Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bismarck, North Dakota
A $291,000 home here costs
$2,400per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $103,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,587. The real number is $813 higher every month, 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Burleigh County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bismarck against Burleigh County and North Dakota
| Measure | Bismarck | Burleigh County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $291,400 | $314,700 |
| Median property tax | $2,893 | $2,764 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.993% | 0.878% |
| Median gross rent | $992 | $996 |
| Population | 74,146 | 98,986 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bismarck sits in Burleigh County, which averages a high of 84.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 2.4°F in its coldest, with 19.05" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 536 cooling and 8,471 heating degree days, which is what sets the $137 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Burleigh County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Burleigh County
Full Burleigh County cost breakdown · Every county in North Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bismarck averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Bismarck every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bismarck I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bismarck?
A $291,000 home in Bismarck, North Dakota costs approximately $2,400 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,587 principal and interest, $241 property tax, $125 homeowners insurance, $205 utilities and $243 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bismarck?
Bismarck has an effective property tax rate of 0.993%, based on a median home value of $291,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,893. That is higher than the Burleigh County average of 0.878%.
What is the average home price in Bismarck?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bismarck, North Dakota is $291,400, against $314,700 across Burleigh County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bismarck?
Median gross rent in Bismarck is $992 a month, against $2,400 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Bismarck?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bismarck, North Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $103,000 a year. That covers the full $2,400 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bismarck, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for North Dakota.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.