County FMR · HUD FY2026
Morton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Morton County, ND - 7% above the US average.
- $1,030
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,175
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +12.3%
- YoY change
- +7%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Morton is the 5th most expensive of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,069 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.3% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,069
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #5
- most expensive of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- +30%
- vs the state average
- $41,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (41.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Morton County, ND. Verify with HUD →
Morton County, North Dakota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,030 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,175/mo and a studio is $961/mo. That's 7% above the national benchmark of $959 and 30% above the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent increased12.3% from FY 2025 ($917), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $41,200/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 40.9% of the 3,374 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 6.4%, 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 2.5% 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: 33,192. Population grew 9.6% 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 MORTON·COUNTY·ND·ND
Morton County, ND: $1,030/mo 1BR · #1069 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ND
- 1BR-FMR $1,030
- 2BR-FMR $1,175
- RANK-MID #1,069
- YOY-SURGE +12.3%
- VSUS-NEAR +7%
- VS-ST-HIGH +30% ND
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-SMALL 33K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cass County
- VOUCH-90-110 $927–$1,133
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cass ($113 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $828 | $961 | +$133 (+16.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $917 | $1,030 | +$113 (+12.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,023 | $1,175 | +$152 (+14.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,433 | $1,634 | +$201 (+14.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,718 | $1,884 | +$166 (+9.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Morton 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 Morton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,175 Top 34% higher than 66% 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 Morton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Dakota counties
- Williams
Williams County
$1,068 1BR FMR / mo
- Morton
Morton County
$1,030 1BR FMR / mo
- Burleigh
Burleigh 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 Morton is highlighted. Nearby North Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Williams County ($1,068), Morton County (this county) ($1,030), Burleigh County ($1,030), Ward County ($960), Cass County ($917), Stark County ($874), Grand Forks County ($868).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,030/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 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 20.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 21% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 26% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 28.6% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 34.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 41.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Morton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Morton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.6% overall, from $698 to $1,030. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.3% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑12.3% | $961 | $1,030 | $1,175 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $828 | $917 | $1,023 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.2% | $764 | $848 | $955 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.4% | $719 | $814 | $928 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.5% | $733 | $737 | $880 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.0% | $715 | $719 | $884 |
| FY 2020 | $694 | $698 | $892 |
Part of the Bismarck, ND Metro Area
Morton County is a central county of the Bismarck, ND metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Morton County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Burleigh County ($1,030), Oliver County ($1,030), Morton County (this county) ($1,030).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Morton 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 Morton County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Morton County is $1,030 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,175 and a studio is $961.
How does Morton County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Morton County is 7% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,030 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Morton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Morton County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,175 ranks #1,069 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 Morton County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $41,200 ($3,433/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Morton County.
Is rent going up or down in Morton County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Morton County increased by 12.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $917 to $1,030.
Which jobs can afford rent in Morton 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 $1,030/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Morton County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Morton County went from $698 in FY 2020 to $1,030 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Morton County?
In Morton County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,030/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 Morton County?
For Morton County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,030/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Morton County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.4%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Morton County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.5% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Morton'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 $1,030 implies about $41,200/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 Morton 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.