To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in North Dakota needs to pay from $20.68 an hour in McHenry County to $45.30 in Divide County, before taxes. The middle county is Slope County at $24.78.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $23.23/hr | $792/mo |
| Barnes County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Benson County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| Billings County | $23.23/hr | $792/mo |
| Bottineau County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Bowman County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Burke County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Burleigh County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Cass County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Cavalier County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Dickey County | $27.52/hr | $930/mo |
| Divide County | $45.30/hr | $1,450/mo |
| Dunn County | $27.83/hr | $940/mo |
| Eddy County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Emmons County | $24.26/hr | $825/mo |
| Foster County | $23.32/hr | $795/mo |
| Golden Valley County | $30.01/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Grand Forks County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| Grant County | $22.54/hr | $770/mo |
| Griggs County | $22.86/hr | $780/mo |
| Hettinger County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Kidder County | $23.48/hr | $800/mo |
| LaMoure County | $25.97/hr | $880/mo |
| Logan County | $26.59/hr | $900/mo |
| McHenry County | $20.68/hr | $710/mo |
| McIntosh County | $25.34/hr | $860/mo |
| McKenzie County | $35.43/hr | $1,180/mo |
| McLean County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Mercer County | $27.21/hr | $920/mo |
| Morton County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Mountrail County | $30.01/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Nelson County | $27.68/hr | $935/mo |
| Oliver County | $25.50/hr | $865/mo |
| Pembina County | $27.37/hr | $925/mo |
| Pierce County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Ramsey County | $22.39/hr | $765/mo |
| Ransom County | $24.41/hr | $830/mo |
| Renville County | $21.61/hr | $740/mo |
| Richland County | $27.37/hr | $925/mo |
| Rolette County | $25.66/hr | $870/mo |
| Sargent County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Sheridan County | $24.72/hr | $840/mo |
| Sioux County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Slope County | $24.78/hr | $842/mo |
| Stark County | $30.63/hr | $1,030/mo |
| Steele County | $24.10/hr | $820/mo |
| Stutsman County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Towner County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Traill County | $23.17/hr | $790/mo |
| Walsh County | $23.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Ward County | $22.23/hr | $760/mo |
| Wells County | $26.28/hr | $890/mo |
| Williams County | $35.43/hr | $1,180/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?