North Dakota has spent the last few sessions moving more of the cost of local government from homeowners to the state. The legislature created a primary residence credit, which reduces the tax on the home you live in, and later expanded it and limited how fast local property tax budgets may grow. Voters rejected Measure 4, which would have abolished property tax on assessed value altogether, but the debate pushed the state toward more relief. Expect the numbers on an older bill to differ from what you will pay.
Local assessors value homes at market value, and the taxable value is a fixed fraction of that. The county, the city or township, the school district and park, fire and other districts each levy on it. School districts usually take the largest share. The primary residence credit has to be applied for through the state’s online portal; it does not attach to the home automatically after a sale.
Older and disabled owners with limited income can also claim the homestead credit with the county, and disabled veterans have a separate credit. Farm residences can be exempt under the farm residence rules.
The state constitution prohibits a real estate transfer tax, and sale prices are not public records, so assessors depend on their own sales studies. Bills are mailed near year end, and owners who pay in full by the winter deadline get a discount; the alternative is two installments. Homes in the oil country of the west have faced rapid swings in value, and rural properties may rely on wells and septic systems.
Property tax in North Dakota
The median North Dakota homeowner pays $2,468 a year in property tax on a home valued at $249,900, an effective rate of 0.9876% in the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year 2020-2024). That ranks the 21st highest of the 50 states and DC, above the middle state's 0.8003%. At that rate each $100,000 of home value carries about $988 a year of tax, or $82.30 a month in the payment, and that rate is what the calculator above starts from.
Inside North Dakota the rate more than doubles from the cheapest county to the dearest. Among counties whose survey figures pass both quality checks, the effective rate runs from 0.5196% in Mountrail County to 1.3402% in Cavalier County. On a $249,900 home that gap is worth about $2,051 a year. Pick a county in the calculator to use its rate, or type the rate from a listing or a current tax bill.
The survey rate is what owners actually pay divided by what they say their homes are worth, with exemptions, caps and local levies folded in; it will not match any rate printed in North Dakota law. Ask for the seller's latest bill and the assessed value too, since a new owner's assessment can differ from the long-held homes behind the median.
North Dakota property tax rates by county
All 53 counties, sorted from the highest effective rate to the lowest. The rate is the median tax paid divided by the median home value, from the ACS 5-year 2020-2024 survey (figures to December 31, 2024). Of these, 11 carry a flag: where the survey's margin of error is wide or home values hit the survey's top code, the calculator uses the North Dakota median instead of that county's figure.
| County | Effective rate | Median home value | Median tax a year | Survey | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavalier County | 1.3402% | $125,800 | $1,686 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Cass County | 1.196% | $298,000 | $3,564 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Foster County | 1.1887% | $167,500 | $1,991 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Grand Forks County | 1.1476% | $252,700 | $2,900 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Richland County | 1.1253% | $183,600 | $2,066 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Sargent County | 1.1201% | $163,200 | $1,828 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Hettinger County | 1.1151% | $117,300 | $1,308 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Mercer County | 1.1003% | $198,500 | $2,184 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Stutsman County | 1.0984% | $208,400 | $2,289 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Pierce County | 1.0889% | $147,300 | $1,604 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| McIntosh County | 1.0843% | $84,200 | $913 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Walsh County | 1.0708% | $132,700 | $1,421 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Ward County | 1.0704% | $267,100 | $2,859 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Barnes County | 1.034% | $173,700 | $1,796 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Traill County | 1.0339% | $200,700 | $2,075 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Morton County | 1.0178% | $263,900 | $2,686 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Ransom County | 1.015% | $193,000 | $1,959 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| LaMoure County | 1.0128% | $117,200 | $1,187 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Steele County | 1.0115% | $130,700 | $1,322 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Pembina County | 1.0109% | $119,200 | $1,205 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Adams County | 0.9982% | $113,200 | $1,130 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Logan County | 0.998% | $102,000 | $1,018 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Eddy County | 0.9976% | $124,000 | $1,237 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Ramsey County | 0.9915% | $199,300 | $1,976 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Wells County | 0.9773% | $114,500 | $1,119 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Rolette County | 0.9412% | $103,800 | $977 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dickey County | 0.9163% | $162,400 | $1,488 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Griggs County | 0.9086% | $119,300 | $1,084 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Benson County | 0.9078% | $90,000 | $817 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Emmons County | 0.907% | $117,200 | $1,063 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Grant County | 0.9067% | $93,200 | $845 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Golden Valley County | 0.891% | $123,900 | $1,104 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Stark County | 0.8874% | $271,700 | $2,411 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Burleigh County | 0.8836% | $324,000 | $2,863 