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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 111. Leading the pack: Fargo at index 64, where median rent of $1,096/month saves renters $9,588/year versus the national median.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Look, Why Fargo ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 64 on the cost index, residents save roughly 47% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,096/month while the median household pulls in $66,029/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 64, though Healthcare (93) lags behind. Home prices average $312,872 — $154,498 below the national median.
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 64, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
1 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
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 111. Leading the pack: Fargo at index 64, where median rent of $1,096/month saves renters $9,588/year versus the national median.
The #1 spot goes to Fargo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,096/month — saving renters $9,588 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 64, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 93. At a 20% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
One more layer before the full breakdown: 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. The trend data adds another dimension to this.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Fargo | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $56,247 |
We model what a $75K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 64 and median income of $66,029.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Fargo, rent would consume about 18% 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 $75K in Fargo is approximately $56,247/year ($4,687/month). After median rent of $1,096/month, you'd have roughly $43,095/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.