Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Fargo, ND has a Safety Score of 7/100 — higher crime than 93% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,195.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,737 of 2,957 US cities and #9 of 9 in North Dakota.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Fargo, ND?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Fargo, North Dakota Safe?
Fargo, North Dakota, a city of over 120,000, sits on the Red River of the North, forming a metropolitan area with Moorhead, Minnesota. Home to North Dakota State University, it's a regional hub for agriculture and technology.
Fargo has a safety score of 7/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,195.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Fargo ranks #9 out of 9 cities in North Dakota and #2737 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 7th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 93% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Fargo is burglary, at 741.4 per 100K — 2.5x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.7x the national rate.
Year over year, Fargo's total crime rate decreased by 4.5%, with violent crime declining 3.3%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Fargo Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 676 | 498.2 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 6 | 4.4 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 139 | 102.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 105 | 77.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 426 | 314.0 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 5,016 | 3,696.9 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 1,006 | 741.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 3,529 | 2,600.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 481 | 354.5 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Fargo vs North Dakota Average
How does Fargo's crime rate compare to the North Dakota state average?
| Metric | Fargo | North Dakota Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 498.2 | 354.0 | +40.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,696.9 | 2,471.4 | +49.6% |
| Murder Rate | 4.4 | 3.1 | +42.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,195.1 | 2,825.4 | +48.5% |
Fargo Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Fargo, North Dakota.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 135,682 | 4,195.1 | 498.2 | 3,696.9 |
| 2023 | 134,268 | 4,394.2 | 515.4 | 3,878.8 |
| 2022 | 127,649 | 4,788.9 | 622.8 | 4,166.1 |
| 2021 | 127,313 | 4,898.2 | 523.1 | 4,375.0 |
| 2020 | 126,927 | 3,955.0 | 464.8 | 3,490.2 |
| 2019 | 127,423 | 3,572.4 | 450.5 | 3,121.9 |
Fargo Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Fargo and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: North Dakota crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fargo, North Dakota safe?
Fargo has a safety score of 7/100, meaning it has less crime than about 7% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,195.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Fargo is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Fargo, North Dakota?
According to FBI data for 2024, Fargo has a violent crime rate of 498.2 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,696.9 per 100,000 residents.
How does Fargo compare to the national average?
Fargo's total crime rate of 4,195.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 135,682 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Fargo?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Fargo are larceny-theft (3,529 reported incidents) and burglary (1,006 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 7.4x in the city.
Is Fargo safe to visit?
Like any city, Fargo has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 7/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.