West Fargo

West Fargo is located at 46°5218N 96°5342W (46.871749, 96.894966) The city is part of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the fifth largest city in the state of North Dakota with a population of 38,626. The city has a total area of 14.72 square miles (38.12 km²), of which 14.44 sq miles (37.40 km²) is land and 0.28sq miles (0.73 km²") is water. West Fargo is one of the state's fastest growing cities. The top six ethnic groups in the city are German, Norwegian, Norwegian (39%), Irish (7%), French (5%), English (4%) and Swedish (8.9%). The city's population is expected to grow to 38,000 by the 2020 census, making it North Dakota's fifth-largest city. It has a humid continental climate, with warm (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. The average household size is 2.49 and the average family size is 3.04. The median age is 32.6 years, with 26.9% of residents under the age of 18 living with them. The racial makeup of the city is 93.5% White, 2.0% African American, 1.4% Asian, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

Geography

West Fargo is the primary city name, but also Riverside are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is West Fargo, North Dakota. West Fargo is located at 46°5218N 96°5342W (46.871749, 96.894966) The city has a total area of 14.72 square miles (38.12 km²), of which 14.44 square miles is land and 0.73 km² is water. West Fargo is home to the Fargo River Authority, which runs through the city. The Fargo River is a tributary of the Red River, which flows through West Fargo. The Red River flows through the center of the city and into the Mississippi River. The river is a major source of water supply for West Fargo and the surrounding area. It is also a source of drinking water for the city, as it is located near the river's mouth. The city's population is about 14,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It has a population of 13,000 (as of the 2010 Census). The city is located in the Upper Midwest region of the United States, which includes the towns of Fargo, Thief River Falls, and Grand Rapids. It also includes the town of Fargo-Duluth, which is in the state of North Dakota, and the city of Grand Rapids, where the city is part of the Dakotas. The town of West Fargo was founded in 1858. It was named after West Fargo, a town in North Dakota that was once known as "West Fargo" It is located on the banks of the Little Cottonwood River.

Climate

West Fargo has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, West Fargo has an "Ffb" climate, meaning it has a warm-to-humid summers and a cold-and-dry winters. West Fargo is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. It is located on the North Dakota Turnpike, which runs through the town of Fargo. The town has a population of about 2,000, with the majority of its residents living in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The city has a reputation for being a hotbed of illegal activity, particularly among young people. It also has a history of violence, particularly against African-Americans, with several violent incidents reported in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It has been the site of a number of high-profile incidents, including the shooting of two police officers and the murder of a man and his wife in the early 1990s. The area has a long history of civil rights activism, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, when the Fargo City Council passed a bill that sought to protect the rights of the African-American community. It was the first city in the state to pass an anti-discrimination law, and the first in the nation to pass a law that protected the right to speak out against discrimination.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 25,830 people, 10,348 households and 6,823 families residing in the city. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04. The top six ancestry groups are German (47.9%), Norwegian (39.7%), Irish (8.3%), Swedish (7.2%), French (5.2%) and English (4.8%). The racial makeup of the city was 96.40% White, 0.42% African American, 1.04% Native American,0.28% Asian, 0.,02% Pacific Islander, 0,67% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population. The median income for a household was $51,542, and the median family income was $22,148. About 4.7% of families and 6.3% of those under 18 were below the poverty line, including 7.8% ofThose under 18 and 14 of those over 65. The city's median age was 32.6 years, with 26.9% of residents under the age of 18; 9.3%. were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.9%. were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 7. 8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup ofThe city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female. The population density was 1,788.8 inhabitants per square mile.

Law and government

The City of West Fargo is governed by a Board of City Commissioners, which consists of the President of the Board (Mayor) and four City Commissioners. The Police Department has grown from three officers in 1968, to 61 sworn officers as of 2018. The City Hall's most recent renovation concluded in 2016, which brought building inspections and information technology under the same roof and included secure underground police parking. The Public Works Department oversees streets, sewer and water, sanitation and forestry for the city. In 2015, West Fargo became a "North Dakota Cares" community. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple has "pledged $500,000 from his executive budget" to support "service members, veterans, families and survivors" The Business Development Department connects new and existing business owners and operators with city officials, helping to pave the way for the growth and expansion that is making West Fargo part of North Dakotas new economic frontier. The West Fargo Public Library is located in the Clayton A. Hoen Center at 215 3rd Street East in West Fargo. The library moved into this facility in 2005. The city holds an ISO Class 3 rating as well as a ISO 3 rating for its parks, including Scheels Soccer Complex, Veterans Memorial Arena, and Rustad Memorial Pool. West Fargo has a five-member park board; Barbbstoesser is the executive director of the Park District; and a Silverflake Search, an annual event, includes a chili cookoff and a sleigh ride.

Transportation

West Fargo works with North Dakota Department of Transportation, Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG), and Fargo Moorhead Metro Area Transit. The West Fargo Municipal Airport, 6 miles northwest of Fargo, is operated by the West Fargo Airport Authority and has a paved and lighted 3,300 x 50 foot runway. West Fargo is a member of the North Dakota Association of Counties (NACC) and the Fargo- Moorhead Council of Government (FCCG) The NACC is a non-profit organization that provides services to the community. The NCCC is based in Fargo, North Dakota, and has offices in Fargo and Moorhead. The WACC also has an office in Bismarck, N.D., which is located 6 miles north of Fargo. The agency's mission is to provide services for the citizens of West Fargo to meet their transportation needs. In addition, the WACS provides services in the form of a public transit system for West Fargo and the surrounding area. The city also has its own bus service, which is run by the WCCS-Fargo Metro Transit Authority (WFCT). The WCCT also provides services through the Fargo Moorheads Metro Transit System (FMRTS) and Fargo-Foorhead Metro Transit. WFCT also has a bus service in the city of Moorhead, which was established in the 1970s. The town has a contract with the NACS to provide bus service to Moorhead and Fargo.

