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Bismarck, ND

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Bismarck, ND is $1,175 per month, ranking #410 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $83,982, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 16.8% of income on housing. Rent in Bismarck has increased 23.0% year over year. The area has a population of 134K, with 27.3% of households renting.

16.8%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,175
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$83,982
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,008
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+23%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
134K
Population
Census ACS
27.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$295,500
Median Home Value
8.4%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
7.9%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$961
Studio
$1,030
1 Bedroom
$1,175
2 Bedroom
$1,634
3 Bedroom
$1,884
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Bismarck, ND, a household earning the area median income of $83,982 would spend 16.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$47,000
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,008
$167 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+32.9% since 2021
$8842021$8802022$9282023$9552024$1,0232025$1,1752026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in North Dakota is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 124.7 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Bismarck is 7.9%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
124.7 hrs
Poverty Rate
7.9%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Bismarck is $295,500. At a median income of $83,982, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. 8.4% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,069 est. mortgage
vs $1,175 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
8.4%
of housing units

Other Areas in North Dakota

Ward County
$1,165/mo
2BR FMR · 17.6% burden
Fargo
$1,112/mo
2BR FMR · 17.7% burden
Grand Forks
$1,089/mo
2BR FMR · 19% burden
Renville County
$1,081/mo
2BR FMR · 17% burden
McHenry County
$1,000/mo
2BR FMR · 14.9% burden

Compare Bismarck

vs Ward County, NDvs Fargo, NDvs Grand Forks, ND

Areas With Similar Rent to Bismarck

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Bismarck, ND is $1,175 per month. A studio is $961/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,030/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,634/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,008/mo.

Bismarck has a rent burden of 16.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $83,982 would spend 16.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $47,000.

Bismarck's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,175/mo is $75 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Bismarck ranks #410 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Bismarck without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $47,000, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $83,982.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bismarck increased by 23.0% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.