County FMR · HUD FY2026
Towner County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Towner County, ND - 27% below the US average.
- $702
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $873
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -7.4%
- YoY change
- -27%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Towner is the 26th cheapest of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #190 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 7.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #190
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #26
- cheapest of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $28,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (28.1%); 15 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 Towner County, ND. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Towner County, North Dakota at $702 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $873/mo and a studio is $697/mo. This is 27% lower than the national average of $959 and 12% below the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent decreased7.4% from FY 2025 ($758), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $28,080/year.
Observed renter burden: 19.7% of the 218 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 4.0%, 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: 2,152. Population declined 5.9% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than North Dakota's statewide growth of +3.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area TOWNER·COUNTY·ND·ND
Towner County, ND: $702/mo 1BR · #190 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ND
- 1BR-FMR $702
- 2BR-FMR $873
- RANK-LOW #190
- YOY-DOWN -7.4%
- VSUS-LOW -27%
- VS-ST-LOW -12% ND
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 2K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cass County
- VOUCH-90-110 $632–$772
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cass ($215 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $753 | $697 | $-56 (-7.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $758 | $702 | $-56 (-7.4%) |
| 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 Towner 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 Towner 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 Towner 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
- Towner
Towner County
$702 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Towner 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), Towner County (this county) ($702).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $702/mo, most of these North Dakota occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | ND Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $98,550 | 8.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 14.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 22.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 23% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 23.6% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 28.1% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Towner County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Towner (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 20.6% overall, from $582 to $702. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.8% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓7.4% | $697 | $702 | $873 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.5% | $753 | $758 | $928 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.6% | $688 | $692 | $859 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.8% | $639 | $643 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.2% | $572 | $575 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↓4.3% | $553 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $578 | $582 | $714 |
Where Towner County Ranks in North Dakota
Towner 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 #26 of 53 counties in North Dakota. Nearest by rank: Pembina County ($873), Pierce County ($873), Ramsey County ($873), Richland County ($873), Sioux County ($873), Steele County ($873), Stutsman County ($873), Towner County (this county) ($873), Traill County ($873), Walsh County ($873), Wells County ($873), Ransom County ($923), Sheridan County ($924), Slope County ($924), Hettinger County ($927).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Towner 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 Towner County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Towner County is $702 per month. A 2-bedroom is $873 and a studio is $697.
How does Towner County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Towner County is 27% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $702 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Towner County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Towner County's 2-bedroom FMR of $873 ranks #190 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Towner County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $28,080 ($2,340/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Towner County.
Is rent going up or down in Towner County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Towner County decreased by 7.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $758 to $702.
Which jobs can afford rent in Towner 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 $702/mo. 15 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Towner County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Towner County went from $582 in FY 2020 to $702 in FY 2026, a total change of +20.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Towner County?
In Towner County, the FY 2026 FMR of $702/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 Towner County?
For Towner County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($702/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Towner County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.0%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Towner 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 Towner'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 $702 implies about $28,080/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 Towner 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.