Insights » North Dakota cities with highest and lowest household expenses

2023 Report: Cities in North Dakota where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

 How does living in the Peace Garden state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about North Dakota’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in North Dakota, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,842 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 9 cities and towns across North Dakota, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in North Dakota and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on North Dakota’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.

North Dakota residents pay $1,842 in household bills a month

The average North Dakota household pays $1,842 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.

North Dakota residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 35th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. South Carolina ranks 34th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,853, and Tennessee ranks 36th, at $1,841.

North Dakota’s household expenses, on average, are 10% lower than the national average of $2,046.

Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. For example, North Dakota households spend 34% of their income on household bills on average.

Annually, North Dakota residents pay $6 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in North Dakota by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about North Dakota

• Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,842 per month
• State Bill Pay Market Size: $6 billion
• doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 35 out of 50
• Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 34%
• Difference from the National Average: 10% lower

Housing bill category drives North Dakota’s high monthly bill expenses

The average North Dakota household pays $1,842 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in North Dakota is $1,310, and average rent is $857, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.

Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for North Dakotans.  The average auto loan bill in North Dakota is $545 a month, compared to the national average of $467.

Compared to the national average, utilities are a slightly lower expense for residents of North Dakota. The average household in the state pays $344 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.

Auto insurance is also more affordable in North Dakota. While US residents on average spend $207 per month on car insurance, in North Dakota they spend $196.

Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.

Average North Dakota Household Bill Spending

Dickinson tops the list of most expensive cities for North Dakota’s household bills

Residents of Dickinson pay the highest household bills in the state of North Dakota, at an average of $2,271 per month. Minot comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,218 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, Minot’s bills are the same as the ones in Dickinson. Both cities’ monthly bill basket makes up 40% of average household income there.

Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.

5 Most Expensive North Dakota Cities for Household Bills

Jamestown is the most affordable North Dakota city for household bills

Out of 9 cities and towns, Jamestown is the most affordable place in North Dakota, with residents paying $1,467 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 34% of local income in Jamestown.

Grand Forks comes in at the second most affordable town or city in North Dakota, with residents paying $1,819 per month on average.

Also on the list of least expensive cities in North Dakota is Mandan ($1,829 per month), and Bismarck (1,898).

4 Most Affordable North Dakota Cities for Household Bills

Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. North Dakota, in particular, is a hotspot for many people looking to relocate, with it being one of several states incentivizing remote workers to move there. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare North Dakota’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 4,200 towns and cities across the country.