The 58703 zip code in Minot tops our ranking of the most affordable places to live in North Dakota.
Whether you're searching for affordable cities and towns to buy a home or the places with the lowest cost of living to rent, consider the following zip codes.
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Top 9 most affordable places to live in North Dakota
| Rank | City | Affordability Score | Median home value | Rental costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minot 🥇 | 100.0 | $264,142 | $999 |
| 2 | Jamestown 🥈 | 96.1 | $230,261 | $1,001 |
| 3 | Dickinson 🥉 | 94.6 | $319,283 | $1,249 |
| 4 | Williston | 91.2 | $364,341 | $1,304 |
| 5 | West Fargo | 88.6 | $349,042 | $1,347 |
| 6 | Fargo | 85.9 | $263,624 | $840 |
| 7 | Grand Forks | 81.7 | $235,038 | $1,251 |
| 8 | Bismarck | 81.6 | $297,781 | $1,067 |
| 9 | Mandan | 80.5 | $341,730 | $1,141 |
What these affordable cities and towns have in common
The 9 zip codes we ranked share a common trait: a low cost of living relative to the North Dakota median.
Median home values, rental costs, and property taxes generally sit below the state averages, while household incomes remain strong enough to keep home affordability ratios manageable. Below, we look at each market in detail.
1. Minot
Here's why the 58703 zip code in Minot is North Dakota's most affordable place to live.
🔎 Key data about Minot
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 100.0 | No. 1 | N/A |
| Median home value | $264,142[1] | No. 4 | -$60,205 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.2 | No. 1 | -1.0 |
| Home value five-year change | 29.6%[2] | No. 12 | 3.2% |
| Home value one-year forecast | 0.4%[3] | No. 14 | 0.6% |
| Rental costs | $999[4] | No. 3 | -$193 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.21% | No. 1 | -0.3% |
| Median household income | $82,728[5] | No. 7 | $5,327 |
| Property taxes | $3,119[6] | No. 11 | -$27 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[7] | No. 2 | -$0.01 |
Minot's 58703 zip code is the cheapest place to live in North Dakota, leading the 15 markets we evaluated.
The median home value is $264,142, making it the 4th-cheapest housing market in the state. Forecasts project a 0.4% change in home values in the next year. Rent in the zip code averages $999 per month, which is the 1st cheapest amount in North Dakota.
The median property tax for homeowners in Minot is $3,119 per household, the No. 11 ranked market in North Dakota.
Residents pay $0.11 per kWh of electricity, which ranks No. 2 among North Dakota markets.
📈 Thinking about buying in North Dakota? See our complete housing market outlook for the data, trends, and timing insights North Dakota buyers need to know.
2. Jamestown
The 58401 zip code is the 2nd-cheapest place to live in North Dakota.
🔎 Key data about Jamestown
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 96.1 | No. 2 | N/A |
| Median home value | $230,261[1] | No. 1 | -$94,085 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.8 | No. 3 | -0.4 |
| Home value five-year change | 22.2%[2] | No. 3 | -4.2% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.0%[3] | No. 2 | -0.8% |
| Rental costs | $1,001[4] | No. 4 | -$191 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.66% | No. 11 | 0.1% |
| Median household income | $60,228[5] | No. 13 | -$17,173 |
| Property taxes | $2,581[6] | No. 4 | -$565 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 6 | $0.00 |
Jamestown's 58401 zip code has a median home value of $230,261, which is the 1st-cheapest housing market in North Dakota. You can rent for an average of $1,001 per month. That's the 4th-cheapest price in the state.
The average household income in the zip code is $60,228, which ranks 13th-highest in the state.
Homeowners in Jamestown pay a median property tax of $2,581 per year, making it the 4th-most affordable market in North Dakota.
Jamestown ranks No. 6 among North Dakota energy markets. You'll pay $0.12 per kWh of electricity.
3. Dickinson
The 3rd-least-expensive place to live in North Dakota is Dickinson's 58601 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Dickinson
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 94.6 | No. 3 | N/A |
| Median home value | $319,283[1] | No. 9 | -$5,063 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.7 | No. 2 | -0.5 |
| Home value five-year change | 25.4%[2] | No. 6 | -1.0% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.3%[3] | No. 4 | -0.1% |
| Rental costs | $1,249[4] | No. 10 | $57 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.46% | No. 6 | -0.1% |
| Median household income | $85,821[5] | No. 3 | $8,420 |
| Property taxes | $2,493[6] | No. 3 | -$653 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 8 | $0.00 |
The No. 9 cheapest housing market in North Dakota is Dickinson's 58601 zip code, with a median home value of $319,283. Rents in the market average $1,249 per month, making it the 10th-most affordable rental market in the state.
The median property tax for households in Dickinson is $2,493, which makes it the 3rd-cheapest place in North Dakota. Dickinson ranks No. 8 among North Dakota markets by energy costs. Residents pay $0.12 per kWh of electricity.
4. Williston
The 58801 zip code in Williston comes in at No. 4 on our list of the cheapest places to live in North Dakota.
