#1New Town
Mountrail County · 2,715 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 2.6 years of area income·Overall B− · #15 of 23 in ND
New Town, #1 on this list · Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0North Dakota rankings · Cost of living
Most affordable towns in North Dakota
New Town ranks first on cost of living among North Dakota’s 23 towns of 2,500+; 5 of the 23 grade A− or better on cost of living nationally.
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). How grades work
#1A
#2Grafton
Walsh County · 4,023 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 2.4 years of area income·Overall B · #13 of 23 in ND
#3Wahpeton
Richland County · 8,141 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 3.2 years of area income·Overall B+ · #5 of 23 in ND
All 23 towns
Cost of living grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
23 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeHome price · overall
23Minot AFBunincorporated, Ward County · 4,878 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #22 of 23
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most affordable town in North Dakota?
New Town (Mountrail County) ranks first on cost of living among 23 towns, with an A; Grafton and Wahpeton follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a cost of living grade (23 in North Dakota). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the North Dakota page.
Go deeper
All North Dakota rankings →More North Dakota lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live23 towns · #1 LincolnSafest towns16 towns · #1 New TownTowns with the best schools23 towns · #1 WahpetonHealthiest towns23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipBest towns for jobs & income23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipMost walkable towns23 towns · #1 Grand ForksTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk23 towns · #1 Tatman TownshipBest towns for the outdoors23 towns · #1 BismarckMost historic towns23 towns · #1 Valley CityTowns with the most civic life22 towns · #1 GraftonTowns with the least snow20 towns · #1 BeulahDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns20 towns · #1 MinotDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters24 towns · #1 DickinsonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers24 towns · #1 WillistonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers24 towns · #1 Devils LakeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes21 towns · #1 New TownDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns23 towns · #1 HoraceDescribed, no letters
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