Jobs, pay and daily life in Moorhead, 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.
Moorhead is a city in Minnesota with 45,036 residents. The median household earns $72,761 a year and the median rent is $1,033 a month, which is 17.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 148,660 jobs.
How Moorhead compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Moorhead is #23 by population, #14 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #67 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #15 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Clay County, is #48 of 87 counties for average pay ($53,697).
Moorhead has 45,036 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 22 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,021 people per square mile. The median age is 31.3, 19% younger than the state median (31.3 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $1,033 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% below the state median ($1,033 against $1,280). Over a year that is 17.0% 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 $249,000, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($72,761); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.1% of households own their home, 20% below the state average (58.1% against 72.2%).
The Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area has 148,660 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,050 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,050 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (16,250 jobs, median $47,490); transportation and material moving (13,930 jobs, median $47,680); sales and related (13,140 jobs, median $38,240). The area is most specialised in construction and extraction (1.4 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.4 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($104,330) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($81,330). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Clay County was 3.9%. 70.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Clay County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.7% drive alone, 2.4% use public transit, 3.0% walk, 12.6% work from home. 5.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 49% below the state average (5.4% against 10.5%).
41.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 6% above the state share (41.6% against 39.4%). 5.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% below the state share (5.6% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 16.1%, 74% above the state rate (16.1% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (23.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 10°F (-12.4°C). About 608 mm (24 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (104 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: Fargo (4 miles, rent 8% lower); West Fargo (8 miles, rent 8% higher); Horace (11 miles, rent 108% higher); Casselton (22 miles, rent 21% lower). Rent differences are against Moorhead; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideClay 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.
Open federal jobs in Minnesota →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 4,790 | 1.48 | $82,120 | $69,620 | $103,480 | -16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,160 | 1.12 | $35,860 | $28,140 | $50,180 | +1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,090 | 1.11 | $30,950 | $24,230 | $37,450 | -1% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,810 | 1.35 | $45,690 | $35,300 | $56,870 | +14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,590 | 1.07 | $96,410 | $49,710 | $185,280 | -9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,570 | 1.81 | $58,900 | $40,870 | $78,350 | +0% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,130 | 0.76 | $37,910 | $35,110 | $49,190 | +6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,790 | 1.12 | $40,900 | $30,440 | $61,530 | -9% |
| Cashiers | 2,770 | 0.94 | $33,420 | $27,920 | $37,630 | +2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,590 | 1.10 | $49,060 | $34,720 | $69,060 | +9% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,490 | 1.18 | $37,200 | $30,940 | $48,040 | +1% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,350 | 1.75 | $46,660 | $39,650 | $59,840 | +5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,240 | 1.62 | $39,940 | $33,050 | $50,800 | -5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,020 | 0.93 | $30,330 | $18,470 | $59,910 | -14% |
| Construction Laborers | 1,760 | 1.68 | $49,340 | $44,020 | $77,350 | +5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,740 | 0.64 | $36,880 | $31,480 | $50,560 | -1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,740 | 1.47 | $70,070 | $44,810 | $131,220 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,730 | 1.06 | $47,060 | $35,610 | $60,270 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,650 | 1.21 | $39,270 | $28,090 | $45,750 | +7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,580 | 1.14 | $76,420 | $49,590 | $126,000 | -9% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacists | 520 | 1.68 | $142,040 | $37,120 | $167,940 | +1% |
| Financial Managers | 810 | 1.01 | $136,970 | $92,870 | $236,930 | -18% |
