NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Fargo, ND

Metro Market Score 35.3 (Moderate), ranked #33 of 298 metros. 633 establishments, 12,222 jobs.

Metro Market Score 35.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Fargo's accommodation and food services sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 87.3. Combined with a 35.3 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

27.2

LQ: 0.91

Rank #81 of 298 metros

Wage Competitiveness

53.0

$25,132 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 87.3

Employment growth index

Rank #39 of 298 metros

Wage Pressure

57.3

YoY wage change index

633 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Fargo

633

Establishments

+2.8% YoY

12,222

Total Employment

+3.6% YoY

$25,132

Average Annual Wage

-0.6% YoY

0.91

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within North Dakota

#1 of 2

accommodation and food services metros in state

North Dakota state rank

#12 of 51

for accommodation and food services entry risk

vs State Median

-7.8

better than median (43.1)

Fargo vs North Dakota Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to North Dakota overall. The state ranks #12/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Fargo	ND Statewide
Overall Score	35.3 Moderate	29.5 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#33 of 298 metros	#12 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Fargo

Retail Trade 42.5 Administrative and Support Services 53.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 54.2 Construction 54.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 59.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 64.7 Other Services 67.5 Information 71.5 Finance and Insurance 72.7

Accommodation and Food Services in Other North Dakota Metros

Grand Forks 43.1 #67/298

Accommodation and Food Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Fargo's 35.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 35.3 #32/298 Lima, OH 35.3 #31/298 Kankakee, IL 35.5 #34/298 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD 35.8 #35/298 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 34.6 #30/298 Lincoln, NE 36.1 #36/298 Janesville-Beloit, WI 34.6 #29/298 Albany, OR 36.3 #37/298 Cedar Rapids, IA 34.4 #28/298 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT 34.4 #27/298

Accommodation and Food Services in States Bordering North Dakota

State-level entry risk for accommodation and food services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Minnesota 34.9 #19/51 South Dakota 36.7 #23/51 Montana 46.1 #39/51

Browse Accommodation and Food Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for accommodation and food services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Fargo's accommodation and food services sector, the wage competitiveness component (53.0) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Fargo, ND-MN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment