Housing decision brief
Foster County, ND Housing Market
Foster County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher 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.
28th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 27th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$162,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$756/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$788/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$32/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 92.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.28% effective property-tax rate is 38% above North Dakota county median
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Foster 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. | $162,800 | $149,600 | $281,900 | 9% pressure9% above North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $756 | $756 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $788 | $712 | $1,672 | 11% pressure11% above North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $83,412 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 18% favorable18% above North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.28% | 0.93% | 1.02% | 38% pressure38% above North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 22.00% | N/A | 41% pressure31.00% 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
+$53,172
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$49,641
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Foster County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $756/month representing approximately 10.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 31.0%.
Rent vs own
At $756/month rent versus $788/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $32/month cheaper , a 4% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $33,771/year. With a median household income of $83,412, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Foster County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Foster County sits 6% less expensive than Pierce County ($807/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottineau County, ND | $190,900 | $763/mo | Same-state comparison near $190,900 home value and $763/mo rent. |
| McHenry County, ND | $143,200 | $737/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,200 home value and $737/mo rent. |
| Renville County, ND | $163,400 | $846/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,400 home value and $846/mo rent. |
| Bowman County, ND | $176,400 | $869/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,400 home value and $869/mo rent. |
| Traill County, ND | $193,200 | $758/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,200 home value and $758/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Foster County
Is Foster County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Foster County?
How much income do you need for housing in Foster County?
What should I double-check before moving to Foster County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.