent Delta: -$160/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $160/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Louisville/Jefferson County to Fargo shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 93.1 to 90.9 (100 = US average), so a Louisville/Jefferson County salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Fargo. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,272/month in Louisville/Jefferson County to $1,112/month in Fargo - a lower monthly bill of $160, or $1,920/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $66,989 in Louisville/Jefferson County versus $69,516 in Fargo - a raw gap of $2,527 higher. The Fargo labor market has 142,800 tracked jobs against 667,710 in Louisville/Jefferson County, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Louisville/Jefferson County and Fargo are 225 and 257 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.2:1 at origin versus 11.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,238/year in Louisville/Jefferson County versus $10,925/year in Fargo. Our composite verdict - Strongly Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Louisville/Jefferson County
Fargo
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 93.1
RPP 90.9
Fargo
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,272/mo
$1,112/mo
Fargo
💼 Wages
$66,989
$69,516
Fargo
🔒 Crime
225 per 100K
257 per 100K
Louisville/Jefferson County
🎓 Schools
15.2:1
11.8:1
Fargo
👶 Childcare
$7,238/yr
$10,925/yr
Louisville/Jefferson County
🌿 Environment
1788 violations
169 violations
Fargo

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Louisville/Jefferson County to see what you'd need to earn in Fargo to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Fargo
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fargo more expensive than Louisville/Jefferson County?
Fargo has an RPP of 90.9 compared to Louisville/Jefferson County's 93.1 (100 = national average). Louisville/Jefferson County is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Fargo is $1,112/mo vs $1,272/mo in Louisville/Jefferson County.
What are salaries like in Fargo compared to Louisville/Jefferson County?
The median salary in Fargo is $69,516 compared to $66,989 in Louisville/Jefferson County. That's a +$2,527 difference.
Is Fargo safer than Louisville/Jefferson County?
The violent crime rate near Fargo is 257 per 100K vs 225 per 100K near Louisville/Jefferson County (state-level data). Louisville/Jefferson County has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Fargo to match my Louisville/Jefferson County salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Louisville/Jefferson County salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Louisville/Jefferson County would need to be $73,225 in Fargo. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Strongly Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Strongly Favorable" means the destination clearly wins on most dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)