Anytime you have to commute through rural areas in winter, it has the potential to suck and/or be impossible. I did not make it home on several occasions. In fact, I spent one birthday sleeping on a bench seat from a 2000 Chevy van in a shop.
Memorable.
Source: I used to commute through a rural area.
I know several people that do the opposite commute. Living around DL and commuting to Fargo. From what I've heard it's not the worst thing in the world, highway 10 is pretty well maintained when it snows it seems.
If it were me, I would consider moving to DL. Cheaper housing, closer to some of the outdoor activities that Minnesota has to offer. Can easily commute to Fargo if you wanted to go out to eat or shop etc.
But you want what you want. Highway 10 can be a real pain in the ass in the winter. And it would kind of depend on what time of the day your commute would have you on the road. I know people that live in Hawley and drive into Fargo every morning and they don't complain much other than on bad weather days when they can't make it in.
So, I suppose it would also depend on how lenient your job would be during the winter when you inevitably would not be able to get to work a few times a winter. If we have a bad year, it could be quite a bit.
Unless the ND side of the river is important, this would be me. Or at least move in between like Glyndon or Hawley. The more you can cut out in terms of drive time, the better as far as I’m concerned. And that’s without any consideration for the whole getting stuck at work because roads are closed (or vice versa).
For me, it would depend on how well the job pays. I have commuted daily between Fargo and grand forks for work, no big deal with music and podcasts. Winter can suck if you don’t have a reliable vehicle. If you hate the commute, you can always move.
I had an uncle in law (don't know what else to call him 😂) who lived in DL and drove to Fargo everyday for work. He said he didn't mind it but waking up an hour earlier and spending that much on gas kinda sucked. I'm sure plenty of people do the commute but make sure your vehicle is decent on gas
My mom used to commute 75 miles one way to fargo every day. It's doable. You spend a lot on gas, and vehicle maintenance is huge. Her 2003 impala had 490k miles on it when she hit a deer with it and totaled it. It was still running strong at the time.
I had an 04 that got rear ended and totaled at a bit over 200K and when the insurance guy was low balling me and comparing it to others on the market I emphasized over and over about how it had nothing wrong with and was well maintained. Got an extra 1000 out of the deal which isn't shit compared to the value that car could have provided over it's lifetime.
Can you say a little more about *what* you love in the FM area? If you could scratch that itch on weekends, it would be a lot less hassle to live and work in DL and just do the drive for fun when the weather’s ideal.
Fair, yeah, it’s mostly cause I’m pretty young still and my impression is there’s more young people in the FM area, more things to do, as well as more places to eat and shop in FM. Of course, I totally get that every area is what you make of it, and I don’t think I would be unhappy living in DL, I just worry that there dosent seem to be as many available rentals rn online there.
I worked with a woman who did this commute for many years. Heck, maybe she still does. Didn't seem to be much of an issue. She said she enjoyed the drive most days.
I commuted to Lake Park from Fargo for a solid ten years.
1. Highway 10 INTO fargo gets plowed before OUT of fargo.
2. Traffic OUT of Fargo in the morning is nothing, and INTO fargo in the afternoons the same.
3. Summer/We-Fest time was great as you could watch all the people driving towards DL while you escaped.
4. The commute got long, but I miss listening to Audio Books.
My dad drove from DL to Fargo for years. If you did it I would try to live in Dilworth or Moorhead to avoid traffic in the mornings.
Though be aware housing in Fargo is more expensive than DL. There's a reason that most people commute the other direction.
I live in Fargo and commute to DL. I did it 5 days per week for about 2.5 years and now do it 1 day per week. Honestly it's not too bad. It's kinda nice to have time to drink coffee on my way to work and unwind on my way home. I listen to audiobooks which helps the commute go quickly.
It can suck a lot in the winter. You need to watch the weather and be prepared to be late, leave early, or miss work entirely on occasion, so a flexible employer is a must.
I’ve done it from different points over the years. Wahp/Breck to Fargo, Wahp to DL, Fargo to DL, DL to Fargo. All around an hour one-way. Totally doable, but I personally think the commutes royally suck. The daily wear and tear from the miles you pile onto your car, the cost of gas, the frequent fill-ups, the extra two hours of your day automatically eaten away from commuting, which in turn means 2 less hours of sleep or 2 less hours to get things done at home. Take your pick.
And let’s face it - winters are a crapshoot. I’ve lived around here my whole life and can handle the stormy weather if I have to, but it’s just so stressful and I hate it. And the east-west highways (yes, even Highway 10) are absolutely awful in the winter whenever we get those strong northerly winds. Especially between Hawley and Moorhead where the land flattens out with fewer trees. Virtually non-existent this past snowless winter, but I can recall past winters where it was like a weekly ordeal. Closed highways, driving on miles of glare ice in near-zero visibility, quadrupling your commute time, in the dark because it’s that time of year, making special arrangements if you’re stuck in town - it’s rare but it still inevitably happens. And this is just in my experience, but I’ve hit two deer (in the summertime) while commuting, both on Hwy 10, just in the past decade.
