Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in North Dakota
The typical rent in North Dakota is $954 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,102 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $21.19 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in North Dakota
- Typical rent
- $954
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 32% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,102
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,014 to $1,858 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $21.19
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $44,080 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 39%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of North Dakota, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $13.58–$27.92 an hour
Lowest: $706 Highest: $1,452
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $14.90–$28.10 an hour
Lowest: $775 Highest: $1,461
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $19.50–$35.73 an hour
Lowest: $1,014 Highest: $1,858
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $23.23–$42.58 an hour
Lowest: $1,208 Highest: $2,214
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $27.38–$59.73 an hour
Lowest: $1,424 Highest: $3,106
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In North Dakota, 39% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
39%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
122,979 renter households in North Dakota
- Spend half or more of their income 18%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 21%
- Spend less than 30% 61%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in North Dakota. Highest fair market rent first.
| Divide County | $1,858 | $1,105 | $35.73 | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | $1,577 | $1,284 | $30.33 | 22% |
| Williams County | $1,388 | $1,123 | $26.69 | 29% |
| Mountrail County | $1,356 | $950 | $26.08 | 26% |
| Mercer County | $1,290 | $1,031 | $24.81 | 55% |
| Golden Valley County | $1,233 | — | $23.71 | — |
| Stark County | $1,231 | $960 | $23.67 | 40% |
| Barnes County | $1,139 | $779 | $21.90 | 35% |
| Logan County | $1,133 | $838 | $21.79 | 50% |
| Dunn County | $1,130 | $922 | $21.73 | — |
| Rolette County | $1,111 | $505 | $21.37 | 31% |
| Cass County | $1,104 | $958 | $21.23 | 40% |
| Hettinger County | $1,102 | $785 | $21.19 | 36% |
| Sargent County | $1,080 | $816 | $20.77 | 19% |
| Sheridan County | $1,078 | $373 | $20.73 | — |
| Slope County | $1,078 | — | $20.73 | — |
| Morton County | $1,067 | $1,076 | $20.52 | 44% |
| Burleigh County | $1,067 | $998 | $20.52 | 39% |
| Oliver County | $1,067 | $756 | $20.52 | — |
| Ward County | $1,049 | $1,048 | $20.17 | 38% |
| Ransom County | $1,042 | $691 | $20.04 | 39% |
| Kidder County | $1,024 | $853 | $19.69 | 36% |
| Grand Forks County | $1,014 | $992 | $19.50 | 45% |
| Pierce County | $1,014 | $850 | $19.50 | — |
| Dickey County | $1,014 | $840 | $19.50 | 40% |
| Renville County | $1,014 | $828 | $19.50 | 45% |
| Bottineau County | $1,014 | $796 | $19.50 | 21% |
| Cavalier County | $1,014 | $786 | $19.50 | 54% |
| McLean County | $1,014 | $784 | $19.50 | 27% |
| Foster County | $1,014 | $780 | $19.50 | 52% |
| Stutsman County | $1,014 | $774 | $19.50 | 53% |
| LaMoure County | $1,014 | $766 | $19.50 | 26% |
| Bowman County | $1,014 | $765 | $19.50 | — |
| Towner County | $1,014 | $757 | $19.50 | — |
| Walsh County | $1,014 | $748 | $19.50 | 35% |
| Richland County | $1,014 | $740 | $19.50 | 32% |
| Steele County | $1,014 | $738 | $19.50 | — |
| Traill County | $1,014 | $717 | $19.50 | 35% |
| Ramsey County | $1,014 | $714 | $19.50 | 46% |
| McHenry County | $1,014 | $713 | $19.50 | 25% |
| Burke County | $1,014 | $684 | $19.50 | — |
| Pembina County | $1,014 | $684 | $19.50 | 29% |
| Grant County | $1,014 | $675 | $19.50 | 62% |
| Wells County | $1,014 | $648 | $19.50 | 48% |
| Billings County | $1,014 | $621 | $19.50 | — |
| McIntosh County | $1,014 | $608 | $19.50 | 27% |
| Adams County | $1,014 | $594 | $19.50 | 31% |
| Eddy County | $1,014 | $590 | $19.50 | — |
| Benson County | $1,014 | $588 | $19.50 | 39% |
| Nelson County | $1,014 | $582 | $19.50 | 20% |
| Griggs County | $1,014 | $573 | $19.50 | 36% |
| Emmons County | $1,014 | $568 | $19.50 | 57% |
| Sioux County | $1,014 | $444 | $19.50 | 31% |
- Divide $1,858$35.73
- McKenzie $1,577$30.33
- Williams $1,388$26.69
- Mountrail $1,356$26.08
- Mercer $1,290$24.81
- Golden Valley $1,233$23.71
- Stark $1,231$23.67
- Barnes $1,139$21.90
- Logan $1,133$21.79
- Dunn $1,130$21.73
- Rolette $1,111$21.37
- Cass $1,104$21.23
- Hettinger $1,102$21.19
- Sargent $1,080$20.77
- Sheridan $1,078$20.73
- Slope $1,078$20.73
- Morton $1,067$20.52
- Burleigh $1,067$20.52
- Oliver $1,067$20.52
- Ward $1,049$20.17
- Ransom $1,042$20.04
- Kidder $1,024$19.69
- Grand Forks $1,014$19.50
- Pierce $1,014$19.50
- Dickey $1,014$19.50
- Renville $1,014$19.50
- Bottineau $1,014$19.50
- Cavalier $1,014$19.50
- McLean $1,014$19.50
- Foster $1,014$19.50
- Stutsman $1,014$19.50
- LaMoure $1,014$19.50
- Bowman $1,014$19.50
- Towner $1,014$19.50
- Walsh $1,014$19.50
- Richland $1,014$19.50
- Steele $1,014$19.50
- Traill $1,014$19.50
- Ramsey $1,014$19.50
- McHenry $1,014$19.50
- Burke $1,014$19.50
- Pembina $1,014$19.50
- Grant $1,014$19.50
- Wells $1,014$19.50
- Billings $1,014$19.50
- McIntosh $1,014$19.50
- Adams $1,014$19.50
- Eddy $1,014$19.50
- Benson $1,014$19.50
- Nelson $1,014$19.50
- Griggs $1,014$19.50
- Emmons $1,014$19.50
- Sioux $1,014$19.50
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in North Dakota
What North Dakota law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- How much can they charge for a deposit?
- Up to 1 month of rent
- N.D. Cent. Code §47-16-07.1(1)-(2)
- When must they return my deposit?
- 30 days
- N.D. Cent. Code §47-16-07.1(3)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 3 days
- N.D. Cent. Code §47-32-02
- How much notice before a rent increase?
- 30 days
- N.D. Cent. Code §47-16-07
- Repair and deduct from the rentN.D. Cent. Code §47-16-13
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in North Dakota
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
3 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 0 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in North Dakota is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Divide County ($1,858, about $35.73 an hour) and the cheapest Grand Forks County ($1,014, about $19.50 an hour).
How many households in North Dakota spend too much on rent?
39% of renter households in North Dakota spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 18% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In North Dakota, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,014 to $1,858 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in North Dakota?
26 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in North Dakota; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.