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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in North Dakota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And for the typical household, fargo stands out at 92 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and household income of $66,029. Assembled from …
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 92, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in North Dakota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And for the typical household, fargo stands out at 92 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and household income of $66,029. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
What does daily life actually cost in Fargo? Start with the 20% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 80) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $66,029 and homes at $312,872 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Fargo | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $23,752 |
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Fargo earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 92 cost index sits 20 points below the national baseline, and the $66,029 — make of that what you will — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $312,872 — $154,498 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. Standard stuff, really. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 80, while Healthcare trails at 95.
We calculate what percentage of a $30K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Fargo ranks #1 in North Dakota for this analysis with a cost index of 92 and median income of $66,029.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Fargo, rent would consume about 44% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Fargo is $1,096/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $799 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 1.95% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Fargo is approximately $23,752/year ($1,979/month). After median rent of $1,096/month, you'd have roughly $10,600/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Fargo is $312,872, which is 4.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
North Dakota has a 1.95% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.04%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.94%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.