What to Know About the Cost of Living in North Dakota

North Dakota Department of Commerce

Looking to live well yet affordably? The Peace Garden State is your answer. North Dakota provides all the amenities you desire – fun events, great restaurants, cool arts scenes, outdoor recreation – and an affordable cost of living (11.4% below the national average) that allows you to spend more of your money on things you love. The state’s income tax is one of the lowest in the country at 2.5%. When compared to California’s 13.3% and the rates of neighboring states, like Montana’s 5.9% and Minnesota’s 9.85%, North Dakota residents are saving dollars on taxes alone. Additionally, the state’s average home value is about $270,000, while the national average comes in at about $368,000, according to Zillow. Homeowners can apply for a state property tax credit. If approved, they can receive up to a $500 credit against their property tax obligation. To learn even more about the state’s cost of living and why it’s such a great place to reside, we sat down with three locals to get the scoop on their cities and what it’s like to live there.

Maria Renicker, Dickinson

Maria Renicker, her husband and their then 9-month-old (they now have three kids) moved to Dickinson from California in 2013, following the real estate crash of 2008. The move offered them a fresh start. They started a construction company and later, a property management company.

What do you love about living in Dickinson?

I was raised in Dayton, Ohio, which is a larger city. In California, it’s just a mass of people, so it was really nice to get back to that small-town America feel. It’s a community, and your neighbors truly are your neighbors. The community comes together and helps out when there’s a need. It’s grown a lot and is large enough now that we have a lot more resources, but it still has that small-town vibe where people will wave to one another. I feel like it’s a wonderful place to raise a family. It feels like a pocket of the world that’s still a safe place.

What is the cost of living like in Dickinson, North Dakota?

We had friends who owned property here, so we rented from them for a while when we first got here. When we moved into Dickinson, we had a very good experience. We had pretty much lost everything in the real estate crash, so it took us a while to build back up. Our local bank was willing to do a contract for a deed for us and get the loan finished up, so that was a very good experience. Since then, we sold that house and built a house. Pricing for houses isn’t dirt cheap, but it is affordable, especially compared to California. The salaries here are very competitive, too, and we have a lot of good national companies that are located right here in Dickinson that are great to work for, like Baker Boy, a wholesale bakery, and Kildeer Mountain Manufacturing. Plus, we have the oil field, which pays very well. (Dickinson is within the Williston Basin, known for its oil and natural gas reserves.)

Alex Marzari, Bismarck

Alex Marzari moved to Bismarck from Columbus, Ohio, in 2023 to work for Marathon Petroleum as an associate commercial sourcing adviser. He is also the executive secretary treasurer for the Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals Network, an organization dedicated to professional development, entrepreneurship, community service and networking.

What do you love about living in Bismarck?

It’s very calm and quiet compared to bigger cities like Columbus, Ohio, which has a population larger than the state of North Dakota. It’s a big breath of fresh air. Everything you want to do is just 10 or 15 minutes away, and there’s always something to do. There are a lot of little places here that you don’t find anywhere else, like a 24-hour cornhole and ax throwing place. I also love the nature here. You can go 10 minutes out of town and go hiking in beautiful places and completely disconnect from the world. One of the perks about North Dakota is that everybody’s really nice. There’s always somebody willing to help you out.

What is the cost of living like in Bismark, North Dakota?

As far as apartments, there are a lot of good options here. I found a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment with a garage, which is around $1,500 a month. It has a washer and dryer included, and it’s right near two large parks, which I didn’t have in Ohio. Here, I can take my dog out to play and get some fresh air right by my apartment. I have a larger place here with more amenities for a little less money. I’d suggest talking to locals who can tell you the best places to live. The northside of town is growing very quickly with new housing developments, condos and apartments.

Suzie Kenner, Devils Lake

Suzie Kenner grew up in Minot, North Dakota, moved to Bismarck for over a decade, then relocated to Devils Lake – where her husband grew up – in 2009 to take on the role of executive director of the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce.

What do you love about living in Devils Lake?

We’re a smaller community in the state. Our population is a little over 7,000 people, and we’re a lake community, too. We’re in a nice location of the state, where it’s easier to get some of the items that you need or want and would find in larger communities. Things here are slower paced, but you can be as busy as you want to be. What I love is that you can get off work at 5 p.m. and have your boat in the water having a sandwich dinner by 5:30 p.m. I love being able to take advantage of the lake via boat, Jet Ski or to fish.

What are some of your favorite outdoor activities in Devils Lake?

The lake is No. 1 for summer and winter activities. We’re a big ice-fishing destination. We have White Horse Hill National Game Preserve that I like to take my family to in the summer and fall. There, you’ll find bison, elk and lots of walking/hiking trails. It’s a nice place to get some exercise and get outdoors. In the winter, it’s open on the weekend, and you can check out a pair of snowshoes for free. Both Creel Bay Golf Course and Grahams Island State Park have cross-country skiing trails, but if you don’t own skis, you can rent them for $10 a day at the sports store downtown. Golfing is probably my favorite summer pastime. The course is public and right on the lake. They have kayaks you can rent and nice boat slips, so you can pull up and get a pizza or a beverage and just sit and watch the sunset over the lake. We just opened a new family center last year, where you can play pickleball, walk the track and take part in other activities for $3 a day. We go there a lot during the winter months.

This article was sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Commerce.