North Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Grand Forks County, ND

Prices around Grand Forks County, ND run 13.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $68,075 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,089 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $43,560 a year.

Grand Forks County, ND at a glance

Median household income

$68,075$5,673 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,089HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.7-13.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential ND
Population72,923Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Grand Forks 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$1,089Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$43,560To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,702At 30% of $68,075
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Grand Forks County, ND, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$863$10,356$34,52015.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$868$10,416$34,72015.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,089$13,068$43,56019.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,515$18,180$60,60026.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,827$21,924$73,08032.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Grand Forks County, ND

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $68,075 a year ($5,673 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,836/moRent ($1,089 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,702/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,135/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $68,075 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.

$68,075
$25,000$140,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$68,075
Net 83%
Fed 9%
ND 0%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,653After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,721Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,179Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,147 / yr
North Dakota state income tax$68 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,208 / yr

Living in Grand Forks County, ND: common questions

What is the median household income in Grand Forks County, ND?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Grand Forks County, ND is $68,075 per year (approximately $5,673 per month).

What is the average rent in Grand Forks County, ND?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $863 for a studio, $868 for one bedroom, $1,089 for two, $1,515 for three and $1,827 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 Grand Forks County, ND expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 86.7, 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 Grand Forks County, ND?

To keep a $1,089 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $43,560 a year, or $3,630 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Grand Forks County, ND earns.

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

On the local median income of $68,075 ($5,673 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,836 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,702 for everything else and $1,135 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,089 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Grand Forks 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.