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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in North Dakota

Statewide Regional Price Parities for North Dakota from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 4 metro areas.

89.0
Statewide RPP
#44
of 51 states by cost
71.4
Rents RPP
4
Metro areas

The verdict

North Dakota costs less than 86% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 89.0, 11.0% below the national average.

89.0
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#44
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 14%
nationally, among all states
71.4
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $112,411 when earned in North Dakota.

Reading the North Dakota Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places North Dakota's statewide Regional Price Parity at 89.0 for the 2024 data year, 11.0% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 71.4. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

North Dakota captures 4 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Bismarck, ND leads on cost at 91.0, while Grand Forks, ND-MN sits at the opposite end at 86.7 — a gap of 4.4 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 95.7, for services 73.7, and for rents 71.4 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, North Dakota's statewide index has climbed by 3.1 points, meaning the cost gap between this state and cheaper parts of the country has widened. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $112,411 of national buying power when earned inside North Dakota, and a household relocating here would need roughly $88,959 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

89.0
Overall
95.7
Goods
73.7
Services
71.4
Rents

North Dakota vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

89 Top 86% higher than 14% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). This entry sits in this band. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Above this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in North Dakota → Cheapest in North Dakota →

Metro areas in North Dakota, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Bismarck 91.0 95.7 75.0 84.0
2 Fargo 90.9 95.7 77.3 81.1
3 Minot 87.0 95.7 72.9 63.2
4 Grand Forks 86.7 95.6 77.1 59.7

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 85.9
2009 87.9
2010 89.1
2011 89.5
2012 92.0
2013 92.2
2014 92.5
2015 91.1
2016 91.6
2017 88.7
2018 91.2
2019 93.2
2020 91.8
2021 91.0
2022 88.7
2023 88.2
2024 89.0

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in North Dakota? ▼
North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 89.0, meaning it is 11.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 95.7, services at 73.7, and rents at 71.4.
What salary in North Dakota equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $88,959 in North Dakota. Conversely, $100K earned in North Dakota has the purchasing power of $112,411 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in North Dakota? ▼
Rents in North Dakota are indexed at 71.4, which is 28.6% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in North Dakota? ▼
The most expensive metro area in North Dakota is Bismarck, ND with an RPP of 91.0. The most affordable is Grand Forks, ND-MN at 86.7. There are 4 metro areas in North Dakota with BEA price data.
Is North Dakota getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, North Dakota's overall cost index changed by +3.1 points (from 85.9 to 89.0). The cost of living has been trending upward.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.