🔎 Key data about Williston
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 91.2 | No. 4 | N/A |
| Median home value | $364,341[1] | No. 13 | $39,995 |
| Home affordability ratio | 4.3 | No. 9 | 0.1 |
| Home value five-year change | 19.5%[2] | No. 1 | -6.9% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.4%[3] | No. 1 | -1.2% |
| Rental costs | $1,304[4] | No. 12 | $113 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.54% | No. 8 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $84,702[5] | No. 6 | $7,301 |
| Property taxes | $2,068[6] | No. 1 | -$1,078 |
| Energy costs | $0.09 kWh[7] | No. 1 | -$0.03 |
The No. 13 cheapest housing market in North Dakota is Williston's 58801 zip code, where the median home value is $364,341. Renters here pay an average of $1,304 per month.
When it comes to energy costs, Williston ranks 1st among North Dakota markets. Residents pay $0.09 per kWh of electricity.
The median property tax for households in the zip code is $2,068, which makes it the 1st-cheapest market in North Dakota.
5. West Fargo
The 58078 zip code in West Fargo ranks No. 5 among North Dakota's most affordable places to live.
🔎 Key data about West Fargo
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 88.6 | No. 5 | N/A |
| Median home value | $349,042[1] | No. 11 | $24,696 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.8 | No. 4 | -0.4 |
| Home value five-year change | 25.4%[2] | No. 7 | -1.0% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.3%[3] | No. 4 | -0.1% |
| Rental costs | $1,347[4] | No. 13 | $155 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.48% | No. 7 | -0.1% |
| Median household income | $91,040[5] | No. 2 | $13,639 |
| Property taxes | $3,950[6] | No. 14 | $804 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 14 | $0.01 |
West Fargo's 58078 zip code has a median home value of $349,042, the 11th-cheapest housing market in the state. Forecasts project a -0.3% change in home values in the next year.
The median property tax per household in West Fargo is $3,950. It's the 14th-cheapest market by tax rate in North Dakota.
6. Fargo
The No. 6 most affordable city in North Dakota is the 58103 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Fargo
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 85.9 | No. 6 | N/A |
| Median home value | $263,624[1] | No. 3 | -$60,723 |
| Home affordability ratio | 4.5 | No. 12 | 0.3 |
| Home value five-year change | 24.1%[2] | No. 4 | -2.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.3%[3] | No. 4 | -0.1% |
| Rental costs | $840[4] | No. 1 | -$352 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.43% | No. 4 | -0.1% |
| Median household income | $58,801[5] | No. 15 | -$18,600 |
| Property taxes | $3,008[6] | No. 10 | -$138 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 12 | $0.00 |
The back half of our top 9 kicks off with Fargo's 58103 zip code, which has the 3rd-cheapest home values in North Dakota. The median home value is $263,624. Rents average $840 per month, making it the 1st-most affordable rental market in the state.
Residents pay $0.12 per kWh of electricity. It's the 12th-cheapest energy market.
7. Grand Forks
Grand Forks's 58203 zip code is the 7th-cheapest place to live in North Dakota.
🔎 Key data about Grand Forks
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 81.7 | No. 7 | N/A |
| Median home value | $235,038[1] | No. 2 | -$89,308 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.9 | No. 6 | -0.3 |
| Home value five-year change | 28.2%[2] | No. 9 | 1.8% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.1%[3] | No. 8 | 0.1% |
| Rental costs | $1,251[4] | No. 11 | $59 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.07% | No. 15 | 0.5% |
| Median household income | $60,474[5] | No. 12 | -$16,927 |
| Property taxes | $2,456[6] | No. 2 | -$690 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 10 | $0.00 |
You'll find the 2nd-cheapest home values in North Dakota in Grand Forks's 58203 zip code. The median value: $235,038. Renters in Grand Forks pay an average of $1,251 per month.
Homeowners in Grand Forks pay a median property tax of $2,456 per year, which is North Dakota's 2nd-most affordable market.
The average household income is $60,474, which ranks 12th-highest in the state.
8. Bismarck
The 8th-least-expensive place to live in North Dakota is Bismarck's 58501 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Bismarck
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 81.6 | No. 8 | N/A |
| Median home value | $297,781[1] | No. 7 | -$26,566 |
| Home affordability ratio | 4.3 | No. 10 | 0.1 |
| Home value five-year change | 30.8%[2] | No. 13 | 4.4% |
| Home value one-year forecast | 0.3%[3] | No. 10 | 0.5% |
| Rental costs | $1,067[4] | No. 5 | -$125 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.55% | No. 9 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $68,755[5] | No. 10 | -$8,646 |
| Property taxes | $2,618[6] | No. 5 | -$528 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[7] | No. 7 | $0.00 |
The 7th-cheapest housing market in North Dakota is Bismarck's 58501 zip code, with a median home value of $297,781. Renters pay an average of $1,067 per month, the No. 5 rental market in the state.
The median property tax for households in Bismarck is $2,618, which makes it the 5th-cheapest place in North Dakota. The average household income of $68,755 ranks 10th.
9. Mandan
Mandan's 58554 zip code is one of North Dakota's most affordable towns, sneaking into our rankings.
