Rent vs buy in Bismarck, ND

In Bismarck, North Dakota, typical rent is $1,242 /mo and typical home value is $378,242.

Rent

Renting comes out ahead by $78k over 7 years

Today's mortgage rate is used with 20% down and Bismarck's typical rent and home value. No break-even occurs within 30 years.

A clearly labeled opinion, with the math shown. The figures are estimates, not quotes. Adjust one number and the stamp updates.

How far renting leads: $78k
Point where costs match: 30 years or more
Owning's full cost: $3,356 each month

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The stamp takes its numbers from Bismarck's typical rent and typical home value. Your rent, price and years can change the result.

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In Bismarck, does renting or buying cost less?

Across 7 years, renting comes out $77,625 below buying, including the money returned to you when you sell. Renting's net cost remains below owning's in each year shown, and owning doesn't make up the difference within 30 years.

Rent. Buy. Year-by-year net cost.

Bismarck: average rent compared with the mortgage payment

Year 1 includes more than rent and the mortgage, so this list shows every monthly cost at Bismarck's typical price.

Each month, year 1	Amount	What it is
Rent	$1,242	All of it, every month
Mortgage payment	$2,062	$1,818 of it is interest in year 1
Property tax	$318	1.01% of the value a year
Insurance	$132	Census median for the city
Upkeep	$315	1% of the value a year
Owning, cash out	$2,828	$245 of it builds equity
Lost return on the down payment	$615	The annual return on cash at 8.3%
Buying costs, spread out	$158	3.5% of the price over 7 years
True cost of owning	$3,356	Cash paid out, minus the equity portion, plus the two entries above

Calculations behind the verdict for Bismarck

Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026: $378,242
Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026: $1,242 /mo
Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model: 20%
Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US): 7.24%
Home price growthFHFA house price index, North Dakota, 1995 to 2025: 4.5% a year
Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026: 3.5% a year
Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025: 8.3% a year
Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Bismarck: 1.01% of value
Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Bismarck: $132 /mo
MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%: 1% of value a year
Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%: 3.5% of price
Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs: 6% of price

In Bismarck, what would reverse the result?

Each line marks where the 7-year verdict for Bismarck changes, while every other input stays the same.

When renting wins

Home values rise at under 6.9% a year (our long-run rate for North Dakota's market: 4.5%).
A mortgage rate above 3.55% remains in place.
Monthly rent for a similar home is under $2,070 (the local typical is $1,242).
If you move at any time during the next 30 years, owning won't catch up with these figures.

When buying wins

Home prices rise faster than 6.9% each year.
Your locked mortgage rate sits below 3.55% (today's figure: 7.24%).
You'd pay over $2,070 each month to rent the same home.

How Bismarck stacks up against the other 812 cities

Measure	Bismarck	Median city
Typical home value	$378,242	$422,451
Typical rent	$1,242 /mo	$1,837 /mo
Price-to-rent ratio	25.4 (#136 of 813)	18.5
Home prices, last 10 years	3.6% a year	6.2% a year
Property tax	1.01%	0.87%
Households that rent	35%	42%

Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.

Cities besides Bismarck in North Dakota

Rent. Renting wins by $68k in Fargo, ND.
Rent. Renting wins by $55k in Grand Forks, ND.

Rent vs buy in North Dakota: the state's numbers