Housing decision brief
Towner County, ND Housing Market
Towner 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.
20th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 20th lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$122,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$719/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$643/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$76/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
$122,800 median home value is 18% below North Dakota county median
Lower rent
$719/mo is 5% below North Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $76/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 98.0 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,017 median income is 11% 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 Towner 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. | $122,800 | $149,600 | $281,900 | 18% favorable18% below North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $719 | $756 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $643 | $712 | $1,672 | 10% favorable10% below North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $63,017 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.88% | 0.93% | 1.02% | 6% favorable6% below North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 22.00% | N/A | Near state median22.00% 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
+$34,257
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$35,460
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 Towner County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $719/month in gross rent, with 22.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Towner County pay $719/month on average, compared to $643/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 11%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,557/year. With a median household income of $63,017, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Towner County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within North Dakota, Towner County is less affordable than Barnes County by roughly 8% ($719/mo vs $779/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slope County, ND | $121,300 | $719/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,300 home value and $719/mo rent. |
| Pembina County, ND | $116,600 | $692/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,600 home value and $692/mo rent. |
| Walsh County, ND | $125,700 | $766/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,700 home value and $766/mo rent. |
| Griggs County, ND | $128,200 | $606/mo | Same-state comparison near $128,200 home value and $606/mo rent. |
| Cavalier County, ND | $122,300 | $859/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,300 home value and $859/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Towner County
Is Towner County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Towner County?
How much income do you need for housing in Towner County?
What should I double-check before moving to Towner County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.