Moorhead is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Minnesota, United States, on the banks of the Red River of the North. Located in the Red River Valley, an extremely fertile and active agricultural region, Moorhead is also home to several corporations and manufacturing industries. Across the river from Fargo, North Dakota, Moorhead forms part of the core of the Fargo–Moorhead ND-MN Metropolitan Area. The population was 44,505 at the 2020 census. Moorhead is notably a hub of higher education in Minnesota, home to Minnesota State University Moorhead, Concordia College, and a campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College. Platted in 1871, the city was named for William Galloway Moorhead, an official of the Northern Pacific Railway.

History

The city was platted in 1871 and named for William Galloway Moorhead, a Northern Pacific Railway official and brother-in-law of financier Jay Cooke. The former Moorhead Armory on 5th Street South was the site of the intended concert destination for musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper before their fatal plane crash a few miles north of Clear Lake, Iowa around 1:00 am Tuesday February 3, 1959. The building was demolished in 1990 and is now the site of Ecumen Evergreens, a senior living property. Moorhead is home to the first Dairy Queen to sell Dilly Bars. The Moorhead Dairy Queen is also one of only a few Dairy Queens operating on a contract signed in 1949, which allows it to feature products not approved by corporate headquarters. An example includes a chipper sandwich, vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies and dipped in chocolate.

Geography

Moorhead is located adjacent to the Red River in the Red River Valley. The land around the Fargo–Moorhead area is some of the flattest and richest (for agricultural uses) in the world. This is because it lies on the lake bed of glacial Lake Agassiz, which drained between 9,900 and 11,000 years ago. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.290 sqmi, of which 22.283 sqmi is land and 0.007 sqmi is water.

Climate

Partly due to its location in the Great Plains, Moorhead has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb), with warm, humid summers and cold winters with around 53 inches of snow yearly.

Demographics

2020 census

According to the 2018–2022 American Community Survey, the racial composition was as follows: As of the 2020 census, there were 44,505 people, 17,063 households, and 10,064 families residing in the city. The population density was 1998.7 PD/sqmi. There were 18,348 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 81.6% White, 6.7% African American, 2.1% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from some other races and 6.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.3% of the population. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.8% were under 5 years of age, and 12.4% were 65 and older.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 38,065 people, 14,304 households, and 8,372 families residing in the city. The population density was 1922.3 PD/sqmi. There were 15,274 housing units at an average density of 771.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White, 2.0% African American, 1.5% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.1% of the population. There were 14,304 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the city was 28.3 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 23.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 20.5% were from 45 to 64; and 11.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following: As of the 2000 census, there were 32,177 people, 11,660 households, and 7,030 families living in the city. The population density was 2394.3 PD/sqmi. There were 12,180 housing units at an average density of 906.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.08% White, 0.77% African American, 1.94% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% of the population. There were 11,660 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 23.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,781, and the median income for a family was $49,118. Males had a median income of $33,137 versus $23,717 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,150. About 8.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Transportation

Moorhead has multiple transportation options available to residents with intercity buses, trains and air travel available in Fargo. Locally, the city is served with public transit by MATBUS. Interstate 94 and U.S. Highways 10, 52 (concurrent with I-94), and 75 are four of the main roadways in the city. Other nearby routes in the Fargo–Moorhead area include Interstate 29 and Minnesota State Highway 336.

Churches

Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran in America Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Lutheran Brethren Baptist Episcopal Evangelical Free United Church of Christ United Methodist Presbyterian Restorationism Apostolic Seventh-Day Adventist Other denominations

Economy

Agriculture remains prominent in the area, but Moorhead is also home to notable corporate, manufacturing and distribution industries, including American Crystal Sugar (corporate headquarters and sugar beet processing), Busch Agricultural Resources (malt manufacturing) and Pactiv (container manufacturing). The unemployment rate is consistently below the national average and property values are stable.

