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Billings County, ND

Rent vs Own in Billings County, North Dakota

Buying the median Billings County home costs roughly $1,871/mo against a $873/mo HUD rent, ownership runs well above the rent benchmark here, so the page focuses on why the stack is so heavy. Owner-occupied homes: 317.

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Renting is cheaper in Billings County

Ownership works out near $1,871/mo while a comparable 2-bedroom rents for $873/mo - a wide monthly miss for buyers. That is a $998/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in Billings County

Primary driver

Ownership sits far above the rent benchmark

The $331,000 median home in Billings County carries $1,211/yr in tax at 0.37%. Against HUD's $873/mo 2-bedroom rent, the ownership stack (~$1,871/mo) is a wide miss - roughly $998/mo. Here the useful question is which line item (price, tax, or insurance) dominates the overage, not whether a small assumption change closes it.

Decision signal 2

Renting compares well inside the state

Using the assumptions above, Billings County ranks 53 of 53 North Dakota counties for buy-vs-rent value (rank 1 = the best relative deal for buying). It is the state's least buy-favorable county by this measure.

Decision signal 3

The tax rate is a national tailwind

Billings County's 0.37% effective rate is among the lowest of 3,135 tracked counties: roughly 95% pay a higher rate. That low tax line is one reason owning can compete here.

Decision signal 4

Price and income sit in the middle band

Median household income is $86,806, for a 3.8x home-price-to-income ratio in the middle of the national distribution; property tax takes 1.4% of that income. Small changes in down payment or rate move this county across the rent-vs-own line more than they would in a high-ratio market.

Decision signal 5

HUD moved the rent benchmark down

HUD cut its 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Billings County from $928/mo in FY2025 to $873/mo in FY2026: it decreased by $55/mo (-5.9%). A falling benchmark narrows the case for buying here, and it usually reflects HUD re-estimating the local market rather than existing rents being cut.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$1,871
Mortgage (P&I) $1,674
Property Tax $101
Insurance (est.) $97
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$873
Studio$697
1-Bedroom$702
2-Bedroom$873
3-Bedroom$1,214
4-Bedroom$1,464

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$86,806
$7,234/mo
Home Price / Income
3.8x
Moderate (3-5x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
1.4%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Who actually pays it here

In Billings County, once the mortgage ends staying put is close to free: the largest cluster of debt-free households faces a yearly charge under $800, so insurance and upkeep, not the tax office, set what the home costs to keep.

When the ownership stack already sits far above HUD rent, that annual bill is less a tie-breaker and more confirmation that holding costs stay material long after the loan is gone.

Bill bands are Census ACS counts of owner-occupied homes without a mortgage. Income brackets are IRS Statistics of Income county data for tax year 2022, counted over FILERS reporting real-estate taxes on Schedule A, which is a smaller group than homeowners: most filers take the standard deduction.

Nearby Counties

Cass County
Home: $298,000 Tax: $3,564/yr
Burleigh County
Home: $324,000 Tax: $2,863/yr
Ward County
Home: $267,100 Tax: $2,859/yr
Grand Forks County
Home: $252,700 Tax: $2,900/yr
Morton County
Home: $263,900 Tax: $2,686/yr
Stark County
Home: $271,700 Tax: $2,411/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Billings County, North Dakota? ▼
Owning the median Billings County home is a wide miss versus HUD's 2-bedroom rent (about $998/mo more) on the standard stack. Treat this as a tenure/equity decision first; the cash-flow comparison alone will not favour buying here.
What is the average rent in Billings County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $873/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $767/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How does Billings County compare to other North Dakota counties for renting vs buying? ▼
Out of 53 North Dakota counties ranked here on buy-vs-rent value, Billings County lands at spot 53, putting it in the more rent-favorable quarter of the state. The <a href="/states/north-dakota">North Dakota state page</a> lists every peer county's tax bill beside this one.
How much house can you afford in Billings County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $86,806 household here can afford up to $260,418 -- about $70,582 short of this county's $331,000 median home. That gap is typically closed with a larger down payment, dual incomes, or a longer search outside the median price band.
What is the median home price in Billings County? ▼
$331,000, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. What stands out more than the price itself is the tax load on it: this county's 0.37% effective rate sits near the low end of the 3,135 counties tracked here.
Is rent going up or down in Billings County? ▼
HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent figure has fallen 5.9% between the FY2025 and FY2026 publications, the two most recent years tracked here.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

Verify with HUD →