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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match North Dakota's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Fargo at index 92, where median rent of $1,096/month saves renters $9,588/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 92, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match North Dakota's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Fargo at index 92, where median rent of $1,096/month saves renters $9,588/year versus the national median.
The numbers for Fargo are straightforward: 92 on the cost index, $1,096/month rent, $66,029 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That alone makes it worth considering (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
The housing sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 80 (the top-10 average here) means housing costs are about 20% below the national median. Fargo leads at 80. Note: a low housing index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The same data, viewed through a different lens: Across North Dakota, the average cost of living index is 92 — 20 points below the national median. And from what we can tell, known for oil-patch wages in a low-cost market, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,096/month. That's $799 less than the national average of $1,895. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
Rankings quantify the landscape. And more often than not, but the decision to move is personal. Use the spotlights above to zero in on 2-3 finalists, then run your actual salary through the calculator. The question isn't just "where is it cheapest?" — it's "where does my specific income buy the life I want?" Start here. Dig deeper on the linked city pages.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
At $1,096/month for rent and a cost index of 92, Fargo is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And roughly speaking, income is $66,029. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
Cities are ranked by their housing cost sub-index within North Dakota. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. 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.
Fargo, ND has the lowest housing index at 80, compared to the national average of 100.
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.
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.