| Managers, All Other | 590 | 0.99 | $124,390 | $79,940 | $203,730 | -12% |
| Software Developers | 860 | 0.53 | $105,980 | $60,300 | $160,480 | -22% |
| Construction Managers | 520 | 1.42 | $102,830 | $64,890 | $167,710 | -11% |
| Project Management Specialists | 870 | 0.85 | $97,430 | $60,750 | $138,530 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,590 | 1.07 | $96,410 | $49,710 | $185,280 | -9% |
| Civil Engineers | 510 | 1.44 | $95,530 | $60,900 | $149,410 | -5% |
| Management Analysts | 620 | 0.72 | $90,220 | $53,390 | $125,270 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,790 | 1.48 | $82,120 | $69,620 | $103,480 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,000 | 1.29 | $78,080 | $58,730 | $121,740 | -2% |
| Electricians | 920 | 1.27 | $76,950 | $46,800 | $100,320 | +22% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 720 | 0.83 | $76,550 | $50,150 | $120,730 | +1% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,580 | 1.14 | $76,420 | $49,590 | $126,000 | -9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 580 | 0.90 | $76,410 | $53,040 | $95,580 | +3% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 750 | 0.72 | $73,920 | $48,480 | $126,730 | -11% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 610 | 1.33 | $71,220 | $46,250 | $182,150 | +14% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,740 | 1.47 | $70,070 | $44,810 | $131,220 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 860 | 0.63 | $67,750 | $46,730 | $99,360 | -3% |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 500 | 1.82 | $64,370 | $48,620 | $89,700 | +4% |
These figures are for the whole Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,050 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.7% |
| Retail trade | 10.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.3% |
| Manufacturing | 8.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.0% |
| Construction | 6.8% |
| Public administration | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.5% |
| Information | 1.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Moorhead 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 66,059 | $2,919 million | $44,189 | 19,702 | 1,520 | $53,697 | -0.1% | 3.9% | 35,951 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,511 | 23.3% | $46,489 | 1.24 |
| Retail trade | 2,429 | 16.1% | $36,045 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,701 | 11.3% | $20,269 | 0.95 |
| Manufacturing | 1,134 | 7.5% | $69,915 | 0.70 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,103 | 7.3% | $87,103 | 1.42 |
| Construction | 1,077 | 7.1% | $69,219 | 1.04 |
| Educational services | 1,046 | 6.9% | $42,809 | 2.57 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 682 | 4.5% | $42,365 | 1.15 |
| Professional and technical services | 594 | 3.9% | $80,950 | 0.43 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 421 | 2.8% | $60,361 | 0.50 |
| Finance and insurance | 386 | 2.6% | $72,271 | 0.48 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 328 | 2.2% | $22,319 | 0.99 |
| Administrative and waste services | 271 | 1.8% | $47,326 | 0.23 |
| Information | 159 | 1.1% | $52,538 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 137 | 0.9% | $61,355 | 0.45 |
| Management of companies | 113 | 0.7% | $175,186 | 0.34 |
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 | 73.7% |
| Public transit | 2.4% |
| Walk | 3.0% |
| Work from home | 12.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,761 |
| Income per person | $37,546 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,033 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.0% |
| Median home value | $249,000 |
| Homeowners | 58.1% |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 90.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,050 |
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 | 31.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 41.6% |
| Born abroad | 5.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -12.4 | 10 | 14 |
| Feb | -10.4 | 13 | 16 |
| Mar | -1.4 | 29 | 29 |
| Apr | 6.5 | 44 | 45 |
| May | 13.6 | 56 | 84 |
| Jun | 19.6 | 67 | 104 |
| Jul | 23.0 | 73 | 80 |
| Aug | 21.3 | 70 | 69 |
| Sep | 16.0 | 61 | 69 |
| Oct | 7.0 | 45 | 57 |
| Nov | -0.8 | 31 | 17 |
| Dec | -8.7 | 16 | 24 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | ND | 4 mi | 131,627 | $66,998 | $946 |
| West Fargo | ND | 8 mi | 40,094 | $90,665 | $1,111 |
| Horace | ND | 11 mi | 4,588 | $138,578 | $2,146 |
| Casselton | ND | 22 mi | 2,953 | $73,259 | $814 |
| Wahpeton | ND | 41 mi | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| Fergus Falls | MN | 51 mi | 14,181 | $56,162 | $911 |
| Mayville | ND | 52 mi | 1,976 | $55,735 | $854 |
| Lisbon | ND | 53 mi | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 |
| Valley City | ND | 60 mi | 6,541 | $60,339 | $780 |
| Grand Forks | ND | 75 mi | 59,042 | $63,627 | $980 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
45,036 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,033 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.0% of the median household income.
$72,761 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.9% (BLS county, Clay County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.