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Towner County | 0.8769% | $134,800 | $1,182 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| McLean County | 0.7591% | $227,100 | $1,724 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Nelson County | 0.7473% | $139,700 | $1,044 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bowman County | 0.7271% | $164,900 | $1,199 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bottineau County | 0.721% | $193,200 | $1,393 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Sheridan County | 0.7017% | $110,300 | $774 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Williams County | 0.6808% | $284,800 | $1,939 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Renville County | 0.6795% | $166,000 | $1,128 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| McHenry County | 0.6583% | $151,000 | $994 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Oliver County | 0.6226% | $215,700 | $1,343 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dunn County | 0.6055% | $275,000 | $1,665 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Divide County | 0.6002% | $167,600 | $1,006 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Kidder County | 0.5766% | $156,600 | $903 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Burke County | 0.5351% | $158,100 | $846 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Mountrail County | 0.5196% | $232,700 | $1,209 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Sioux County | 0.4918% | $85,400 | $420 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| McKenzie County | 0.4265% | $349,600 | $1,491 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Billings County | 0.3659% | $331,000 | $1,211 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Slope County | 0.2276% | $170,000 | $387 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
Worked example: the median North Dakota home
The median owner-occupied home in North Dakota is valued at $249,900 (ACS 5-year 2020-2024). Put $49,980 down, enough to keep the loan at 80% of the price so no PMI is charged, and borrow the rest over 30 years at 7.4%, the Freddie Mac average for the week of October 15, 2026. Insurance is the calculator's default of $1,500 a year, the same figure on every state page and 7.3% of this payment; real premiums vary widely from state to state and with a home's exposure to wind, flood and wildfire, so replace it with a premium for the North Dakota home you are pricing.
| Line | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest | $1,384.21 | $16,610.52 |
| Property tax | $205.67 | $2,468.04 |
| Homeowners insurance | $125.00 | $1,500.00 |
| Private mortgage insurance | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Total payment | $1,714.88 | $20,578.56 |
Principal and interest dominate the bill; tax and insurance, usually collected through escrow, add $330.67 a month, 19.3% of the total. Over the full term the $199,920 loan costs $298,390 in interest.
With $24,990 down instead, the loan grows to $224,910 and PMI of $93.71 a month is added, for a first payment of $1,981.61. On the regular schedule the PMI stops after 10 years, with the payment in October 2036. A 15-year loan at the 6.71% average, with the larger down payment, raises the monthly figure to $2,095.35 but cuts the interest to $117,723.
What the median North Dakota wage can buy
The median annual wage in North Dakota is $52,480 (BLS wage survey, May 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, that leaves about $3,696 a month after federal and North Dakota paycheck deductions. With $60,000 saved for a down payment and $400 a month of other debts, the home affordability calculator's default 28/36 rule gives this range at 7.4% and the North Dakota property tax rate:
| Level | Home price | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | $105,120 | $524 |
| Target | $189,088 | $1,174 |
| Stretch | $228,606 | $1,481 |
Here the limit is total debt: the housing payment plus the other $400 a month reaches 36% of gross pay first. The target falls $60,812 short of the $249,900 median home value: the median home costs 4.8 times the median wage, so a typical North Dakota purchase usually needs a second income, a larger down payment or a cheaper area.
Everyday costs help: North Dakota's prices for goods and rent run 11% below the national average, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price parities for 2024 (figures to December 31, 2024). That stretches the median wage to about $58,993 in national dollars.
North Dakota mortgage questions
What is the mortgage payment on the median home in North Dakota?
The median North Dakota home is valued at $249,900 in the Census Bureau's ACS 5-year 2020-2024 figures. With $49,980 down and a 30-year loan at the 7.4% weekly average, the payment is $1,714.88 a month: $1,384.21 of principal and interest, $205.67 of property tax and $125.00 of insurance.
What is the property tax rate in North Dakota?
Homeowners in North Dakota pay a median of $2,468 a year on a median home value of $249,900, an effective rate of 0.9876%. That is the 21st highest of the 50 states and DC. It is a measure of what owners actually pay, not a rate set in law, and a new purchase can be taxed differently.
Which North Dakota county has the highest property tax rate?
Among counties with reliable survey figures, Cavalier County has the highest effective rate at 1.3402% and Mountrail County the lowest at 0.5196%. On the $249,900 median home, that gap is about $2,051 a year.
How much house can I afford on the median North Dakota wage?
On the median wage of $52,480, take-home pay is about $3,696 a month. With $60,000 down and $400 a month of other debts, the 28/36 rule points to a home of about $189,088, against a median home value of $249,900.
Does a smaller down payment change the North Dakota payment much?
With $24,990 down on the same home the loan is larger and private mortgage insurance is added, so the payment starts at $1,981.61 a month, $93.71 of it PMI. The PMI stops once the scheduled balance reaches 78% of the original value.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS 5-year 2020-2024), tables B25103 and B25077
- Freddie Mac, 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States [MORTGAGE30US], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, removing PMI
Mortgage rates: Freddie Mac weekly averages as of . Property tax rates: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2020-2024 as of . Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 as of . How we calculate.