Rochester, MN vs Fargo, ND: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Fargo, ND and Rochester, MN are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Rochester works out to about $75,000 in Fargo, before taxes.
- Housing is 3.2% higher in Fargo, goods 0.2% higher and other services 0.9% lower, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,103 a month in Fargo and $1,590 in Rochester, $5,844 a year less in Fargo (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $328,000 in Fargo and $338,000 in Rochester.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.3%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Rochester and Fargo
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.8 | 90.9 |
| Goods | 95.4 | 95.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 78.6 | 81.1 |
| Utilities | 87.4 | 77.3 |
| Other services | 92.2 | 91.3 |
| Category | Rochester | Fargo | Fargo vs Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.8 | 90.9 | +0.1% |
| Goods | 95.4 | 95.7 | +0.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 78.6 | 81.1 | +3.2% |
| Utilities | 87.4 | 77.3 | −11.5% |
| Other services | 92.2 | 91.3 | −0.9% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,590 | $1,103 | −30.6% |
| Typical home value | $338,000 | $328,000 | −3.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Rochester | $75,000 | $75,000 | +0.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Rochester and Fargo has narrowed since 2008: 2.1 points then, 0.0 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.2 | 97.3 |
| 2009 | 95.6 | 94.9 |
| 2010 | 91.2 | 95.2 |
| 2011 | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| 2012 | 94.5 | 95.9 |
| 2013 | 93.9 | 95.3 |
| 2014 | 95.9 | 92.6 |
| 2015 | 93.6 | 94.5 |
| 2016 | 92.8 | 95.4 |
| 2017 | 92.8 | 93.9 |
| 2018 | 93.1 | 93.0 |
| 2019 | 94.7 | 95.0 |
| 2020 | 96.7 | 92.5 |
| 2021 | 91.9 | 92.6 |
| 2022 | 92.0 | 87.9 |
| 2023 | 93.0 | 89.1 |
| 2024 | 90.8 | 90.9 |
Goods
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.0 | 99.8 |
| 2009 | 94.0 | 97.5 |
| 2010 | 95.5 | 96.4 |
| 2011 | 95.0 | 96.1 |
| 2012 | 96.0 | 97.3 |
| 2013 | 95.8 | 97.5 |
| 2014 | 97.6 | 98.9 |
| 2015 | 97.6 | 98.3 |
| 2016 | 96.6 | 97.7 |
| 2017 | 95.0 | 95.5 |
| 2018 | 93.1 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 96.5 | 96.6 |
| 2020 | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.2 |
| 2022 | 94.6 | 94.1 |
| 2023 | 97.0 | 97.0 |
| 2024 | 95.4 | 95.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 90.8 | 86.5 |
| 2009 | 91.9 | 78.1 |
| 2010 | 66.6 | 84.0 |
| 2011 | 84.2 | 87.7 |
| 2012 | 87.8 | 93.5 |
| 2013 | 82.1 | 85.9 |
| 2014 | 94.2 | 68.3 |
| 2015 | 87.7 | 87.5 |
| 2016 | 82.6 | 93.5 |
| 2017 | 87.1 | 88.7 |
| 2018 | 80.7 | 82.0 |
| 2019 | 87.2 | 87.5 |
| 2020 | 101.3 | 74.9 |
| 2021 | 76.4 | 78.8 |
| 2022 | 91.2 | 63.6 |
| 2023 | 93.0 | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 78.6 | 81.1 |
Utilities
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.2 | 81.4 |
| 2009 | 83.8 | 81.3 |
| 2010 | 86.8 | 80.5 |
| 2011 | 86.9 | 82.5 |
| 2012 | 85.7 | 82.5 |
| 2013 | 88.3 | 82.0 |
| 2014 | 88.1 | 77.9 |
| 2015 | 86.1 | 78.1 |
| 2016 | 86.2 | 76.8 |
| 2017 | 88.6 | 82.0 |
| 2018 | 96.2 | 89.2 |
| 2019 | 94.4 | 88.7 |
| 2020 | 94.7 | 88.4 |
| 2021 | 95.2 | 90.9 |
| 2022 | 95.5 | 83.0 |
| 2023 | 88.9 | 79.4 |
| 2024 | 87.4 | 77.3 |
Other services
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.6 | 100.2 |
| 2009 | 98.4 | 99.7 |
| 2010 | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| 2011 | 95.7 | 95.7 |
| 2012 | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| 2013 | 96.6 | 97.5 |
| 2014 | 95.7 | 96.6 |
| 2015 | 93.3 | 95.1 |
| 2016 | 94.2 | 95.7 |
| 2017 | 93.5 | 94.9 |
| 2018 | 96.4 | 95.9 |
| 2019 | 95.8 | 96.4 |
| 2020 | 95.6 | 96.2 |
| 2021 | 95.0 | 95.1 |
| 2022 | 90.5 | 92.2 |
| 2023 | 90.8 | 89.8 |
| 2024 | 92.2 | 91.3 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,103 in Fargo vs $1,590 in Rochester
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $1,051 | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $1,064 | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $1,064 | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $1,060 | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $1,101 | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $1,090 | $815 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $1,104 | $796 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $1,079 | $785 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $1,138 | $813 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $1,143 | $808 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $1,125 | $801 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $1,103 | $801 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $1,107 | $809 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $1,160 | $818 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $1,178 | $811 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $1,176 | $798 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $1,178 | $816 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $1,205 | $826 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $1,212 | $828 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $1,199 | $833 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $1,225 | $832 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $1,221 | $843 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $1,214 | $851 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,202 | $842 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $1,255 | $864 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,289 | $880 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,293 | $878 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,297 | $899 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,349 | $909 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,402 | $932 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,397 | $940 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,396 | $949 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,426 | $961 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,460 | $973 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,429 | $995 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,431 | $1,014 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,469 | $1,021 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,493 | $1,030 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,476 | $1,041 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,496 | $1,060 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,524 | $1,038 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,555 | $1,058 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,560 | $1,065 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,518 | $1,067 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,556 | $1,080 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,590 | $1,092 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,590 | $1,103 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $328,000 in Fargo vs $338,000 in Rochester
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Rochester, MN
- Fargo, ND
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Rochester, MN | Fargo, ND | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $173K | $204K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $175K | $210K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $179K | $217K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $182K | $223K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $185K | $226K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $189K | $229K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $193K | $232K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $197K | $236K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $200K | $238K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $206K | $238K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $209K | $238K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $213K | $238K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $217K | $240K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $219K | $240K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $223K | $240K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $225K | $239K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $228K | $243K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $231K | $248K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $233K | $250K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $236K | $252K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $239K | $255K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $242K | $255K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $246K | $256K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $256K | $259K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $264K | $261K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $275K | $268K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $282K | $276K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $284K | $280K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $297K | $287K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $309K | $295K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $306K | $296K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $303K | $297K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $302K | $298K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $308K | $302K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $310K | $303K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $310K | $300K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $312K | $302K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $316K | $306K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $316K | $310K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $320K | $312K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $322K | $315K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $322K | $315K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $326K | $317K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $331K | $323K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $335K | $326K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $336K | $326K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $338K | $328K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.