Housing decision brief
Golden Valley County, ND Housing Market
Golden Valley County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
15th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$123,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$638/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$544/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.4%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$94/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$123,900 median home value is 24% below North Dakota county median
Lower rent
$638/mo is 17% below North Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.40% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $94/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 87.0 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$68,021 median income is 6% below 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
- 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
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Golden Valley 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. | $123,900 | $163,200 | $281,900 | 24% favorable24% below North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $638 | $765 | $1,163 | 17% favorable17% below North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $544 | $722 | $1,672 | 25% favorable25% below North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $68,021 | $72,109 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.89% | 0.92% | 1.02% | Near state median3% below North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.40% | 22.20% | N/A | 13% favorable19.40% 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
+$42,501
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$44,707
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 Golden Valley County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $856/month in gross rent, with 20.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $856/month rent versus $525/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $331/month cheaper , a 39% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $22,500/year. With a median household income of $76,528, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Golden Valley County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Golden Valley County sits 8% less expensive than Cass County ($930/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pembina County, ND | $119,200 | $684/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,200 home value and $684/mo rent. |
| Wells County, ND | $114,500 | $648/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,500 home value and $648/mo rent. |
| Emmons County, ND | $117,200 | $568/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,200 home value and $568/mo rent. |
| Nelson County, ND | $139,700 | $582/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,700 home value and $582/mo rent. |
| Griggs County, ND | $119,300 | $573/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,300 home value and $573/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Golden Valley County
Is Golden Valley County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Golden Valley County?
How much income do you need for housing in Golden Valley County?
What should I double-check before moving to Golden Valley County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.