Housing decision brief
Steele County, ND Housing Market
Steele County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
17th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$120,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$630/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$661/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$31/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$120,400 median home value is 20% below North Dakota county median
Lower rent
$630/mo is 17% below North Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 93.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.95% effective property-tax rate is 2% 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Steele 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. | $120,400 | $149,600 | $281,900 | 20% favorable20% below North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $630 | $756 | $1,163 | 17% favorable17% below North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $661 | $712 | $1,672 | 7% favorable7% below North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $80,313 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 13% favorable13% above North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.95% | 0.93% | 1.02% | Near state median2% above 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
+$55,113
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$51,984
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Steele County is affordable. The median rent is $630/month against a median household income of $80,313, putting rent at 9.4% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Steele County pay $630/month on average, compared to $661/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $25,200/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $28,329/year. With a median household income of $80,313, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Steele County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Ramsey County where rent averages $687/month, Steele County is approximately 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaMoure County, ND | $118,000 | $607/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,000 home value and $607/mo rent. |
| Nelson County, ND | $114,500 | $593/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,500 home value and $593/mo rent. |
| Pembina County, ND | $116,600 | $692/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,600 home value and $692/mo rent. |
| Griggs County, ND | $128,200 | $606/mo | Same-state comparison near $128,200 home value and $606/mo rent. |
| McHenry County, ND | $143,200 | $737/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,200 home value and $737/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Steele County
Is Steele County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Steele County?
How much income do you need for housing in Steele County?
What should I double-check before moving to Steele County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.