Housing decision brief
Stutsman County, ND Housing Market
Stutsman County screens as a higher 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.
40th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 24th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$200,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$742/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$843/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$101/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$742/mo is 2% below North Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$60,172 median income is 15% below North Dakota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.09% effective property-tax rate is 18% 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Stutsman 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. | $200,300 | $149,600 | $281,900 | 34% pressure34% above North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $742 | $756 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $843 | $712 | $1,672 | 18% pressure18% above North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $60,172 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 15% pressure15% below North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.09% | 0.93% | 1.02% | 18% pressure18% above North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 22.00% | N/A | 18% pressure26.00% 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
+$30,492
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,043
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Stutsman County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $742/month representing approximately 14.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 26.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Stutsman County is $742/month, while owner costs run $843/month. Renting saves approximately $101/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,129/year. With a median household income of $60,172, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Stutsman County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Ramsey County where rent averages $687/month, Stutsman County is approximately 8% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsey County, ND | $197,400 | $687/mo | Same-state comparison near $197,400 home value and $687/mo rent. |
| Dickey County, ND | $167,100 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $167,100 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Richland County, ND | $177,600 | $751/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,600 home value and $751/mo rent. |
| Oliver County, ND | $217,000 | $725/mo | Same-state comparison near $217,000 home value and $725/mo rent. |
| Barnes County, ND | $168,100 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,100 home value and $779/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Stutsman County
Is Stutsman County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Stutsman County?
How much income do you need for housing in Stutsman County?
What should I double-check before moving to Stutsman County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.