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Well, Fargo isn't bad at all. It's right at that cusp between a city and a true metropolis where crime is low (but slowly growing), you can still talk to the police without wondering if they will beat you down with a nightstick, housing is cheap, and jobs are somewhat available (though in this economy that isn't saying much). The pay around here is a major drawback, even with the cost of living figured into the whole picture. It is a major problem in Fargo and North Dakota in general, the outflow of the youth after graduation...most of whom never return. In fact not more than a few years ago, the city and state were looking at ways to stop the exodus of the younger adults...and it still is an unresolved problem. If you do have children in Fargo, expect them to leave the city and not return once they graduate or go off to college.
It is a great place to raise a family if you have children or plan to have them soon, but if you are single be prepared to head out of town if you want some variety of potential marriage partners. Also, if you like Country, Top 40, Jazz, or Rock you are in luck as there are a variety of live and DJ'ed music sets in Fargo. Like anything beyond that and you are out of luck.
The major complaint heard from 18-30 year olds is the lack of activities for singles or those looking to 'club'. If you want anything more than listening to a DJ play a cd at the local bar, some mediocre local bands, or the occational big name act at the Fargo Dome you are going to need to head for Minneapolis...which is 3-4 hours by car...one way.
Personally, I would suggest Minneapolis over Fargo. Same climate, same friendliness, more culture, more people, more opprotunities (love, career, etc) for someone as young as yourself. Fargo really is more for the 'raising a family in a safe environment' crowd, or those who set down roots and never left. You *will* go stir-crazy in Fargo if you are used to any kind of city culture. I have lived in Fargo a majority of my life so I'm used to the limitations, but after living in Kansas City for a few years and then returning, even I got 'cabin fever' from the very slow pace of things and the limitations of culture. Don't get me wrong, there are many things to do as people will point out but that doesn't mean they are things that will interest you....
Yes, the winters are tough as in the cold is constent and we often have white-out condition blizzards. The cold weather will last 6-8 months of the year, often starting in October and ending in May. The Spring will find the Red River (the river that seperates Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN) flooding almost every year so take river flooding into account if you do decide to find housing here. This also means that your car will be in need of a car wash weekly for most of the year because Fargo uses sand to de-ice the city roads, not salt. Summers can get hot, between 80-90...and upward. One thing seldom mentioned is it is WINDY. There is hardly a day in the summer when you won't have a steady wind. If you are not careful and use some Deet, the Minnesota State Bird will drain you dry and leave you ichy (mosquitos are HORRID around here in the summer months).
On the upside, the air is crisp and clean and if you like star gazing just head west on the interstate for 5-10 minutes, get off on a county road and just look up...you will be amazed how much is visable compared to other areas of the country where the city lights wash out the night sky.
There are more pros and cons but I am sure this is too long of a post as it is...All in all Fargo isn't a bad place to live. Just bland and lacking culture. Great for raising kids in a safe environment but the kids themselves will probably hate it. I know I and many of my friends who were raised in Fargo just despised the lack of activites and culture.
Well, Fargo isn't bad at all. It's right at that cusp between a city and a true metropolis where crime is low (but slowly growing), you can still talk to the police without wondering if they will beat you down with a nightstick, housing is cheap, and jobs are somewhat available (though in this economy that isn't saying much). The pay around here is a major drawback, even with the cost of living figured into the whole picture. It is a major problem in Fargo and North Dakota in general, the outflow of the youth after graduation...most of whom never return. In fact not more than a few years ago, the city and state were looking at ways to stop the exodus of the younger adults...and it still is an unresolved problem. If you do have children in Fargo, expect them to leave the city and not return once they graduate or go off to college.
It is a great place to raise a family if you have children or plan to have them soon, but if you are single be prepared to head out of town if you want some variety of potential marriage partners. Also, if you like Country, Top 40, Jazz, or Rock you are in luck as there are a variety of live and DJ'ed music sets in Fargo. Like anything beyond that and you are out of luck.
The major complaint heard from 18-30 year olds is the lack of activities for singles or those looking to 'club'. If you want anything more than listening to a DJ play a cd at the local bar, some mediocre local bands, or the occational big name act at the Fargo Dome you are going to need to head for Minneapolis...which is 3-4 hours by car...one way.
Personally, I would suggest Minneapolis over Fargo. Same climate, same friendliness, more culture, more people, more opprotunities (love, career, etc) for someone as young as yourself. Fargo really is more for the 'raising a family in a safe environment' crowd, or those who set down roots and never left. You *will* go stir-crazy in Fargo if you are used to any kind of city culture. I have lived in Fargo a majority of my life so I'm used to the limitations, but after living in Kansas City for a few years and then returning, even I got 'cabin fever' from the very slow pace of things and the limitations of culture. Don't get me wrong, there are many things to do as people will point out but that doesn't mean they are things that will interest you....
