Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead is a city of 45,036 people in Clay County, Minnesota, founded in 1871.
Why visit Moorhead
Townapedia lists 59 museums and landmarks, 121 parks and trails, 172 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Minnesota State University Moorhead, Bluestem Amphitheater, Plains Art Museum and Comstock House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 0°F, and about 53 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Moorhead
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Moorhead
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 home to several corporations and manufacturing industries. Across the river from Fargo, North Dakota and next to Dilworth, Minnesota, Moorhead forms part of the core of the Fargo–Moorhead ND-MN Metropolitan Area. The population was 44,505 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Moorhead, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Minnesota State University Moorhead
School · 0.8 mi
University in Moorhead, Minnesota
1104 7th Avenue South, Moorhead
Bluestem Amphitheater
Cinema and theater · 4.0 mi
801 50th Avenue South, Moorhead
Fargo-Moorhead Toll Bridge
Bridge · 2.2 mi
Toll bridge over the Red River of the Horth bridging North Dakota and Minnesota
North Dakota State University
School · 3.2 mi
Public university in Fargo, North Dakota
Roland Dille Center for the Arts
Cinema and theater · 0.8 mi
801 13th Street South, Moorhead
Museums and landmarks59
Plains Art Museum
Museum · 2.4 mi
Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
704 1st Avenue North, Fargo
Mo,We,Fr 11:00-17:00; Tu,Th 11:00-21:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su off
Comstock House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Downtown Fargo District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
NRHP historic district in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.A.
Fargo Oak Grove Residential Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic district in North Dakota, United States
Fargo South Residential District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic district in North Dakota, United States
Fargo Theatre
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Theater and movie theater in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.A.
314 North Broadway Drive
M.E. Beebe Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic district in Fargo, North Dakota, United States
North Dakota State University District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic district in Fargo, North Dakota, United States
North Side Fargo Builder's Residential Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic district in North Dakota, United States
North Side Fargo High Style Residential Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic district in North Dakota, United States
Barrington Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Multifamily residential in Fargo, United States of America
47 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds121
El Zagal Golf Course
Golf course · 2.8 mi
1400 Elm Street N, Fargo
109 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes172
Black Coffee and Waffle Bar
Cafe · Breakfast, Brunch · 2.2 mi
550 2nd Avenue North, Fargo
Mo-Su 07:00-19:00
Hen House Bar & Restaurant
Restaurant · Pizza, Bar And Grill · 2.3 mi
937 37th Avenue South, Moorhead
Su-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-02:00
JD's BBQ - Fargo
Restaurant · Barbecue, American · 2.7 mi
1322 Main Avenue, Fargo
Tu-We 11:00-19:00; Th-Sa 11:00-20:00
Junkyard Brewing
Brewery and winery · Pizza · 1.0 mi
1416 1st Avenue North
Mo-Th 16:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 12:00-22:00
160 more on the map.
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.
Early on, Moorhead had a reputation as a sin city; since alcohol was prohibited in North Dakota, residents of Fargo and other cities came to Moorhead to drink. In a September 1933 referendum, Clay County voted to reject the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, a vote that made it a dry county according to Minnesota law. In April 1937, Clay County voted to allow alcohol sales, with almost half the affirmative votes coming from Moorhead voters.
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 a.m. on February 3, 1959. The building was demolished in 1990 and is now the site of Ecumen Evergreens, a senior living property.
From the History section of Moorhead, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Churches and places of worship50
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Shopping35
Gas and EV charging31
Schools, colleges and libraries63
Healthcare20
Essentia South University Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.6 mi
1702 South University Drive, Fargo
Sanford Medical Building
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.7 mi
1717 South University Drive, Fargo
Map of Moorhead
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17°F | 0°F | 0.7 in | 12.2 in |
| Feb | 23°F | 4°F | 0.7 in | 7.7 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 18°F | 1.3 in | 9.3 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 32°F | 1.7 in | 4.0 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 48°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 36°F | 2.5 in | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.1 in | 8.0 in |
| Dec | 23°F | 8°F | 0.9 in | 10.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Moorhead (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Clay County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-05-10: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-04-19: Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Moorhead Municipal Airport (JKJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Dilworth 2 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- Fargo 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- Sabin 7 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Reile's Acres 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- West Fargo 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Glyndon 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Harwood 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Horace 11 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Detroit Lakes 43 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fergus Falls 51 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2009-0522-Moorhead-CityHall, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878301254, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878295224, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878408663, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787573835, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787657273, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787395962, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787603356, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- IMG Comstock House - Moorhead, MN495, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878298114, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878289684, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787657693, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878282175, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878304874, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9787385321, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878288894, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878407543, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878303146, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878300246, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878397283, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878396293, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Comstock House - Moorhead, MN - 9878284875, Minnesota Local History & Historic Preservation, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Moorhead Public Library, 2024, Mx. Granger, CC0
- Moorhead City Hall Building, Minnesota (27757211578), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Burnham Building; Moorhead, MN, Billybob2002, CC BY 4.0
- Burnham Building; Moorhead, MN; photo 2, Billybob2002, CC BY 4.0
- Plains Art Museum - Fargo, AJ LEON, CC BY 2.0
- Fargo Theatre - Fargo, AJ LEON, CC BY 2.0
- National Registered Historic Places North Side Fargo Builders Historic District, Cent2Fargo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- M.E. Bebe Historic District, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FargoND OakGroveResidentialHD 3, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Registered Historic Places North Side Fargo High Style Residential Historic District a, Cent2Fargo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NorthernPacificRailwayDepot FargoND, Rtchester, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FargoND GeorgeAndBethAndersonHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Registered Historic Places Fargo City Detention Hospital b, Cent2Fargo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Registered Historic Places James Holes House, Cent2Fargo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- HouseinFargo, Jeanqueq, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fargo - Black Building 01, P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0
- Barrington Apartments - Fargo, ND, Cent2Fargo, CC BY-SA 4.0
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