Top employers

According to the City's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

The Rourke Art Gallery and the Rourke Art Museum are native Moorhead cultural institutions hosting the annual Midwestern Invitational Exhibition. The museum displays an important art collection from local, regional and national artists. The Rourke Museum is housed in the historic Moorhead Post Office building. The city is also home to the Bluestem Amphitheater, a 3,000 seat outdoor amphitheater that opened in 2009 with a partnership between the Fargo Public Schools, the City of Moorhead, and an arts grant from the state of Minnesota. Bluestem hosts a summer concert series which has drawn many famous bands including Wilco, Goo Goo Dolls, The Beach Boys, and Weezer. The Bluestem Amphitheater is home to Trollwood Performing Arts School, a renowned summer arts and theater program for students of all ages. The Comstock House is a historic house museum, a blend of Queen Anne and Eastlake styles built in 1883. Solomon Comstock was a lawyer and U.S. House Representative.

Hjemkomst Center

The Hjemkomst Center is a local museum containing a full-scale replica of a Viking ship of the same name. The Hjemkomst vessel was built in nearby Hawley by Moorhead resident Robert Asp, and was sailed from Duluth to Oslo, Norway in 1982 by his children following Asp's death. The ship is now permanently housed in the center. The Clay County Museum and Archives, operated by the Clay County Historical Society, interprets the history of Clay County in a free museum in the lower level of the Hjemkomst Center. The Society has more than 30,000 artifacts in their collection, one of the largest and most important historic collections in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Located on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center is a stave church. The traditional Norwegian-style church serves as a symbol of the Norwegian heritage in the Red River Valley. The church is a full-scale replica of the Hopperstad Stave Church in Vik, Norway.

Museums

Theaters

Parks

Sports

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks is an independent professional baseball team that plays at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo. They are part of the American Association. Interstate Raceway is a dragstrip and drifting race facility southeast of the city of Moorhead, Minnesota. It features a 0.25 mi (0.40 km) dragstrip and concrete drift track.

Education

The city has four institutions of higher learning: Concordia College (private Christian liberal arts college), Minnesota State University Moorhead (public university), Minnesota State Community and Technical College (two-year to four-year technical college), and Rasmussen University (a two- to four-year college). The combined student enrollment of these colleges is approximately 14,000. K-12 education is provided to over 5,000 students by the Moorhead School District: S.G. Reinertsen Elementary, Robert Asp Elementary, Ellen Hopkins Elementary, Dorothy Dodds Elementary, Horizon Middle School and Moorhead High School. The district is known for its high student achievement with students consistently performing above the national average on the ACT. The district includes the cities of Moorhead, Georgetown, Kragnes, and Sabin. The city includes the Red River Area Learning Center and the Probstfield Center for Education. Park Christian School is a private Christian school in Moorhead providing a K–12 education as well as St. Joseph's, a Catholic elementary school. The former Moorhead Public Library, built in 1906, was located at 102 6th Street South was paid for by Andrew Carnegie and designed by architect Milton Earl Beebe. The current Moorhead Public Library is located at 118 5th Street South and is part of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library system.

Healthcare

Sanford Health Moorhead Clinic is part of the Sanford Health network, providing comprehensive healthcare services to the residents of Moorhead and nearby areas. The clinic offers family medicine, radiology, lab services, immunizations, and mammograms. Moorhead is also a key provider of senior healthcare services. The Moorhead Senior Citizens Center serves as a community hub for local seniors, offering a space for social activities and gatherings. Eventide Lutheran Home in Moorhead provides a range of care services, including assisted living, memory care, and long-term care for elderly residents.

Media

Notable people

In popular culture

Moorhead's pioneer Prairie Home Cemetery on 8th Street was the inspiration for the name of Garrison Keillor's national radio program, A Prairie Home Companion. Although Keillor thought the cemetery was founded by Norwegian Lutherans, in fact it was organized in 1875 by the Rev. Oscar Elmer, a Yankee Presbyterian minister who was the first ordained Christian minister in the Moorhead/Fargo area. The city was identified in the film The Big Lebowski as the hometown of Fawn Knutsen, who later went by the name Bunny Lebowski.