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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 — for better or worse — . 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
Fargo is one of the cheaper options here. That alone makes it worth considering. Rent is $1,096/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 64. Income sits at $66,029. That tracks.
#1 Ranked: Fargo — cost index 64, rent $1,096/mo, income $66,029
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
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 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Fargo at index 64, where median rent of $1,096/month saves renters $9,588/year versus the national median.
Fargo comes in at #1. And on balance, 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. That alone makes it worth considering (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
Tax burden isn't just income tax. We combine three layers: state income tax (1.95% in Fargo), combined state+local sales tax (7.04%), and effective property tax (0.94%). At 1.95% state income tax, the real differentiator becomes sales and property tax rates. On a $75,000 salary, the estimated take-home in #1 Fargo is $56,247/year.
That said, State context matters: North Dakota's 1 cities average a 64 cost index with $1,096/month — and that's before you even look at taxes — median rent and $66,029 household income. Oil-patch wages in a low-cost market. The salary data below puts this in sharper focus (we double-checked this one).
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. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Fargo | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $50,111 |
Total tax burden = state income tax rate + combined sales tax rate + effective property tax rate. We rank cities from lowest combined burden to highest. Keep in mind property tax and sales tax are local-level, so two cities in the same state can differ meaningfully. 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.
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.