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North Dakota

R+33  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 98

B+

2.5%

Income Tax

285

Violent Crime / 100K

78.8

Life Expectancy

$255K

Median Home

$1,050

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

69/100
255075100TAXES72SAFETY74HEALTH47SCHOOLS67AFFORDABLE78LONGEVITY73

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Taxes

Income Tax

2.5% top

Property Tax

~$2,244/yr on median home

0.88% / yr

Sales Tax

6.97% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

98

Median Home Price

$255,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,100/mo

Home Insurance

$2,200/yr

Flood Insurance

$600/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$100,000

Asset Protection

Moderate

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

285 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

1,779 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.9 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#27 of 50

Life Expectancy

78.8 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

7.5%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#17 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,050/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$125/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$470/mo

Road Quality Rank

Among the best roads in the US

#1 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

20+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

59% urban

Restaurant Density

Limited dining options

380/100K

Religious Congregations

Strong religious community

260/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

None

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

1 venues

Craft Breweries

2.9/100K residents — Solid scene

22 breweries

Craft Distilleries

10 distilleries

Live Music

Fargo Brewing Co; Fargo Film Festival; small but growing craft scene

Limited

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,290

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.9 / 100K

Broadband Access

80% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Illegal

Casino Gambling

Tribal casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Tribal casinos and licensed charitable gambling. No commercial casinos. Blackjack games at charitable events allowed.

Yes

Age of Consent

18

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

No known naturist facilities

None known

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Excellent (national avg ~38)

25

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

blizzardtornadoflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+33

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1% job growth · 2% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

Oil & GasAgricultureGovernment

Tech Jobs

#47 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#30 of 50

Remote Work

12% of workers

Median Household Income

$69,371

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Below avg (-0.24 vs national avg)

$3.06/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 14°F

Harsh

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

84°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

17" / yr

Tornado Risk

Moderate

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

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Compare Similar States

ND vs PA

North Dakota vs Pennsylvania

COL 98 vs 97 · 2.5% vs 3.07% income tax

Full comparison →

ND vs TX

North Dakota vs Texas

COL 98 vs 97 · 2.5% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

ND vs ID

North Dakota vs Idaho

COL 98 vs 96 · 2.5% vs 5.8% income tax

Full comparison →

ND vs NV

North Dakota vs Nevada

COL 98 vs 101 · 2.5% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

Stay Current

Get notified when North Dakota tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

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