County FMR · HUD FY2026
McLean County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for McLean County, ND - 17% below the US average.
- $796
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $873
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.6%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
McLean is the 17th cheapest of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #190 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #190
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #17
- cheapest of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- +0%
- vs the state average
- $31,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.8%); 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 McLean County, ND. Verify with HUD →
McLean County, North Dakota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $796 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $873/mo and a studio is $760/mo. That's 17% below the national benchmark of $959 and 0% above the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent decreased1.6% from FY 2025 ($809), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,840/year.
Observed renter burden: 27.9% of the 706 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: 9,781. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than North Dakota's statewide growth of +3.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MCLEAN·COUNTY·ND·ND
McLean County, ND: $796/mo 1BR · #190 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ND
- 1BR-FMR $796
- 2BR-FMR $873
- RANK-LOW #190
- YOY-FLAT -1.6%
- VSUS-BELOW -17%
- VS-ST-NEAR +0% ND
- INC-ROOM 12%
- POP-SMALL 10K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cass County
- VOUCH-90-110 $716–$876
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cass ($121 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $807 | $760 | $-47 (-5.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $809 | $796 | $-13 (-1.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $928 | $873 | $-55 (-5.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,300 | $1,214 | $-86 (-6.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,558 | $1,464 | $-94 (-6.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in McLean 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 McLean sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$873 higher than 6% 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 McLean 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
- Grand Forks
Grand Forks County
$868 1BR FMR / mo
- McLean
McLean County
$796 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows McLean 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), Grand Forks County ($868), McLean County (this county) ($796).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $796/mo, most of these North Dakota occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | ND Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $98,550 | 9.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 10.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 20.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 26.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 31.8% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for McLean County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for McLean (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.2% overall, from $576 to $796. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +20.7% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.6% | $760 | $796 | $873 |
| FY 2025 ↑20.7% | $807 | $809 | $928 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.7% | $665 | $670 | $859 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.2% | $623 | $628 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.2% | $572 | $575 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↓3.3% | $553 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $572 | $576 | $714 |
Where McLean County Ranks in North Dakota
McLean 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 #17 of 53 counties in North Dakota. Nearest by rank: Emmons County ($873), Foster County ($873), Grant County ($873), Griggs County ($873), Kidder County ($873), LaMoure County ($873), McIntosh County ($873), McLean County (this county) ($873), Nelson County ($873), Pembina County ($873), Pierce County ($873), Ramsey County ($873), Richland County ($873), Sioux County ($873), Steele County ($873).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for McLean 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 McLean County? ▼
How does McLean County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does McLean County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in McLean County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in McLean County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in McLean County? ▼
How much has rent changed in McLean County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in McLean County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for McLean 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.