Education

West Fargo Public Schools serves the city of West Fargo, much of southwestern Fargo, the suburb of Reile's Acres, and the communities of Horace and Harwood. Seven West Fargo residents are elected to serve on the school board, these residents govern the school district and serve 4-year terms. The board voted unanimously on Monday, March 26, to hire Beth Slette, a 25-year veteran of the district and current West Fargo assistant superintendent of elementary education. Slette took over for Dr. David Flowers who had served as superintendent since 2010. In January 2015, Superintendent David Flowers presented a 10-year RSP Associates demographics study which "predicts the district will continue to add between 400 and more than 600 students each year" The Hulbert Aquatic Facility will include the pool used for the USA Swimming trials for the 2016 Summer Olympics at the CenturyLink Center Omaha. The Omaha pool which was built by Myrtha Pools was dismantled after the competition and moved to West Fargo. It is named for the Hulberts who donated $1 million for the project. In 2015, "an education partnership" was "launched to help high school students in West Fargo, Fargo and Northern Cass school districts prepare for college and 21st century technical careers" While a business partnership exists between West Fargo High School and Microsoft, Cass County Career and Technical Education Consortium hopes to expand to diesel technology, information technology, aviation, science, technology and engineering. In 2016, West Fargo School's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program has taken top honors in several competitions, including the Technology Student Association State Competition.

Churches

Churches include Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Tabernacle churches. The church system was established in 1838. The first church was built in New York City in 1837. It was called the First Church of Christ the Redeemer. It is now called the Church of God in Christ the King in the Redemptorist Church. The Church of the Cross is the oldest church in the U.S. and is located in the town of St. Paul, Minnesota. It has been in existence since 1838 and was built on the site of the first church in Newburgh, New York. It dates back to the 17th century. The current church was founded in 1839. It stands on the same site as the original church in St. Peter's, Newburgh. It's located on the banks of the Red River River, near the city of St Peter's. It opened in 1836 and was originally called the St. John's Lutheran Church. Today it is known as St. Andrew Lutheran Church and is part of the Lutheran Church in the United States. It also has its own branch in St Paul, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was founded by Lutherans in the 1800s. Its name means "the church of the cross" or "the cross of God" in German and means "home of the Lord" in the German language. The name of the church is also used as a synonym for "God's word" in English.

Businesses

The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce is a bi-state organization representing over 2,000 firms and 94,000 people. The Chamber supports its members through "advocacy, education, and engagement" The city of West Fargo supports business owners through The West Fargo Economic Development Advisory Committee, West Fargo economic Development Department and City Assessor's Office.Technology companies with West Fargo locations, include: Applied Industrial Technologies, BNG Technologies, Data Technologies Inc. and Red Chair Solutions. The city also supports businesses through the city of Fargo-Moorhead and the Fargo-Fargo Chamber of commerce. The City of Fargo is the largest city in the state of North Dakota with a population of 1.9 million. The town has a population in excess of 1,000,000. It is the second-largest city in North Dakota after Fargo, Minnesota. It also has the third-largest population in the U.S. behind Fargo, Nebraska and Fargo, Iowa. The community is home to more than 1,500 businesses. The West Dakota Chamber ofCommerce supports businesses in the city through its membership of over 1,200 firms and over 94,00 people. It has a presence in Fargo- Moorhead as well as in Fargo, North Dakota and Fargo- Moorhead, South Dakota. It was founded in 1973 and is based in downtown Fargo, ND. The chamber has offices in West Fargo, Fargo, Moorhead, Fargo-Kanawha, Fargo and North Dakota.

Newspapers and magazines

West Fargo news is covered in several newspapers and magazines including: Area Woman Magazine, Fargo Forum, Fargo Monthly and Prairie Business. The West Fargo Pioneer is mailed free to every West Fargo resident. The Pioneer is published by West Fargo Press, which is a division of West Fargo Publishing, Inc. and is based in Fargo, North Dakota. West Fargo is a member of the North Dakota Press Association and the National Press Association. The North Dakota State University Alumni Association is also based in West Fargo. The University of North Dakota offers a journalism program called West Fargo Studies. The program offers students the opportunity to learn about the history of the state. The university also offers a business program, West Fargo Business, which teaches business skills to the public. The college's business program offers a certificate in business and finance, which can be earned through internships at local businesses. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offers a program called the West Fargo Women’s Club, which offers internships to women in the Fargo area. The club also offers an annual Woman of the Year award, which recognizes outstanding achievements in business, finance and community service. The award is presented by the U.N. Women”s Center for Women and Leadership, which honors women in Fargo and the Fargo-Moorhead area. It is also the home of the Fargo Forum and Fargo Monthly magazines. The Fargo Forum” is published in a quarterly magazine called Fargo Forum Magazine. The magazine is published on a bi-monthly basis and is mailed to all West Fargo residents.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in West Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota = 97. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 47. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in West Fargo = 3.1 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 38,626 individuals with a median age of 33.6 age the population grows by 54.22% in West Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,388.01 residents per square mile of area (922.03/km²). There are average 2.43 people per household in the 9,471 households with an average household income of $54,179 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 3.40% of the available work force and has dropped -4.22% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 28.16%. The number of physicians in West Fargo per 100,000 population = 331.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in West Fargo = 20.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 37.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 102. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 195. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and -3.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 52, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in West Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota which are owned by the occupant = 65.90%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 12 years with median home cost = $148,000 and home appreciation of 0.39%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $19.24 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,548 per student. There are 15.9 students for each teacher in the school, 391 students for each Librarian and 475 students for each Counselor. 10.29% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 18.71% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.53% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).