Before you decide to relocate to North Dakota, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in North Dakota that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2019-2023 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 13 places in North Dakota with more than 6,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in North Dakota for 2025.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In North Dakota For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in North Dakota? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Williston is the most expensive place to live in North Dakota.
Devils Lake (the cheapest place to live in North Dakota) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about North Dakota and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In North Dakota For 2025
/10
Population: 27,964
Cost Of Living Index: 105
Median Income: $84,309
Average Home Price: $262,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Williston: Data
The overall cost of living in Williston is 105. The median income in Williston comes in at $84,309 and the average home value is $262,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 25,216
Cost Of Living Index: 104
Median Income: $76,964
Average Home Price: $252,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on Dickinson: Data
The overall cost of living in Dickinson is 104. The median income in Dickinson comes in at $76,964 and the average home value is $252,400 for 2025.
3. Watford City
/10
Population: 6,016
Cost Of Living Index: 104
Median Income: $88,351
Average Home Price: $385,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.4x
More on Watford City:
The overall cost of living in Watford City is 104. The median income in Watford City comes in at $88,351 and the average home value is $385,100 for 2025.
/10
Population: 47,922
Cost Of Living Index: 103
Median Income: $77,431
Average Home Price: $254,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on Minot: Data
The overall cost of living in Minot is 103. The median income in Minot comes in at $77,431 and the average home value is $254,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 74,146
Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $77,608
Average Home Price: $291,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Bismarck: Data
The overall cost of living in Bismarck is 98. The median income in Bismarck comes in at $77,608 and the average home value is $291,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 24,293
Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $75,966
Average Home Price: $246,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.2x
More on Mandan: Data
The overall cost of living in Mandan is 97. The median income in Mandan comes in at $75,966 and the average home value is $246,300 for 2025.
/10
Population: 58,882
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $63,838
Average Home Price: $243,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Grand Forks: Data
The overall cost of living in Grand Forks is 94. The median income in Grand Forks comes in at $63,838 and the average home value is $243,300 for 2025.
/10
Population: 39,325
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $96,877
Average Home Price: $302,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on West Fargo: Data
The overall cost of living in West Fargo is 94. The median income in West Fargo comes in at $96,877 and the average home value is $302,200 for 2025.
/10
Population: 129,064
Cost Of Living Index: 93
Median Income: $66,029
Average Home Price: $269,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.1x
More on Fargo: Data
The overall cost of living in Fargo is 93. The median income in Fargo comes in at $66,029 and the average home value is $269,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 15,774
Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $54,809
Average Home Price: $192,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Jamestown: Data
The overall cost of living in Jamestown is 90. The median income in Jamestown comes in at $54,809 and the average home value is $192,500 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Peace Garden State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in North Dakota are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in North Dakota to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 13 places in North Dakota that have more than 6,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in North Dakota according to the data is Williston. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in North Dakota.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In North Dakota For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in North Dakota that have the highest cost of living, with Williston ranking as the most expensive city in the Peace Garden State.
The most expensive cities in North Dakota are Williston, Dickinson, Watford City, Minot, Bismarck, Mandan, Grand Forks, West Fargo, Fargo, and Jamestown.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in North Dakota according to the data:
- Devils Lake
- Valley City
- Wahpeton
For more North Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Dakota
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Dakota
- Safest Places In North Dakota
- Worst Places To Live In North Dakota
Most Expensive Cities In North Dakota
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williston | 105 | 27,964 | $84,309 | $262,700 | 3.1x |
| 2 | Dickinson | 104 | 25,216 | $76,964 | $252,400 | 3.3x |
| 3 | Watford City | 104 | 6,016 | $88,351 | $385,100 | 4.4x |
| 4 | Minot | 103 | 47,922 | $77,431 | $254,400 | 3.3x |
| 5 | Bismarck | 98 | 74,146 | $77,608 | $291,400 | 3.8x |
| 6 | Mandan | 97 | 24,293 | $75,966 | $246,300 | 3.2x |
| 7 | Grand Forks | 94 | 58,882 | $63,838 | $243,300 | 3.8x |
| 8 | West Fargo | 94 | 39,325 | $96,877 | $302,200 | 3.1x |
| 9 | Fargo | 93 | 129,064 | $66,029 | $269,800 | 4.1x |
| 10 | Jamestown | 90 | 15,774 | $54,809 | $192,500 | 3.5x |
| 11 | Wahpeton | 85 | 7,996 | $57,417 | $164,600 | 2.9x |
| 12 | Valley City | 83 | 6,554 | $56,471 | $152,800 | 2.7x |
| 13 | Devils Lake | 81 | 7,170 | $42,755 | $171,000 | 4.0x |