North Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Foster County, ND

Prices around Foster County, ND run 11% below the U.S. average (BEA, North Dakota). The typical household there earns $87,831 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $873 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $34,920 a year.

Foster County, ND at a glance

Median household income

$87,831$7,319 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$873HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.0-11% · BEA, North Dakota
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential ND
Population3,358Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Foster County, ND?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$873Monthly market rent
Share of gross income11.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$34,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,196At 30% of $87,831
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Foster County, ND? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Foster County, ND, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Foster County, ND, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$727$8,724$29,0809.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$755$9,060$30,20010.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$873$10,476$34,92011.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,214$14,568$48,56016.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,464$17,568$58,56020%

Rent in Foster County, ND, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Foster County, ND

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $87,831 a year ($7,319 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,660/moRent ($873 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,196/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,464/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $87,831 leaves after North Dakota taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and North Dakota tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$87,831
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$87,831
Net 80%
Fed 12%
ND 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$70,166After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,847Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,699Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,493 / yr
North Dakota state income tax$453 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,719 / yr

Living in Foster County, ND: common questions

What is the median household income in Foster County, ND?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Foster County, ND is $87,831 per year (approximately $7,319 per month).

What is the average rent in Foster County, ND?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $727 for a studio, $755 for one bedroom, $873 for two, $1,214 for three and $1,464 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Foster County, ND expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for North Dakota is 89.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Foster County, ND?

To keep a $873 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $34,920 a year, or $2,910 a month. That is 40% of what the typical household in Foster County, ND earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Foster County, ND?

On the local median income of $87,831 ($7,319 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,660 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,196 for everything else and $1,464 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $873 takes 24% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Foster County, ND?

Homes in North Dakota paid 14.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $127. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.