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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
North Dakota is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Fargo leads at an index of 64 with rent at just $1,096/month — 42% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 64, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
1 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
North Dakota is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Fargo leads at an index of 64 with rent at just $1,096/month — 42% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Dive into Fargo's numbers: cost index 64 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (47 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 64, while Healthcare runs 93. With 133,188 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
Put differently: Across North Dakota, the average cost of living index is 64 — 47 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. That's a difference you notice every single month.
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% | $73,347 |
133,188 residents · North Dakota
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. And with some exceptions, on the category level, Housing (index 64) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 93) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. It lines up with what you'd expect. Income at $66,029 and homes at $312,872 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Fargo ranks #1 in North Dakota for this analysis with a cost index of 64 and median income of $66,029.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Fargo, rent would consume about 13% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 $100K in Fargo is approximately $73,347/year ($6,112/month). After median rent of $1,096/month, you'd have roughly $60,195/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.