North Dakota Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 53 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$773/mo
Average Home Value
$175,787
Average Owner Cost
$785/mo
County cost atlas
North Dakota housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
53
Avg rent
$773/mo
Owner cost
$785/mo
Avg score
66.9
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in North Dakota: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in North Dakota is $773 per month, which is 45% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within North Dakota, housing costs vary significantly by county. McKenzie County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,284 per month and a median home value of $349,600. Sheridan County has the lowest reported median rent at $373 per month and a median home value of $110,300.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in North Dakota is $175,787, 47% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $73,179; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in North Dakota, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in North Dakota
How median rents are spread across 53 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All North Dakota Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | $1,000–$1,500$1,284/mo | $349,600 | $1,142/mo | 18.6 | 18.0% |
| Williams County | $1,000–$1,500$1,123/mo | $284,800 | $973/mo | 28.8 | 23.3% |
| Divide County | $1,000–$1,500$1,105/mo | $167,600 | $581/mo | 55.6 | 14.3% |
| Morton County | $1,000–$1,500$1,076/mo | $263,900 | $1,165/mo | 23.1 | 27.1% |
| Ward County | $1,000–$1,500$1,048/mo | $267,100 | $1,180/mo | 24.1 | 24.7% |
| Mercer County | $1,000–$1,500$1,031/mo | $198,500 | $810/mo | 42.5 | 35.5% |
| Burleigh County | Under $1,000$998/mo | $324,000 | $1,230/mo | 25.4 | 24.2% |
| Grand Forks County | Under $1,000$992/mo | $252,700 | $1,233/mo | 25.6 | 27.5% |
| Stark County | Under $1,000$960/mo | $271,700 | $1,295/mo | 26.3 | 26.3% |
| Cass County | Under $1,000$958/mo | $298,000 | $1,476/mo | 23.6 | 26.2% |
| Mountrail County | Under $1,000$950/mo | $232,700 | $666/mo | 57.6 | 20.1% |
| Dunn County | Under $1,000$922/mo | $275,000 | $828/mo | 48.0 | 16.2% |
| Kidder County | Under $1,000$853/mo | $156,600 | $553/mo | 73.3 | 24.3% |
| Pierce County | Under $1,000$850/mo | $147,300 | $733/mo | 61.8 | 25.1% |
| Dickey County | Under $1,000$840/mo | $162,400 | $817/mo | 56.6 | 24.1% |
| Logan County | Under $1,000$838/mo | $102,000 | $636/mo | 70.0 | 30.0% |
| Renville County | Under $1,000$828/mo | $166,000 | $704/mo | 66.5 | 27.0% |
| Sargent County | Under $1,000$816/mo | $163,200 | $816/mo | 59.5 | 19.9% |
| Bottineau County | Under $1,000$796/mo | $193,200 | $782/mo | 64.2 | 21.0% |
| Cavalier County | Under $1,000$786/mo | $125,800 | $788/mo | 65.1 | 32.0% |
| Hettinger County | Under $1,000$785/mo | $117,300 | $645/mo | 75.6 | 22.2% |
| McLean County | Under $1,000$784/mo | $227,100 | $825/mo | 62.6 | 20.8% |
| Foster County | Under $1,000$780/mo | $167,500 | $764/mo | 67.7 | 35.6% |
| Barnes County | Under $1,000$779/mo | $173,700 | $879/mo | 59.9 | 22.6% |
| Stutsman County | Under $1,000$774/mo | $208,400 | $869/mo | 61.2 | 31.2% |
| LaMoure County | Under $1,000$766/mo | $117,200 | $711/mo | 73.3 | 22.2% |
| Bowman County | Under $1,000$765/mo | $164,900 | $724/mo | 72.5 | 21.5% |
| Towner County | Under $1,000$757/mo | $134,800 | $675/mo | 76.9 | 22.4% |
| Oliver County | Under $1,000$756/mo | $215,700 | $841/mo | 65.1 | 11.5% |
| Walsh County | Under $1,000$748/mo | $132,700 | $711/mo | 75.2 | 21.3% |
| Richland County | Under $1,000$740/mo | $183,600 | $805/mo | 68.8 | 19.2% |
| Steele County | Under $1,000$738/mo | $130,700 | $710/mo | 76.2 | 18.2% |
| Traill County | Under $1,000$717/mo | $200,700 | $1,073/mo | 56.5 | 23.6% |
| Ramsey County | Under $1,000$714/mo | $199,300 | $845/mo | 68.5 | 27.6% |
| McHenry County | Under $1,000$713/mo | $151,000 | $722/mo | 77.6 | 17.4% |
| Ransom County | Under $1,000$691/mo | $193,000 | $885/mo | 67.2 | 22.4% |
| Burke County | Under $1,000$684/mo | $158,100 | $698/mo | 81.3 | 15.4% |
| Pembina County | Under $1,000$684/mo | $119,200 | $634/mo | 85.8 | 21.7% |
| Grant County | Under $1,000$675/mo | $93,200 | $591/mo | 88.8 | 34.9% |
| Wells County | Under $1,000$648/mo | $114,500 | $659/mo | 86.0 | 28.9% |
| Golden Valley County | Under $1,000$638/mo | $123,900 | $544/mo | 93.6 | 19.4% |
| Billings County | Under $1,000$621/mo | $331,000 | $845/mo | 73.7 | 11.5% |
| McIntosh County | Under $1,000$608/mo | $84,200 | $512/mo | 95.8 | 21.6% |
| Adams County | Under $1,000$594/mo | $113,200 | $648/mo | 88.3 | 22.0% |
| Eddy County | Under $1,000$590/mo | $124,000 | $703/mo | 84.7 | 17.8% |
| Benson County | Under $1,000$588/mo | $90,000 | $588/mo | 92.3 | 22.2% |
| Nelson County | Under $1,000$582/mo | $139,700 | $664/mo | 87.8 | 17.6% |
| Griggs County | Under $1,000$573/mo | $119,300 | $603/mo | 91.5 | 22.5% |
| Emmons County | Under $1,000$568/mo | $117,200 | $621/mo | 90.7 | 31.6% |
| Slope County | Under $1,000$525/mo | $170,000 | $588/mo | 93.2 | 10.0% |
| Rolette County | Under $1,000$505/mo | $103,800 | $568/mo | 94.7 | 19.7% |
| Sioux County | Under $1,000$444/mo | $85,400 | $450/mo | 99.1 | 17.7% |
| Sheridan County | Under $1,000$373/mo | $110,300 | $572/mo | 94.8 | 18.8% |
Compare North Dakota to Other States
See how North Dakota counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About North Dakota Housing Costs
Which North Dakota county has the lowest median rent?
Which North Dakota county has the highest median rent?
How does North Dakota's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in North Dakota?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.