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City · 11,565 residents · Chisago County, Minnesota

North Branch , Minnesota

In North Branch, a typical home is worth $322,300 and typical rent is $1,308 a month. Compared with all of Chisago County, typical rent is 10% higher and typical household income is 9% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $322,300

    8% below the county

    2% below Minnesota

    • North Branch
    • Chisago
    • Minnesota

  • Typical rent

    $1,308a month

    10% above the county

    2% above Minnesota

    • North Branch
    • Chisago
    • Minnesota

  • Typical household income

    $90,456a year

    9% below the county

    About the same as Minnesota

    • North Branch
    • Chisago
    • Minnesota

  • Households that own their home

    82%

    4 points below the county

    10 points above Minnesota

    • North Branch
    • Chisago
    • Minnesota

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$354,915
1.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

North Branch is in Chisago County. The FHA loan limit ($552,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Chisago County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets North Branch apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Cambridge, the typical home value is $251,600: 22% less than in North Branch ($322,300).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in North Branch

What homes there are in North Branch, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in North Branch (77%), but less so than in Chisago County (81%).

Year built

In North Branch, half of the homes were built before 1995; in Chisago County, before 1992.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,975 a month

Chisago County: $1,992 a month

Without a mortgage

$642 a month

Chisago County: $727 a month

Owners with a mortgage

72%

Chisago County: 68%

Owning costs about the same in North Branch as in Chisago County: with a mortgage, $1,975 a month; without one, $642.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in North Branch rose 68%; in Chisago County, it rose 52%.

The typical rent in North Branch rose 51% over the same time; in Chisago County, it rose 34%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureNorth BranchChisago CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.1%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.422.632.432.53
Drive alone 82%75%69%69%
Carpool 10%8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%3%3%
Work from home 6%14%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.42 on average, against 2.63 in Chisago County.

In North Branch, 82% of workers drive alone to work; in Chisago County, 75%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in North Branch?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in North Branch, worth $322,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 36% of the typical household income in North Branch, which is $90,456 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $116,405 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Chisago County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in North Branch. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $11,281 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,716

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$316,462
Total interest
$455,314
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,443 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,111 a month

  • Tight

    $2,111 to $2,714 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,714 a month

    Your payment · 36%

Compared with the typical household income in North Branch ($90,456 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,716
Principal & interest$2,144
Property tax$295
Home insurance$134
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$143

You need at least $11,281 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

North Branch and Chisago County

North Branch is in Chisago County, Minnesota. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

North Branch's own numbers

Typical home value
$322,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,308
Typical yearly household income
$90,456
Households that own their home
82%
Effective property tax rate
1.1%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Chisago County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$552,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,734
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+40%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Chisago County.

Everything about Chisago County

Buying

Buying a home in North Branch

A typical home in North Branch is worth $322,300: 8% below the county and 2% below Minnesota. With the typical household income in North Branch ($90,456 a year), a typical home costs 3.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • North Branch 3.6 years
  • Chisago 3.5 years
  • Minnesota 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Chisago County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Chisago County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Chisago County.

Period County Minnesota U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.3% +2.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +40% +37% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +71% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

North Branch next to Chisago County, Minnesota and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • North Branch $322,300
  • Chisago $351,900
  • Minnesota $329,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • North Branch $1,308
  • Chisago $1,186
  • Minnesota $1,280
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • North Branch $90,456
  • Chisago $99,400
  • Minnesota $89,062
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
North Branch next to Chisago County and Minnesota
Measure North Branch Chisago County Minnesota U.S.
Typical home value $322,300 $351,900 $329,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,308 $1,186 $1,280 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $90,456 $99,400 $89,062 $80,734
Households that own their home 82% 86% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,536 $3,780 $3,357 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.1% 1.07% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 52% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Chisago County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in North Branch

For a typical $322,300 home in North Branch, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, North Branch's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,716a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $11,281
    Cash to close
    $20,950
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $143

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,657a month

    Down payment
    $16,115
    Cash to close
    $25,784
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $153

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,176a month

    Down payment
    $64,460
    Cash to close
    $74,129
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,474a month

    Down payment
    $48,345
    Cash to close
    $58,014
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for North Branch and for Chisago County.