Yes, the winters are tough as in the cold is constent and we often have white-out condition blizzards. The cold weather will last 6-8 months of the year, often starting in October and ending in May. The Spring will find the Red River (the river that seperates Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN) flooding almost every year so take river flooding into account if you do decide to find housing here. This also means that your car will be in need of a car wash weekly for most of the year because Fargo uses sand to de-ice the city roads, not salt. Summers can get hot, between 80-90...and upward. One thing seldom mentioned is it is WINDY. There is hardly a day in the summer when you won't have a steady wind. If you are not careful and use some Deet, the Minnesota State Bird will drain you dry and leave you ichy (mosquitos are HORRID around here in the summer months).
On the upside, the air is crisp and clean and if you like star gazing just head west on the interstate for 5-10 minutes, get off on a county road and just look up...you will be amazed how much is visable compared to other areas of the country where the city lights wash out the night sky.
There are more pros and cons but I am sure this is too long of a post as it is...All in all Fargo isn't a bad place to live. Just bland and lacking culture. Great for raising kids in a safe environment but the kids themselves will probably hate it. I know I and many of my friends who were raised in Fargo just despised the lack of activites and culture.
My sis and I hated growing up in Amarillo, TX for the same reasons, but when she had kids she returned, and I'm looking for a similar, 'boring', place. No way I'd raise kids in Dallas, Houston, NYC.
I don't even have kids (never will) and I'm looking for a small, quiet, peaceful (some would say "boring") town to live in. I'm just a small town guy, visited big cities but couldn't imagine living there on a day to day basis. I like visiting big cities occasionally but would never want the stress and daily grind of living there. I realize that makes me an extreme minority, but I don't care. If I want the "action" of the big city, I can always do a day's drive to Minneapolis or Chicago, or hop on a plane or train and visit NYC or LA. There's no reason I have to live in the big city rat race 24/7, though.
Then I would say Fargo would be perfect for both of you! It's just big enough to give you a variety of things to do, small enough that you don't have the crime and bad-attitude that is associated with the bigger cities. On the flip side you also don't need to worry about sneezing and having the person 3 houses down saying "God Bless You" (I.E. everyone around you knows your business) like some of the smaller towns such as Mapleton or Castleton.
I wouldn't suggest any small towns besides the bedroom communities around Fargo. The reason for this is the smaller towns are close-knit communities where the people that live there have multiple generations of history in those communities.
They often will be nice to you but standoff-ish even if you have lived there for +10 years. I have a relative that moved to a small town in western North Dakota from Minneapolis and has never been fully accepted by the community, nor were their children but their grandchildren finally were (so it can take generations for a family to be accepted by the community).
Also, there is an unspoken rift between those who live in western North Dakota and those who live in eastern North Dakota, mainly because of the 'country vs. city' feelings, though it is felt more by those who move from the east to the west rather than the other way around. Just a heads up in case you are looking to settle further west.
I joined this forum so I could respond to this thread. As of right now I live and work in California but I bought a place a few miles out of Rugby. By my name you probably realize I am Caucasian my wife is Mexican and Apache. I bought my place on line and the first time we went to Rugby will have to admit that we were stared at the first time we walked into a restaurant but as soon as we told people that we had bought a place and would be moving there sometime in the future it was like we had just come home. I have never lived anyplace that people were this friendly and considerate. It is true that you don't see a lot of blacks and when I have they weren’t treated any different than anyone else. I live in relatively small town now and to be honest a city of 90,000 is too big for me. I can only go to North Dakota on vacations but am looking forward to the day it becomes permanent. We have black friends that will be coming to visit us when we become permanent residents and I think they will like it here also and I don't worry about anyone mistreating our friends.
I went to visit family in JUNE and it was in the 50's! I visited for two weeks and I am pretty sure we had all four seasons of weather during the 2 weeks I was there. I have been there a couple of times in the summer...it was cold, had to go shopping for clothes, I have been there in January, BRRRRSSSSHHHHY! And I have been there in April. Equally as cold!
North Dakota is a great place if you like driving for hours to find something to do, if you like endless pastures for scenery, and and cuts like a knife COLD wind!
It is a nice place to visit....not to live for me.
I went to visit family in JUNE and it was in the 50's!
Oh good lord, STOP it. You're KILLING me! I can't WAIT to get to North Dakota. I'm sitting here typing on the computer at 12:30 in the morning and there is sweat running down my forehead. Heat sucks. Give me the cold any day.
Keep in mind, shortness of the growing season is what limits North Dakota in the selections of what crops to grow.
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