| Measure | FargoNorth Dakota, United States Remove Fargo | Des MoinesIowa, United States Remove Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 5.9 |
| Connector Score | 5.1 | 5.9 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 4.4 |
| Affordability | 7.7 | 7.4 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 4.9 | 5.0 |
| Things to do | 5.9 | 6.4 |
| Food & dining | 6.1 | 6.3 |
| Places to stay | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.5 | 4.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 5.9 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Nightlife | 5.1 | 7.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Road-trip convenience | 5.4 | 5.8 |
| Train-trip convenience | 5.7 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 5.9 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $107 | $100 |
| Mid-range | $163 | $158 |
| Luxury | $271 | $268 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | — | 91 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,050 | $1,100 |
| Median home price | $301,000 | $194,700 |
| Population | 136K | 212K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Fargo | — | 9 h 25 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | Nightlife |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music | Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: NDSU football and graduation weekends… | Peak: Iowa State Fair, Drake Relays and big d… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.