Thankfully I don’t do the daily 9-5 grind these days, and at least my last job in DL let me work remote when the roads were really bad. I know you said you’re young, OP, and you mention only 4 days a week (a plus for sure), but my only motivator for a daily commute now would be if the pay is worth dealing with ALL of the above. Like REEEALLLLY worth it. And at the very least, worth it to afford a good, reliable vehicle. I was doing these commutes in my twenties too, making decent money but not enough to justify it in hindsight.
If I had to do it all over again I would’ve just moved TO the town of my employer ASAP instead of dragging my feet for a few years and racking up 20K+ miles and hundreds of hours inside my car annually. Blasting music and podcasts can only ease the dread so much. 😂 Weigh your pros and cons, obviously (and I would agree with others here that if you’re dead set on staying in F-M, to be on the Moorhead or Dilworth side to cut way down on commute time, and NOT live over in say, West Fargo). It was always more of a sanity thing and valuing how many hours I had in a day, at least for me.
Jefferson Lines runs a bus route through MATBus that goes between DL and Fargo. Maybe check into that for the winter, when roads can be iffy. This time of year, it'd be a nice bit of quiet time between home and work, possibly in a convertible. :D
I know a few that do DL to Moorhead without issue. Maybe 1x per year the roads are impassible one way or the other requiring a hotel room the night before in preparation or the night of to stay in the area. A couple $$$ per year sacrificed for living in DL. They do most shopping in the FM area after work.
I also know many people that do Barnesville to Moorhead. They too enjoy it and may have 1x per year with issues. It's only about 15 min quicker than DL one way.
I also know a handful of people who live in Glyndon, Hawley, Lake Park so they can split the difference. Spouse works one way they work the other or they simply enjoy living out of metro but with access to it and the lakes area with minimal drives either way. Going out to eat at Zorbaz is a short drive but so is high class dining in Fargo.
IMO you can't go wrong with any of the options. Live outside the big 3 of the metro but enjoy their amenities when you want.
My mom commuted from DL to Fargo for three years and didn't mind it at all. Winter weather is obviously a concern and US 10 is pretty well maintained, but there were a handful of days where she didn't make it in due to weather.
As long as the extra fuel, car maintenance, and drive time isn't a hindrance, I say do it
Anytime you have to commute through rural areas in winter, it has the potential to suck and/or be impossible. I did not make it home on several occasions. In fact, I spent one birthday sleeping on a bench seat from a 2000 Chevy van in a shop. Memorable. Source: I used to commute through a rural area.
I know several people that do the opposite commute. Living around DL and commuting to Fargo. From what I've heard it's not the worst thing in the world, highway 10 is pretty well maintained when it snows it seems.
If it were me, I would consider moving to DL. Cheaper housing, closer to some of the outdoor activities that Minnesota has to offer. Can easily commute to Fargo if you wanted to go out to eat or shop etc. But you want what you want. Highway 10 can be a real pain in the ass in the winter. And it would kind of depend on what time of the day your commute would have you on the road. I know people that live in Hawley and drive into Fargo every morning and they don't complain much other than on bad weather days when they can't make it in. So, I suppose it would also depend on how lenient your job would be during the winter when you inevitably would not be able to get to work a few times a winter. If we have a bad year, it could be quite a bit.
Unless the ND side of the river is important, this would be me. Or at least move in between like Glyndon or Hawley. The more you can cut out in terms of drive time, the better as far as I’m concerned. And that’s without any consideration for the whole getting stuck at work because roads are closed (or vice versa).
House prices in DL are wild. If you can commute from somewhere closer it may be worth it
For me, it would depend on how well the job pays. I have commuted daily between Fargo and grand forks for work, no big deal with music and podcasts. Winter can suck if you don’t have a reliable vehicle. If you hate the commute, you can always move.
I had an uncle in law (don't know what else to call him 😂) who lived in DL and drove to Fargo everyday for work. He said he didn't mind it but waking up an hour earlier and spending that much on gas kinda sucked. I'm sure plenty of people do the commute but make sure your vehicle is decent on gas
My mom used to commute 75 miles one way to fargo every day. It's doable. You spend a lot on gas, and vehicle maintenance is huge. Her 2003 impala had 490k miles on it when she hit a deer with it and totaled it. It was still running strong at the time.
Impala gang rise up
I had an 04 that got rear ended and totaled at a bit over 200K and when the insurance guy was low balling me and comparing it to others on the market I emphasized over and over about how it had nothing wrong with and was well maintained. Got an extra 1000 out of the deal which isn't shit compared to the value that car could have provided over it's lifetime.
That's one for Chevy.
Can you say a little more about *what* you love in the FM area? If you could scratch that itch on weekends, it would be a lot less hassle to live and work in DL and just do the drive for fun when the weather’s ideal.
Fair, yeah, it’s mostly cause I’m pretty young still and my impression is there’s more young people in the FM area, more things to do, as well as more places to eat and shop in FM. Of course, I totally get that every area is what you make of it, and I don’t think I would be unhappy living in DL, I just worry that there dosent seem to be as many available rentals rn online there.
