HousingPermits

Metro area in North Dakota, Minnesota · part of the Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN combined area

Fargo, ND-MN

The Fargo metro area authorized 1,498 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota. Relative to population, the rate was 7.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 48% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 2,821 units (1,636 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,141 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,720 units (1,465 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 1,187 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,927 units (1,283 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 605 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,803 units (1,109 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 611 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,306 units (864 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 436 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,678 units (803 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 873 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,318 units (760 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 545 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,536 units (609 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 883 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,211 units (1,037 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 1,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,093 units (1,395 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,684 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,766 units (1,242 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 2,496 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,719 units (1,359 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 1,337 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,479 units (1,192 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 1,212 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,891 units (1,065 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 826 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,313 units (1,080 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,221 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,425 units (939 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 478 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,976 units (1,200 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 768 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,289 units (1,229 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 1,058 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,315 units (1,124 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,187 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,089 units (885 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,204 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,492 units (832 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 563 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,498 units (812 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 668 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252014 high · 3,7662008 low · 1,30601,5003,0004,5002004: 2,821 units (1,636 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,141 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,720 units (1,465 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 1,187 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,927 units (1,283 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 605 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,803 units (1,109 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 611 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,306 units (864 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 436 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,678 units (803 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 873 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,318 units (760 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 545 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,536 units (609 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 883 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,211 units (1,037 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 1,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,093 units (1,395 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,684 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,766 units (1,242 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 2,496 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,719 units (1,359 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 1,337 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,479 units (1,192 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 1,212 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,891 units (1,065 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 826 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,313 units (1,080 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,221 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,425 units (939 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 478 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,976 units (1,200 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 768 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,289 units (1,229 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 1,058 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,315 units (1,124 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,187 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,089 units (885 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,204 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,492 units (832 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 563 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,498 units (812 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 668 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252014 high · 3,766

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 22% below the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 34 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Fargo, with 5,162 units or 53% of the total, followed by Horace with 1,477. Among the three largest, Fargo put 67% of its units in five-plus buildings, Horace 12%.

  • Fargo53% (5,162 units)
  • Horace15% (1,477 units)
  • Moorhead12% (1,183 units)
  • West Fargo10% (1,017 units)
  • Dilworth2.3% (221 units)
  • Clay County (unincorporated)1.5% (141 units)
  • Hawley0.8% (81 units)
  • Mapleton0.7% (66 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Boom, bust and since

Fargo authorized the most units in 2014 (3,766); 2025 reached 40% of that. Its peak year is shared by 3 other metro areas, among them Victoria, Scranton, San Jose. Annual permits fell from 2,821 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,306 in 2008, a drop of 54%. The nearest bust profile in the West North Central states was Omaha's (53%).

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Tallahassee (48% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2014 (2,496), single-family houses in 2004 (1,636).

2021–202550.4%50%1.2%48.3%48%2004–200658.7%59%2.0%39.3%39%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202550.4%50%1.2%48.3%48%2004–200658.7%59%2.0%39.3%39%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Cass County accounted for 82% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Clay County for 18%. The part in Minnesota supplied 18%.

  • Cass County, ND82% (1,154 in 2025)
  • Clay County, MN18% (344 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Fargo, ND-MN1,4987.448%
Lynchburg, VA1,1153.921%
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL2,66514.212%
Bend, OR3,12210.335%
Erie, PA2430.933%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Fargo beside Lynchburg

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: North Dakota. Counting rules.