🔎 Key data about Mandan
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 15 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 80.5 | No. 9 | N/A |
| Median home value | $341,730[1] | No. 10 | $17,383 |
| Home affordability ratio | 4.3 | No. 8 | 0.1 |
| Home value five-year change | 33.7%[2] | No. 15 | 7.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | 0.3%[3] | No. 10 | 0.5% |
| Rental costs | $1,141[4] | No. 7 | -$51 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.42% | No. 3 | -0.1% |
| Median household income | $80,120[5] | No. 8 | $2,719 |
| Property taxes | $2,911[6] | No. 7 | -$235 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[7] | No. 4 | $0.00 |
The 10th-cheapest housing market in North Dakota is Mandan's 58554 zip code, where the median home value is $341,730. Renters pay an average of $1,141 per month. It's the state's 7th-cheapest rental market.
The median property tax for households within the zip code is $2,911, which makes it the 7th-cheapest property tax rate in North Dakota.
What questions about these cities should I ask local agents?
Once you've found a town you're interested in, you'll want to ask a local agent for details our rankings can't capture. Start with these four questions:
- What neighborhoods inside this zip code have the best resale value?
- What's the rental market like right now?
- Are there local property tax exemptions or homestead programs you'd qualify for?
- What are the most common surprises buyers run into here?
🏡 Need a local agent? We can connect you with an expert who knows the market.
Frequently asked questions about the least expensive places to live in North Dakota
Based on Clever's Affordability Score, the 58703 zip code in Minot is the cheapest place to live in North Dakota.
The median home value is $264,142, and the median household income is $82,728, giving Minot a home affordability ratio of 3.2, meaning a typical home costs about that many times the median annual income.
See our Affordability Score methodology and the full ranking of the 10 cheapest places to live in North Dakota.
The median home value in North Dakota is $324,347.
See the rankings above for how individual cities compare to these state-wide figures.
North Dakota is currently a neutral market, according to Clever's Market Heat Index.
The index reflects the balance between buyer demand and seller supply, which affects how much negotiating power buyers and sellers have in any given market.
Markets also vary by city, county, and neighborhood. It's always good to check with a local real estate agent to understand the dynamics of a given local market.
The median amount homeowners pay in property taxes in North Dakota is $3,146 per year.
Property taxes are a key part of the overall cost of living, and they vary significantly by location. The per-city tax figures in the rankings above show how each of the 10 cheapest places stacks up against the North Dakota median.
📍 The 10 cheapest places to live in your region
How we ranked the most affordable cities and towns in North Dakota
We evaluated 15 zip codes in North Dakota with a population over 10,000 on home values, rental costs, energy rates, property taxes, and five other affordability indicators. We then assigned each market an Affordability Score based on its weighted and combined rankings.
Our proprietary Affordability Score is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the affordability of a particular zip code. It takes into account these key data points for each zip code.
- Median home value: The median home value for each zip code comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. The lower the median home value relative to the median value in North Dakota, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 13.0% to median home value.
- Home affordability ratio. The home affordability ratio is the typical median home value divided by the median household income in the zip code, which reveals the number of years of household income needed to afford a home in that zip code. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 28.0% to the home affordability ratio.
- Home value five-year change: The home value five-year change is the amount that the median home value in the zip code has risen or fallen during the last five years. Our data comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. We assign a weight of 10.0% to the home value five-year change.
- Home value one-year forecast: The home value one-year forecast comes from Zillow Forecast data. It projects how much home values in the zip code are forecasted to change in the next year. We assign a weight of 8.0% to the home value one-year forecast.
- Rental costs. The rental costs are the observed rents in the zip code, sourced from the Zillow Observed Rent Index. The index includes "listed rents that fall into the 40th to 60th percentile range for all homes and apartments in a given region." We assign a weight of 7.0% to rental costs.
- Median household income: The inflation-adjusted median household income figures for the zip code comes from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 5.0% to median household income.
- Rent affordability ratio. The rent affordability ratio is the ratio of rental costs divided by median household income, which provides the percentage of household income needed to pay a typical month’s rent in the zip code. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 17.0% to the rent affordability ratio.
- Property taxes: The property tax figures are the median real estate taxes paid in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The lower the property tax rate relative to the North Dakota average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 8.0% to property taxes.
- Energy costs: The energy costs are the costs of a kilowatt hour (kWh) of residential electricity in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Department of Energy. The lower the cost of electricity relative to the North Dakota average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 4.0% to energy costs.
✍️ Editor’s note: Our Affordability Score identifies the most affordable places in a state by zip code. Often the zip code we identify will represent an entire city or portion of a city.
Occasionally the zip code we identify will encompass an area that includes one or more small towns. In these cases, the data we’ve gathered applies to the entire zip code, not just the single town we’re using to help identify the zip code's location.
If you’re looking to move to one of these affordable places, we recommend doing additional research to make sure the costs in the area — and the quality of life it offers — meet your specific needs.
Why you should trust us
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Our team is committed to making home purchasing more transparent by educating buyers and sellers through guides like this one. Our writers, editors, and industry-leading researchers strive to provide readers with the most up-to-date, accurate, and useful information.
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