Housing decision brief
Dunn County, ND Housing Market
Dunn County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
44th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 44th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$244,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$941/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$789/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$152/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $152/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 89.2 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Dunn County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $244,000 | $149,600 | $281,900 | 63% pressure63% above North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $941 | $756 | $1,163 | 24% pressure24% above North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $789 | $712 | $1,672 | 11% pressure11% above North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $94,688 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 34% favorable34% above North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.60% | 0.93% | 1.02% | 35% favorable35% below North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 17.00% | 22.00% | N/A | 23% favorable17.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$57,048
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$60,874
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Dunn County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $941/month in gross rent, with 17.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Dunn County pay $941/month on average, compared to $789/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $37,640/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $33,814/year. With a median household income of $94,688, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Dunn County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Burleigh County where rent averages $996/month, Dunn County is approximately 6% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County, ND | $260,400 | $966/mo | Same-state comparison near $260,400 home value and $966/mo rent. |
| Morton County, ND | $249,600 | $1,036/mo | Same-state comparison near $249,600 home value and $1,036/mo rent. |
| Ward County, ND | $259,100 | $1,000/mo | Same-state comparison near $259,100 home value and $1,000/mo rent. |
| Williams County, ND | $267,800 | $1,108/mo | Same-state comparison near $267,800 home value and $1,108/mo rent. |
| Mountrail County, ND | $222,200 | $864/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,200 home value and $864/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dunn County
Is Dunn County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dunn County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dunn County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dunn County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.