Fargo Moorhead’s economy consistently ranks among the highest of 381 metropolitan areas in vitality, according to Moody’s economy.com. Gains in income and employment have exceeded the national average for the past five years, and the region has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. Our community benefits from a diverse and solid base of industry that includes national and global names like Microsoft, John Deere, Bobcat, Case New Holland, Caterpillar, Nokia, Titan Machinery, U.S. Bank, Bank of the West, and Wells Fargo.
Economic Indicators
| Data | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Metro Product ($ billions) | 8.5 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.9 |
| Change over previous year (%) | 2.5 | 5.0 | 6.5 | -1.2 | 5.2 |
| Total Employment | 115,600 | 118,700 | 121,900 | 120,800 | 121,300 |
| Change over previous year (%) | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.7 | -0.9 | 0.5 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Personal Income Growth (%) | 7.4 | 7.2 | 11.3 | -2.1 | 4.6 |
Source: Moody’s economy.com, Oct. 2011
Employment by Industry
| Industry | Number Employed in Dec. 2012 | Change from Dec. 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Non-Farm | 132,400 | 4,200 |
| Total Private | 113,100 | 3,900 |
| Goods-Producing | 17,400 | 700 |
| Service-Providing | 115,000 | 3,500 |
| Private Service-Providing | 95,700 | 3,200 |
| - Natural Resource and Mining & Construction | 7,800 | 700 |
| Manufacturing | 9,600 | 0 |
| Trade, Transportation, & Utilities | 28,800 | 500 |
| - Wholesale Trade | 8,400 | 400 |
| - Retail Trade | 15,800 | 100 |
| - Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities | 4,600 | 0 |
| Information | 3,500 | 0 |
| Financial Activities | 9,400 | 300 |
| Professional & Business Services | 15,400 | 1,300 |
| Education & Health Services | 19,900 | 500 |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 13,600 | 500 |
| Other Services | 5,100 | 100 |
| Government | 19,300 | 300 |
Source: Job Service N.D., Current Employment Statistics
Employment by Occupation
| Occupation | Employment |
|---|---|
| Office & Administrative Support | 20,420 |
| Sales & Related Occupations | 14,810 |
| Food Prep & Serving-Related | 10,980 |
| Transportation & Materials Moving | 8,610 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Tech | 7,060 |
| Education, Training & Library | 7,000 |
| Production | 6,470 |
| Extraction & Construction | 5,820 |
| Management | 5,400 |
| Business & Financial Operations | 4,820 |
| Installation, Maintenance & Repair | 4,760 |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance | 4,250 |
| Personal Care Service | 4,240 |
| Computer & Mathematical Science | 3,750 |
| Healthcare Support | 3,440 |
| Community & Social Services | 1,920 |
| Architecture & Engineering | 1,920 |
| Art, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media | 1,860 |
| Protective Services | 1,490 |
| Life, Physical & Social Sciences | 880 |
| Legal | 440 |
| Farming, Fishing & Forestry | 270 |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2011
