What it costs to live and work in North Dakota: the minimum wage, state income tax, sales tax and median rent, from official sources, and what they mean for your monthly budget.
| North Dakota | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 an hour | US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws |
| State income tax | 1.95 % to 2.5 % | Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 |
| State sales tax | 5 % | Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) |
| Median gross rent | $980 a month (2024) | US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state |
North Dakota's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal rate.
Two rates for single filers: 1.95 % on taxable income over $48,475 and 2.5 % over $244,825; income below $48,475 is not taxed.
The state sales tax is 5 %; cities and counties add their own rates (average local rate 2.09 %).
What income does rent in North Dakota take?
A common rule of thumb is to keep rent at or below 30 % of gross income. At the median rent of $980 a month, that means a household income of about $39,200 a year before tax.
Sources
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (2026-07-01)
- Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026-02-19)
- Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) (2026-07-06)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state (2024)