County FMR · HUD FY2026
Grand Forks County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Grand Forks County, ND - 9% below the US average.
- $868
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,089
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.0%
- YoY change
- -9%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Grand Forks is the 10th most expensive of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,352 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,352
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #10
- most expensive of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- +9%
- vs the state average
- $34,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.7%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Grand Forks County, ND. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Grand Forks County, North Dakota at $868 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,089/mo and a studio is $863/mo. This is 9% lower than the national average of $959 and 9% above the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent increased11.0% from FY 2025 ($782), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,720/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 43.5% of the 14,883 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 7.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Dakota. Population: 72,927. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.4%, Census ACS). That's in line with North Dakota's statewide growth of +3.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area GRAND·FORKS·COUNTY·ND·ND
Grand Forks County, ND: $868/mo 1BR · #1352 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ND
- 1BR-FMR $868
- 2BR-FMR $1,089
- RANK-MID #1,352
- YOY-SURGE +11.0%
- VSUS-BELOW -9%
- VS-ST-HIGH +9% ND
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-MID 73K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cass County
- VOUCH-90-110 $781–$955
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cass ($49 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $777 | $863 | +$86 (+11.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $782 | $868 | +$86 (+11.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $984 | $1,089 | +$105 (+10.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,379 | $1,515 | +$136 (+9.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,652 | $1,827 | +$175 (+10.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Grand Forks County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Grand Forks sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,089 higher than 57% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Grand Forks compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Dakota counties
- Williams
Williams County
$1,068 1BR FMR / mo
- Burleigh
Burleigh County
$1,030 1BR FMR / mo
- Morton
Morton County
$1,030 1BR FMR / mo
- Ward
Ward County
$960 1BR FMR / mo
- Cass
Cass County
$917 1BR FMR / mo
- Stark
Stark County
$874 1BR FMR / mo
- Grand Forks
Grand Forks County
$868 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Grand Forks is highlighted. Nearby North Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Williams County ($1,068), Burleigh County ($1,030), Morton County ($1,030), Ward County ($960), Cass County ($917), Stark County ($874), Grand Forks County (this county) ($868).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $868/mo compares to North Dakota salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | ND Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $98,550 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 13.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 18% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 21.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 24.1% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 28.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 29.2% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 34.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Grand Forks County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Grand Forks (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 33.5% overall, from $650 to $868. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.0% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.0% | $863 | $868 | $1,089 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.3% | $777 | $782 | $984 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.8% | $731 | $736 | $929 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.9% | $683 | $702 | $890 |
| FY 2022 ↓3.6% | $605 | $669 | $854 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.8% | $623 | $694 | $883 |
| FY 2020 | $570 | $650 | $832 |
Part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metro Area
Grand Forks County is a central county of the Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Grand Forks County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Polk County ($868), Grand Forks County (this county) ($868).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Grand Forks County, both outside North Dakota so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside ND (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ND).
Nearby Counties in North Dakota
Largest counties by population in North Dakota
Showing the 8 largest of 52 other counties in North Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Grand Forks County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Grand Forks County is $868 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,089 and a studio is $863.
How does Grand Forks County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Grand Forks County is 9% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $868 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Grand Forks County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Grand Forks County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,089 ranks #1,352 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Grand Forks County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,720 ($2,893/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Grand Forks County.
Is rent going up or down in Grand Forks County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Grand Forks County increased by 11.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $782 to $868.
Which jobs can afford rent in Grand Forks County?
Based on North Dakota BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $868/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Grand Forks County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Grand Forks County went from $650 in FY 2020 to $868 in FY 2026, a total change of +33.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Grand Forks County?
In Grand Forks County, the FY 2026 FMR of $868/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Grand Forks County?
For Grand Forks County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($868/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Grand Forks County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 7.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Grand Forks County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Grand Forks's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $868 implies about $34,720/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- North Dakota counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Cass
- See where Grand Forks ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.