Cheapest Utilities in North Dakota (2026)

Fargo comes in at #1. And as far as the data shows, rent is $1,096 — we had to double-check this one — a month. Household income is $66,029. The cost of living index is 64. Fairly typical for a city this size.

It's worth mentioning — though it's outside our data model — that cities with these economics tend to attract remote workers, which can push prices up over time (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).

That said, North Dakota — oil-patch wages in a low-cost market. And as a general rule, the 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 64 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and median income of $66,029. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,096/month, which is $799 less than the national median.

Bottom line: Fargo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers. 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.