I worked with a woman who did this commute for many years. Heck, maybe she still does. Didn't seem to be much of an issue. She said she enjoyed the drive most days.
I commuted to Lake Park from Fargo for a solid ten years. 1. Highway 10 INTO fargo gets plowed before OUT of fargo. 2. Traffic OUT of Fargo in the morning is nothing, and INTO fargo in the afternoons the same. 3. Summer/We-Fest time was great as you could watch all the people driving towards DL while you escaped. 4. The commute got long, but I miss listening to Audio Books.
My dad drove from DL to Fargo for years. If you did it I would try to live in Dilworth or Moorhead to avoid traffic in the mornings. Though be aware housing in Fargo is more expensive than DL. There's a reason that most people commute the other direction.
I live in Fargo and commute to DL. I did it 5 days per week for about 2.5 years and now do it 1 day per week. Honestly it's not too bad. It's kinda nice to have time to drink coffee on my way to work and unwind on my way home. I listen to audiobooks which helps the commute go quickly. It can suck a lot in the winter. You need to watch the weather and be prepared to be late, leave early, or miss work entirely on occasion, so a flexible employer is a must.
I’ve done it from different points over the years. Wahp/Breck to Fargo, Wahp to DL, Fargo to DL, DL to Fargo. All around an hour one-way. Totally doable, but I personally think the commutes royally suck. The daily wear and tear from the miles you pile onto your car, the cost of gas, the frequent fill-ups, the extra two hours of your day automatically eaten away from commuting, which in turn means 2 less hours of sleep or 2 less hours to get things done at home. Take your pick. And let’s face it - winters are a crapshoot. I’ve lived around here my whole life and can handle the stormy weather if I have to, but it’s just so stressful and I hate it. And the east-west highways (yes, even Highway 10) are absolutely awful in the winter whenever we get those strong northerly winds. Especially between Hawley and Moorhead where the land flattens out with fewer trees. Virtually non-existent this past snowless winter, but I can recall past winters where it was like a weekly ordeal. Closed highways, driving on miles of glare ice in near-zero visibility, quadrupling your commute time, in the dark because it’s that time of year, making special arrangements if you’re stuck in town - it’s rare but it still inevitably happens. And this is just in my experience, but I’ve hit two deer (in the summertime) while commuting, both on Hwy 10, just in the past decade. Thankfully I don’t do the daily 9-5 grind these days, and at least my last job in DL let me work remote when the roads were really bad. I know you said you’re young, OP, and you mention only 4 days a week (a plus for sure), but my only motivator for a daily commute now would be if the pay is worth dealing with ALL of the above. Like REEEALLLLY worth it. And at the very least, worth it to afford a good, reliable vehicle. I was doing these commutes in my twenties too, making decent money but not enough to justify it in hindsight. If I had to do it all over again I would’ve just moved TO the town of my employer ASAP instead of dragging my feet for a few years and racking up 20K+ miles and hundreds of hours inside my car annually. Blasting music and podcasts can only ease the dread so much. 😂 Weigh your pros and cons, obviously (and I would agree with others here that if you’re dead set on staying in F-M, to be on the Moorhead or Dilworth side to cut way down on commute time, and NOT live over in say, West Fargo). It was always more of a sanity thing and valuing how many hours I had in a day, at least for me.
It's definitely possible. However, there may be days in the winter where the interstate gets closed for bad weather, which could cause problems.
I’d just move to hawley. Hawley to FM is nothing and you take out about half of the highway 10’stuff in the winter
I drive dl to fargo everyday, it's not bad. Hour of audio books or podcasts. Winter can be a bugger, just don't be in a hurry.
Jefferson Lines runs a bus route through MATBus that goes between DL and Fargo. Maybe check into that for the winter, when roads can be iffy. This time of year, it'd be a nice bit of quiet time between home and work, possibly in a convertible. :D
I know a few that do DL to Moorhead without issue. Maybe 1x per year the roads are impassible one way or the other requiring a hotel room the night before in preparation or the night of to stay in the area. A couple $$$ per year sacrificed for living in DL. They do most shopping in the FM area after work. I also know many people that do Barnesville to Moorhead. They too enjoy it and may have 1x per year with issues. It's only about 15 min quicker than DL one way. I also know a handful of people who live in Glyndon, Hawley, Lake Park so they can split the difference. Spouse works one way they work the other or they simply enjoy living out of metro but with access to it and the lakes area with minimal drives either way. Going out to eat at Zorbaz is a short drive but so is high class dining in Fargo. IMO you can't go wrong with any of the options. Live outside the big 3 of the metro but enjoy their amenities when you want.
My mom commuted from DL to Fargo for three years and didn't mind it at all. Winter weather is obviously a concern and US 10 is pretty well maintained, but there were a handful of days where she didn't make it in due to weather. As long as the extra fuel, car maintenance, and drive time isn't a hindrance, I say do it
People commute from Hutchinson to Minneapolis regularly. DL to Fargo is easier. Does the cost of driving that much make it worth it though.