Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Williston, North Dakota
A $263,000 home here costs
$2,037per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,352. The real number is $685 higher every month — 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Williston against Williams County and North Dakota
| Measure | Williston | Williams County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,700 | $267,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,951 | $1,913 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.743% | 0.714% |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $1,108 |
| Population | 27,964 | 39,368 |
The weather behind that power bill
Williston sits in Williams County, which averages a high of 84.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 1.0°F in its coldest, with 15.11" of precipitation a year and 48% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 457 cooling and 8,906 heating degree days, which is what sets the $122 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Williams County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Williams County
Full Williams County cost breakdown · Every county in North Dakota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Williston?
A $263,000 home in Williston, North Dakota costs approximately $2,037 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,352 principal and interest, $163 property tax, $113 homeowners insurance, $190 utilities and $219 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Williston?
Williston has an effective property tax rate of 0.743%, based on a median home value of $262,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,951. That is higher than the Williams County average of 0.714%.
What is the average home price in Williston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Williston, North Dakota is $262,700, against $267,800 across Williams County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Williston?
Median gross rent in Williston is $1,106 a month, against $2,037 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Williston — 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.