Property tax

Effective rate in North Branch

1.1%of the home’s value each year

$3,536 a year for the typical owner in North Branch.

  • North Branch 1.1%
  • Chisago 1.07%
  • Minnesota 1.02%

What Minnesota publishes Homestead market value exclusion (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (Minnesota Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Minnesota

Flood risk in Chisago County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Chisago County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
260
Of those, with NFIP insurance
9.6%
County Minnesota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 0.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 9.6% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in North Branch

Typical rent in North Branch is $1,308 a month: 10% above the county. In North Branch, 56% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Chisago County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,734 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $33.35 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Chisago County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,265 $24.33 $50,600
1 bedroom $1,427 $27.44 $57,080
2 bedrooms $1,734 $33.35 $69,360
3 bedrooms $2,264 $43.54 $90,560
4 bedrooms $2,538 $48.81 $101,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in North Branch

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). North Branch has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,540 in 55056 to $1,620 in 55032.

None is above the fair market rent for Chisago County ($1,734).

  • 55032 $1,620$2,140
  • 55056 $1,540$2,040

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for North Branch when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in North Branch

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in North Branch. These are the largest.

  • Shields Plaza 6100 Cedar St, North Branch 55056 49 low-income homes · For older adults (651) 674-7497
  • Uptown Maple Commons (fka North Branch Senior Hous 38799 7th Ave, North Branch 55056 33 homes, 32 low-income · 1 bd: 28 · 2 bd: 5 · In service since 2002
  • Kestrel Meadows Townhomes Multiple Building Addresses, North Branch 55056 30 homes, 29 low-income · 3 bd: 30 · In service since 1999
  • Willow Grove Apartments 38485 14th Ave, North Branch 55056 20 low-income homes · 1 bd: 20 · In service since 2020 · For people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness
  • Oakview Terrace Townhomes Multiple Building Addresses, North Branch 55056 24 homes, 18 low-income · 2 bd: 18 · 3 bd: 6 · In service since 2003 · For families

See all 14 buildings in Chisago County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in North Branch

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Chisago County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in North Branch

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for North Branch or Chisago County. The ones below are statewide in Minnesota: they work in North Branch the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Minnesota

  • Deferred Payment Loan (Start Up)

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota state agency loan for the down payment and closing costs alongside the Start Up mortgage for first-time buyers: up to $14,000 (or $18,000 in the Plus version), with no interest or monthly payments, repaid at the end of the mortgage. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Monthly Payment Loan

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota Housing loan of up to $14,000 for the down payment and closing costs, which you repay over 15 years at the same rate as your Minnesota Housing mortgage; it works with Start Up (first-time buyers) or Step Up. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near North Branch

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of North Branch, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Anoka County Community Action Program, Inc

    1201 89th Ave NE Ste 345, Blaine · 30 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    763-783-4747x4851

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Minneapolis, MN

    6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy Ste 145, Brooklyn Center · 35 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (763) 656-6222

  • Capi USA

    5930 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center · 36 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Hmong.

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (612) 721-0122

All counseling agencies in Minnesota

Help in Spanish near North Branch

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of North Branch

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Chisago County is named for North Branch or Chisago County.

One other authority has an office in Chisago County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Chisago County

These cities are also in Chisago County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Chisago County Housing in Minnesota

Nearby cities

The cities closest to North Branch, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Chisago County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in North Branch.

All guides
A father smiles as he carries his baby on his shoulders outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about North Branch

Short answers with the numbers for North Branch and all of Chisago County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in North Branch?

The typical home value in North Branch is $322,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Chisago County it is $351,900.

How much does it cost to rent in North Branch?

Typical rent in North Branch is $1,308 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Chisago County is $1,734.

What is the FHA loan limit in North Branch?

North Branch uses the FHA limit for all of Chisago County (2026): $552,000 for a one-unit home and $1,061,550 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in North Branch?

The typical homeowner in North Branch pays $3,536 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.1% of the home’s value; in Chisago County, the rate is 1.07%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in North Branch?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Chisago County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).