Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West Fargo, North Dakota
A $302,000 home here costs
$2,575per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $110,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,660. The real number is $916 higher every month, 55% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cass 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.
West Fargo against Cass County and North Dakota
| Measure | West Fargo | Cass County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $302,200 | $284,700 |
| Median property tax | $3,944 | $3,449 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.305% | 1.211% |
| Median gross rent | $1,075 | $930 |
| Population | 39,325 | 189,286 |
The weather behind that power bill
West Fargo sits in Cass County, which averages a high of 80.8°F in its hottest month and a low of -1.4°F in its coldest, with 24.2" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 449 cooling and 9,115 heating degree days, which is what sets the $138 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cass County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cass County
Full Cass County cost breakdown · Every county in North Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are West Fargo 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 West Fargo every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in West Fargo I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in West Fargo?
A $302,000 home in West Fargo, North Dakota costs approximately $2,575 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $1,660 principal and interest, $328 property tax, $130 homeowners insurance, $206 utilities and $252 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West Fargo?
West Fargo has an effective property tax rate of 1.305%, based on a median home value of $302,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,944. That is higher than the Cass County average of 1.211%.
What is the average home price in West Fargo?
The median owner-occupied home value in West Fargo, North Dakota is $302,200, against $284,700 across Cass County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Fargo?
Median gross rent in West Fargo is $1,075 a month, against $2,575 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 West Fargo?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in West Fargo, North Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $110,500 a year. That covers the full $2,575 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for West Fargo, 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.