I-94 at the I-29 corridor · Otter Tail County

Fergus Falls

Minnesota · 14,246 people

An hour from Fargo, a lake in nearly every direction, and a hospital that means you don't drive to the metro for care.

Photo: Fergus Falls Area Chamber / Jesse Thorstad

Population: 14,246 (2025 est.)
County: Otter Tail — Minnesota's lake country
Median property value: $194,000 (2024, city)
Hospital: Lake Region Healthcare

The place

Fergus Falls is the county seat of Otter Tail County — lake country, and one of the most water-rich counties in Minnesota. Otter Tail Power is headquartered here, Lake Region Healthcare runs the hospital, and the school district is the second-largest employer in town.

Otter Tail County's lakes — over a thousand of them, most within a short drive.
Otto the Otter in Grotto Park, the town's own landmark.
A historic downtown anchored by the county courthouse and city hall.
SummerFest, when the whole county comes to Main Street.
A full hospital in a town of 14,000.

Getting around

Fargo, ND: ~1 hour
Minneapolis–St. Paul: ~2h45
Winnipeg, MB: ~4h30
Nearest commercial airport: Hector International, ~1 hour

Housing

Median property value in the city was $194,000 in 2024 — up about 12% year over year, and well below the metro figures an hour up the interstate. The wider Fergus Falls micro area sits nearer $273,000.

The community, as it photographs itself

Main streets, festivals, working days.

Aerial view of Spies Park in Fergus Falls · Fergus Falls Area Chamber / Jesse Thorstad

Fergus Falls riverfront and downtown · Visit Fergus Falls

Local scene shared by Visit Fergus Falls · Visit Fergus Falls

Summer in Fergus Falls, from the tourism feed · Visit Fergus Falls

Who hires here

The employer base, sector by sector.

Otter Tail Corporation / Otter Tail Power

Energy & utilities

Headquartered in Fergus Falls.

Fergus Falls Public Schools

Education

About 500 staff — the second-largest employer in town.

Lake Region Healthcare

Healthcare

Hospital plus affiliated clinics and services.

Otter Tail County & City of Fergus Falls

Public sector

County-seat administration and services.

PioneerCare

Senior care

Senior living and care community.

Northern Contours

Manufacturing

Surfacing and component manufacturing.

Healthcare

Lake Region Healthcare — Fergus Falls Hospital plus clinics and specialty services, so most care stays in town.
PioneerCare for senior living and long-term care.
Specialist referrals run an hour to Fargo rather than three to the Twin Cities.

Schools and training

Fergus Falls Public Schools (ISD 544) — hosts the Blondeau Fine Arts Festival, running since 1998.
M State — Minnesota State Community and Technical College has a Fergus Falls campus for trades and technical programs.
Employer-linked apprenticeship pathways through the utility and manufacturing base.

Arriving here

You will not be the first.

A smaller foreign-born population than the corridor's larger cities — 278 residents, about 2.0%.
Statewide Minnesota DHS resettlement network services cover the West Central region.
A town where an employer referral and a hockey rink do most of the settling work.

A year in Fergus Falls

SummerFest — The Great Fergus Falls Get-Together · Early June: Parade, vendors, lumberjack show and live music across a full weekend.
Blondeau Fine Arts Festival · Spring: ISD 544 high school fine-arts showcase, running since 1998.

In the database near Fergus Falls