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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. Fargo stands out at 92 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month and household income of $66,029. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. An outlier in the best sense.
#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
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in North Dakota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Fargo stands out at 92 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month and household income of $66,029. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. An outlier in the best sense.
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 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. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 80, while Healthcare trails at 95.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Fargo (index 92, rent $1,096). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The trade-off becomes clearer when you add healthcare into the mix. Across North Dakota, the average cost of living index is 92 — 20 points below the national median. 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. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
Bottom line: Fargo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And in practical terms, 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.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Dive into Fargo's numbers: cost index 92 — whether that matters depends on your situation — (20 points below national average), rent $1,096/month, income $66,029, and a home price of $312,872. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 80, while Healthcare runs 95. With 133,188 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
Cities are ranked by total population from the latest Census estimates. Growing populations typically signal economic opportunity — but also rising costs. We pair population data with affordability metrics for context. 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.
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.