Jobs, pay and daily life in Fergus Falls, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Fergus Falls is a city in Minnesota with 14,181 residents. The median household earns $56,162 a year and the median rent is $911 a month, which is 19.5% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Fergus Falls compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Fergus Falls is #79 by population, #77 for household income (#1 = highest), #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #73 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Otter Tail County, is #59 of 87 counties for average pay ($52,013).
Fergus Falls has 14,181 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 986 people per square mile. The median age is 43.3, 12% older than the state median (43.3 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $911 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($911 against $1,280). Over a year that is 19.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $194,000, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($56,162); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.1% of households own their home, 11% below the state average (64.1% against 72.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Otter Tail County was 4.2%. 61.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Otter Tail County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.2% drive alone, 2.7% use public transit, 3.9% walk, 7.3% work from home. 6.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 41% below the state average (6.2% against 10.5%).
29.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% below the state share (29.3% against 39.4%). 2.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 77% below the state share (2.0% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 9.1%, about the same as the state rate (9.1% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 10°F (-12.3°C). About 645 mm (25 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (106 mm) and Jan the driest (14 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Wahpeton (26 miles, rent 18% lower); Alexandria (44 miles, similar rent); Moorhead (51 miles, rent 13% higher); Horace (51 miles, rent 136% higher). Rent differences are against Fergus Falls; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideOtter Tail CountyMinnesota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 792 federal postings open in Minnesota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.0% |
| Retail trade | 14.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9.0% |
| Other services | 8.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.0% |
| Construction | 6.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.8% |
| Public administration | 4.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.5% |
| Information | 1.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fergus Falls lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail County | 60,475 | $3,285 million | $54,319 | 22,910 | 1,908 | $52,013 | +0.9% | 4.2% | 30,280 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,878 | 25.6% | $61,541 | 2.06 |
| Retail trade | 2,631 | 17.3% | $33,299 | 1.15 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,984 | 13.1% | $19,902 | 0.95 |
| Construction | 1,236 | 8.1% | $62,182 | 1.03 |
| Administrative and waste services | 778 | 5.1% | $49,746 | 0.58 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 754 | 5.0% | $33,450 | 1.09 |
| Wholesale trade | 647 | 4.3% | $63,376 | 0.72 |
| Utilities | 494 | 3.3% | $109,512 | 5.67 |
| Finance and insurance | 492 | 3.2% | $74,762 | 0.53 |
| Professional and technical services | 481 | 3.2% | $60,382 | 0.30 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 443 | 2.9% | $48,442 | 2.39 |
| Information | 430 | 2.8% | $77,551 | 1.00 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 376 | 2.5% | $44,108 | 0.39 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 310 | 2.0% | $17,193 | 0.80 |
| Real estate and rental | 144 | 0.9% | $35,698 | 0.40 |
| Management of companies | 68 | 0.4% | $289,431 | 0.18 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 31 | 0.2% | $45,283 | 0.36 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.2% |
| Public transit | 2.7% |
| Walk | 3.9% |
| Work from home | 7.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,162 |
| Income per person | $34,864 |
| Median gross rent per month | $911 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.5% |
| Median home value | $194,000 |
| Homeowners | 64.1% |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.85%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.3% |
| Born abroad | 2.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -12.3 | 10 | 14 |
| Feb | -10.5 | 13 | 17 |
| Mar | -1.6 | 29 | 30 |
| Apr | 6.3 | 43 | 53 |
| May | 13.4 | 56 | 81 |
| Jun | 19.3 | 67 | 106 |
| Jul | 22.6 | 73 | 87 |
| Aug | 21.0 | 70 | 74 |
| Sep | 15.9 | 61 | 74 |
| Oct | 6.8 | 44 | 64 |
| Nov | -0.9 | 30 | 20 |
| Dec | -8.8 | 16 | 25 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahpeton | ND | 26 mi | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| Alexandria | MN | 44 mi | 14,735 | $61,374 | $934 |
| Moorhead | MN | 51 mi | 45,036 | $72,761 | $1,033 |
| Horace | ND | 51 mi | 4,588 | $138,578 | $2,146 |
| Fargo | ND | 54 mi | 131,627 | $66,998 | $946 |
| West Fargo | ND | 56 mi | 40,094 | $90,665 | $1,111 |
| Casselton | ND | 69 mi | 2,953 | $73,259 | $814 |
| Lisbon | ND | 77 mi | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 |
| Milbank | SD | 78 mi | 3,525 | $56,011 | $548 |
| Brainerd | MN | 90 mi | 14,468 | $56,111 | $827 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
14,181 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$911 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.5% of the median household income.
$56,162 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Otter Tail County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.