North Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Morton County, ND

Prices around Morton County, ND run 9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $79,382 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,175 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,000 a year.

Morton County, ND at a glance

Median household income

$79,382$6,615 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,175HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.0-9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential ND
Population33,777Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Morton 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$1,175Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,000To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,985At 30% of $79,382
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Morton County, ND, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$961$11,532$38,44014.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,030$12,360$41,20015.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,175$14,100$47,00017.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,634$19,608$65,36024.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,884$22,608$75,36028.5%

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

What a typical income covers in Morton County, ND

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $79,382 a year ($6,615 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,308/moRent ($1,175 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,985/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,323/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $79,382 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.

$79,382
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,382
Net 81%
Fed 11%
ND 0%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$64,387After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,366Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,476Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,634 / yr
North Dakota state income tax$289 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,073 / yr

Living in Morton County, ND: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Morton County, ND is $79,382 per year (approximately $6,615 per month).

What is the average rent in Morton County, ND?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $961 for a studio, $1,030 for one bedroom, $1,175 for two, $1,634 for three and $1,884 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 Morton County, ND expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.0, 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 Morton County, ND?

To keep a $1,175 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,000 a year, or $3,917 a month. That is 59% of what the typical household in Morton County, ND earns.

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

On the local median income of $79,382 ($6,615 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,308 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,985 for everything else and $1,323 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,175 takes 36% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Morton 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.