County FMR · HUD FY2026
McKenzie County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for McKenzie County, ND - 17% above the US average.
- $1,124
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,354
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.6%
- YoY change
- +17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
McKenzie is the 2nd most expensive of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #660 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #660
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- most expensive of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- +41%
- vs the state average
- $44,960
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (44.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for McKenzie County, ND. Verify with HUD →
McKenzie County, North Dakota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,124 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,354/mo and a studio is $1,117/mo. That's 17% above the national benchmark of $959 and 41% above the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent increased2.6% from FY 2025 ($1,096), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,960/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 18.0% of the 2,653 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.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Dakota. Population: 14,081. Population grew 13.9% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than North Dakota's statewide growth of +3.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MCKENZIE·COUNTY·ND·ND
McKenzie County, ND: $1,124/mo 1BR · #660 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ND
- 1BR-FMR $1,124
- 2BR-FMR $1,354
- RANK-MID #660
- YOY-UP +2.6%
- VSUS-ABOVE +17%
- VS-ST-HIGH +41% ND
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 14K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cass County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,012–$1,236
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cass ($207 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,090 | $1,117 | +$27 (+2.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,096 | $1,124 | +$28 (+2.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,351 | $1,354 | +$3 (+0.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,628 | $1,672 | +$44 (+2.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,235 | $2,271 | +$36 (+1.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in McKenzie 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 McKenzie sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,354 Top 21% higher than 79% 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 McKenzie compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Dakota counties
- McKenzie
McKenzie County
$1,124 1BR FMR / mo
- 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
- Grand Forks
Grand Forks County
$868 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows McKenzie is highlighted. Nearby North Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: McKenzie County (this county) ($1,124), Williams County ($1,068), Burleigh County ($1,030), Morton County ($1,030), Ward County ($960), Cass County ($917), Grand Forks County ($868).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,124/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using North Dakota BLS wages?
| Occupation | ND Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $98,550 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 20.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 22.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 22.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 23.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 31.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 36.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 36.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 44.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for McKenzie County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for McKenzie (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.4% overall, from $784 to $1,124. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.1% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.6% | $1,117 | $1,124 | $1,354 |
| FY 2025 ↓0.1% | $1,090 | $1,096 | $1,351 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.0% | $1,090 | $1,097 | $1,352 |
| FY 2023 ↑17.1% | $982 | $988 | $1,301 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.4% | $838 | $844 | $1,110 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.1% | $768 | $824 | $1,086 |
| FY 2020 | $778 | $784 | $1,032 |
Where McKenzie County Ranks in North Dakota
McKenzie County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #52 of 53 counties in North Dakota. Nearest by rank: Cass County ($1,112), Mercer County ($1,156), Ward County ($1,165), Burleigh County ($1,175), Morton County ($1,175), Oliver County ($1,175), Williams County ($1,196), McKenzie County (this county) ($1,354), Divide County ($1,534).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for McKenzie 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 McKenzie County? ▼
How does McKenzie County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does McKenzie County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in McKenzie County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in McKenzie County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in McKenzie County? ▼
How much has rent changed in McKenzie County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in McKenzie County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for McKenzie County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
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.