When I explain that I’ve moved from Denver, to Fort Lauderdale, to Fargo, people look at me funny. And I even sometimes look at myself in the mirror and question, “Why did I move to Fargo, ND of all places?!”
But there are many things I have grown to love about the area.
Moving to Fargo: What I Love
The Community
Coming into the Fargo/Moorhead/West Fargo (FMWF) area you can immediately feel the sense of community.
Sometimes it’s intimidating, because everyone seems to know each other and they all seem so close-knit.
Coming from a much larger city (two million plus population) you would be lucky if you ran into someone you knew out in town. That would be considered a weird scenario.
Whereas, here in the FMWF area, you could do an errand and end up running into several people you know and then go to have “supper” together (still not used to that, I call anything after 5:00 p.m. dinner).
Business Networking Opportunities
And the networking in this area has been amazing. For anyone in the business world, Business After Hours or any of the local events that the Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce puts together are a great way to connect with people in the community.
The events feel positive — everyone wants to see everyone else succeed in some way.
Affordability/Cost of Living
Although the cost of living wasn’t on the top of my list before regarding places to live, it is now. Prices in the FMWF area for affordable housing and basic needs at first seemed unreal to me. I remember looking at gas prices and thinking — no, that couldn’t be the true price!
And then going out for a date night, my husband and I couldn’t believe how cheap our meals and drinks were. We love not having to plan a large budget for date nights.
Close Proximity to Everything
The closeness of everything was another aspect of life in the Fargo-Moorhead area that I appreciate.
I am able to go from the north side of Fargo, from the airport or the Red Hawks baseball game, to our house in West Fargo in less than 30 minutes. In my previous home, a drive to the airport meant I would be doing a one-hour drive, or to go to Coors Field in Denver it was a two-hour commute to take the train to get downtown.
Lots of Family Activities
Being in a smaller city, we have been able to truly explore the area more. And I’m still finding a ton of new things to experience. Every weekend I keep wishing there were more hours in the day so I could go to all the events.
We have enjoyed checking out local landmarks, like the Fargo Theatre and the Moorhead Dairy Queen (and getting a picture in front of the giant Dilly Bar). And also visiting the Fargo Air Museum, a number of local parks, and scoping out kids activities and family-friendly events in our own neighborhood.
Midwest Appreciation
I’ve found the “Midwest nice” concept to be true. If you need something, someone will help you. The memes, the jokes, even the movie Fargo don’t emphasize what truly happens when you become immersed in the North Dakota spirit.
And I have embraced this Midwestern “North of Normal” spirit, taking family to the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Bureau for a picture next to the famous woodchipper. And now that my kids are getting older, I’ll be taking them out for evening events like the Red Hawks Baseball games in summer or the Fargo Force hockey games in the winter.
I had never seen a sundog, or even understood what a sundog was, until I got here. And if you want to appreciate open land, this is the place to do it.
Overall, there are many aspects to life in Fargo that I love, despite the extreme weather. And I have learned to appreciate the city, the surrounding area, and the kindness of the people in this region.
