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 2020-2024 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 2026.
$102,260 median income · $378,062 median home · #1 home prices in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$90,665 median income · $348,751 median home · #4 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Cass County, North Dakota
West Fargo is a city in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. It is, as of the 2016 Census Estimates, the fifth largest city in the state of North Dakota with a population estimated at 34,858, and it is one of the state’s fastest growing cities. West Fargo was founded in 1926. The city is part of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,387 median income · $369,559 median home · #2 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Burleigh County, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second-most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city’s population was estimated in 2016 at 72,417, while its metropolitan population was 131,635. In 2015, Forbes magazine ranked Bismarck as the seventh fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$79,381 median income · $365,979 median home · #3 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Williams County, North Dakota
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2010 census gave its population as 14,716, and the Census Bureau gave the 2015 estimated population as 26,977, making Williston the sixth largest city in North Dakota. The North Dakota oil boom is largely responsible for the sharp increase in population.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$82,696 median income · $319,458 median home · #6 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Stark County, North Dakota
Dickinson is a city in Stark County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Stark County. The population was 17,787 at the 2010 census. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 2015 population is 23,765.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$71,780 median income · $341,688 median home · #5 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Morton County, North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,219 median income · $272,695 median home · #9 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Ward County, North Dakota
Minot MY-not) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state’s north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state and a trading center for a large portion of northern North Dakota, southwestern Manitoba, and southeastern Saskatchewan. Founded in 1886 during the construction of the Great Northern Railway, Minot is also known as “Magic City”, commemorating its remarkable growth in size over a short time.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$66,998 median income · $314,973 median home · #7 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Cass County, North Dakota
Fargo is the most populous city in the state of North Dakota, accounting for nearly 16% of the state population. Fargo is also the county seat of Cass County. According to the 2016 United States Census estimates, its population was 120,762, making it the 229th-most populous city in the United States. Fargo, along with its twin city of Moorhead, Minnesota, as well as the adjacent cities of West Fargo, North Dakota and Dilworth, Minnesota, form the core of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in 2016 contained a population of 238,124. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Fargo as the fourth fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$63,627 median income · $291,535 median home · #8 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Grand Forks County, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the State of North Dakota and is the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city’s population was 52,838, while the total of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or The Grand Cities.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$56,554 median income · $208,863 median home · #12 home prices in North Dakota
Located in
Stutsman County, North Dakota
Jamestown is a city in Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Stutsman County. The population was 15,427 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth largest city in North Dakota. Jamestown was founded in 1872.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Dakota’s statewide median.
North Dakota statewide median: $284,076
North Dakota statewide median: $76,657
On the map
Mapping the most expensive places in North Dakota
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Peace Garden State For 2026
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 you make and how much you 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 2020-2024 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 Watford City. We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the most expensive places to live in North Dakota. The median North Dakota home is 41 years old — old enough that it pays to compare home warranty plans before something expensive breaks.
The full plate
Most Expensive Cities In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford City | 114 | 6,039 | $102,260 | $378,062 | 3.7x |
| 2 | West Fargo | 109 | 40,094 | $90,665 | $348,751 | 3.8x |
| 3 | Bismarck | 108 | 75,556 | $78,387 | $369,559 | 4.7x |
| 4 | Williston | 108 | 28,056 | $79,381 | $365,979 | 4.6x |
| 5 | Dickinson | 105 | 25,357 | $82,696 | $319,458 | 3.9x |
| 6 | Mandan | 105 | 24,522 | $71,780 | $341,688 | 4.8x |
| 7 | Minot | 104 | 47,791 | $73,219 | $272,695 | 3.7x |
| 8 | Fargo | 102 | 131,627 | $66,998 | $314,973 | 4.7x |
| 9 | Grand Forks | 102 | 59,042 | $63,627 | $291,535 | 4.6x |
| 10 | Jamestown | 94 | 15,787 | $56,554 | $208,863 | 3.7x |
| 11 | Wahpeton | 93 | 8,010 | $62,750 | $229,172 | 3.7x |
| 12 | Valley City | 93 | 6,541 | $60,339 | $195,115 | 3.2x |
| 13 | Devils Lake | 90 | 7,308 | $43,220 | $236,273 | 5.5x |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 13 places with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In North Dakota For 2026
Well, there you have it, the places in North Dakota that have the highest cost of living, with Watford City ranking as the most expensive city in the Peace Garden State.
The most expensive cities in North Dakota are Watford City, West Fargo, Bismarck, Williston, Dickinson, Mandan, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Jamestown. Not sold on North Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Expensive Places In North Dakota FAQs
What is the most expensive place to live in North Dakota?
Watford City is the most expensive place to live in North Dakota for 2026. The median home there runs $378,062, and it posts the highest cost of living of the 13 places we scored.
What are the 10 most expensive cities in North Dakota?
The ten most expensive cities in North Dakota are Watford City, West Fargo, Bismarck, Williston, Dickinson, Mandan, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Jamestown. We ranked all 13 places with more than 6,000 residents on home prices, incomes, and an overall cost of living index.
How expensive are homes in Watford City?
The median home value in Watford City is $378,062, versus $284,076 across North Dakota as a whole. Across the ten most expensive cities, the median home runs $330,573.
What salary do you need to live in the most expensive parts of North Dakota?
The median household income in the ten most expensive North Dakota cities starts at $56,554, and in Watford City it is $102,260. If your paycheck is closer to the statewide median of $76,657, these places will squeeze your budget.
What is the cheapest place to live in North Dakota?
Devils Lake is the cheapest of the 13 North Dakota places we ranked on cost of living. It sits at the very bottom of the same index that put Watford City on top.
