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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 111. Fargo stands out at 64 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month and household income of $66,029. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 64, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
1 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K 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 111. Fargo stands out at 64 on the index, with rent of $1,096/month and household income of $66,029. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
A closer look at Fargo: the cost index of 64 breaks down to a Housing index of 64 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 93 (weakest). Median rent is $1,096/month — 42% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,029, meaning locals spend about 20% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
On a $60K salary, the key number is $1,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. And roughly speaking, fargo ($1,096/mo, 22%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $45,987 to $45,987/year across these top picks.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. State context matters: North Dakota's 1 cities average a 64 cost index with $1,096/month median rent and $66,029 household income. Oil-patch wages in a low-cost market. In the comparison grid, two cities swap places when you switch from rent to total cost.
Bottom line: Fargo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And with some exceptions, 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 64 (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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Fargo | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $45,987 |
Fargo ranks #1 in North Dakota for this analysis with a cost index of 64 and median income of $66,029.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Fargo, rent would consume about 22% 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 $60K in Fargo is approximately $45,987/year ($3,832/month). After median rent of $1,096/month, you'd have roughly $32,835/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.