City safety & data profile

Fergus FallsMN

Fergus Falls, MN is a 13K-resident city in Otter Tail County with a median household income of $56,162.

Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Fergus Falls, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Fergus Falls has a population larger than 19% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $194,000, and 2 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

13K
Population
Top 81%
By size
$56,162
Median income
$194,000
Median home
9.1%
Poverty rate

The read on Fergus Falls

Fergus Falls posts a median household income higher than 17% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 2 hospitals serve the Fergus Falls area.

Top 83%
by median income, US cities
2
hospitals in & near Fergus Falls

Where Fergus Falls income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$56,162 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. MN $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Fergus Falls, MN beyond the headline numbers

Fergus Falls sits inside Otter Tail County, Minnesota, at roughly 46.28°N, -96.08°W. Population 13,281, $56,162 median household income. Median home value $194,000, median rent $911. Poverty rate 9.1%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Fergus Falls's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 34.6%, then high blood pressure at 33%. 2 hospitals in/around Fergus Falls, 4/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Fergus Falls from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
13,281
Fergus Falls
Median Income
$56,162
-17% vs avg
Median Home Value
$194,000
-15% vs avg
Median Age
43.3
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Otter Tail County) - Fergus Falls's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
60K+5%
Median Income
$72,255+48%
Median Home Value
$273,000+71%
Poverty Rate
8.7%-26%
Unemployment
4.8%-21%

Economics

Economics indicators for Fergus Falls, MN
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$911/mo
Poverty Rate
9.1% -36% vs avg
Unemployment 7.2%
Bachelor's Degree+ 29.3%
Work From Home 7.3%
Public Transit 2.7%

Population

White 91.1%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.8%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.8%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
34.6%
High Blood Pressure
33%
Short Sleep Duration
31.1%
Physical Inactivity
27.3%
Binge Drinking
16.6%
Frequent Mental Distress
15.9%
Current Smoking
15.9%
Frequent Physical Distress
13.6%
Diabetes
11.9%
Current Asthma
10.3%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 65.2%
Annual Checkup 75.7%

Other Measures

Coronary Heart Disease
8.2%
Lack of Health Insurance
7.7%
Stroke
4.2%

Hospitals 2 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
1
★★★
0
★★
0
★
0
Average Rating
4/5
Total Hospitals
2
With ER
1
LAKE REGION HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
FERGUS FALLS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Fergus Falls, MN? ▼
Fergus Falls, MN has a population of 13,281 people, located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What is the median household income in Fergus Falls? ▼
The median household income in Fergus Falls, MN is $56,162 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 9.1%.
What is the median home value in Fergus Falls? ▼
The median home value in Fergus Falls, MN is $194,000. Median rent is $911/month.
What are the top health concerns in Fergus Falls? ▼
The top health indicators in Fergus Falls include Obesity (34.6%), High Blood Pressure (33%), Short Sleep Duration (31.1%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Fergus Falls? ▼
Fergus Falls has 2 hospitals with an average rating of 4/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Fergus Falls? ▼
The median age in Fergus Falls, MN is 43.3 years. 29.3% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Fergus Falls, MN is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. With a population of 13K and a $56,162 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and high blood pressure. Residents have access to 2 hospitals with an average rating of 4/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Fergus Falls area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Minnesota

Real-time AQI for every monitored Minnesota location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

Alexandria, MN 12K Moorhead, MN 42K Fargo, ND 119K West Fargo, ND 34K Willmar, MN 20K Bemidji, MN 15K Watertown, SD 22K Marshall, MN 14K
All cities in Minnesota → Compare Fergus Falls vs Alexandria → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Fergus Falls's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Fergus Falls area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Fergus Falls against Minnesota peers on any ranking lens. Explore Minnesota

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Otter Tail County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.