LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Devils Lake, ND

Stretch

Your dollar goes further in Devils Lake, ND — everyday costs run about 25% below the national average (Cost Index: 75). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued at $171,000, well under the $303,400 US median. The local median household income of $42,755 tends to stretch further here than in most parts of the country.

Devils Lake sits in the stretch zone: not impossible, but household feasibility will depend heavily on rent, down payment, debt load, and whether you are renting or buying. Start with the verdict panel, then compare scenarios before treating this city as affordable.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Safe

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Devils Lake.

Monthly Housing
$678/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
19%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$2,385/mo
After housing and debt · $795/person
Rent vs Buy
Renting is the lower-pressure baseline
Main pressure: home prices
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ACSRent source: ACSBEA proxy: nonmetroHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 33%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
75
Affordable
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$171,000
Source: Census ACS
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$678/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$42,755
National: $78,538
Population
7,170
Purchasing Power
73
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
56 / 100
44% below average
Rent Index
50 / 100
50% below average
Goods & Groceries
96 / 100
About the same as most US cities
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Utilities
88 / 100
12% lower utility bills
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Healthcare & Services
98 / 100
In line with national average
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Overall Index
75
Affordable · 25% below average

Devils Lake Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $171,000 and North Dakota's property tax rate of 0.98%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$42,755
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
19%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
4x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Devils Lake looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Devils Lake, ND

Est. Annual Property Tax
$1,676
Monthly Impact
$140
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.98%
National avg: ~1.00%

North Dakota Place Tax Context

Tax TypeNorth DakotaNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.98%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate1.95%~5.0%
State Sales Tax7.04%~5.0%

Compare Devils Lake to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Devils Lake, ND
75
50
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Devils Lake, ND: 56
Rent Prices
50

FAQ: Living in Devils Lake

Is Devils Lake, ND an affordable place to live?+

Yes — everyday expenses in Devils Lake run about 25% below the US average (Cost Index: 75). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued around $171,000, compared to the $303,400 national median. Monthly rent is typically around $678, versus $1,348 nationally.

How does Devils Lake fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $678, while local median household income is $42,755. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 19% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Devils Lake, ND?+

North Dakota has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 1.95%. The effective property tax rate is 0.98%. On a home worth $171,000, that translates to roughly $1,676 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 7.04% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Devils Lake, ND?+

The typical monthly rent in Devils Lake is around $678. That's roughly 50% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $171,000, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Devils Lake, ND?+

The median home in Devils Lake is valued at $171,000. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $865/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 43% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Devils Lake?+

Grocery prices in Devils Lake are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Devils Lake, ND like to live in?+

Devils Lake is a small town with a population of about 7,170. The median age of residents is 37.2, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 24.04%, above the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in North Dakota

If Devils Lake feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in North Dakota

Use these city pages when you want to compare Devils Lake against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly