Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Shell Valley, North Dakota
A $55,000 home here costs
$619per 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 $26,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $300. The real number is $319 higher every month, 106% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Rolette County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Shell Valley from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,112 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Rolette County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Shell Valley against Rolette County and North Dakota
| Measure | Shell Valley | Rolette County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $55,200 | $93,000 |
| Median property tax | — | $907 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.975% | 0.975% |
| Median gross rent | $377 | $479 |
| Population | 1,112 | 12,065 |
The weather behind that power bill
Shell Valley sits in Rolette County, which averages a high of 79.1°F in its hottest month and a low of -5.1°F in its coldest, with 20.14" of precipitation a year and 48% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 279 cooling and 10,015 heating degree days, which is what sets the $137 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Rolette County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Rolette County
Full Rolette County cost breakdown · Every county in North Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Shell Valley 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 Shell Valley every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Shell Valley I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Shell Valley?
A $55,000 home in Shell Valley, North Dakota costs approximately $619 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $300 principal and interest, $45 property tax, $24 homeowners insurance, $205 utilities and $46 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Shell Valley?
Place-level tax data is not published for Shell Valley, so the Rolette County rate of 0.975% applies here.
What is the average home price in Shell Valley?
The median owner-occupied home value in Shell Valley, North Dakota is $55,200, against $93,000 across Rolette County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shell Valley?
Median gross rent in Shell Valley is $377 a month, against $619 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 Shell Valley?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Shell Valley, North Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $26,500 a year. That covers the full $619 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Shell Valley, 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.