Where to move from North Dakota
On an $80,000 salary (about the North Dakota median household income) you keep $64,809 after 2026 taxes. 7 states have lower overall prices. No state raises your buying power by 1.5% or more at this salary; the best is South Dakota (+0.9%).
Buying power by destination
Every state ranked for someone leaving North Dakota
The ranking starts at about North Dakota's median household income. Enter your own salary and filing status to re-rank every state for you.
At a salary of $80,000, filing single, no state raises your buying power by 1.5% or more; the best is South Dakota (+0.9%).
| Move to | Buying power | Take-home change | Rent / mo | Equal salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | +0.9% | +$301 | $999 | $79,200 |
| Mississippi | -1.1% | -$2,167 | $990 | $81,100 |
| Arkansas | -1.2% | -$2,284 | $982 | $81,100 |
| Louisiana | -1.8% | -$1,713 | $1,064 | $81,700 |
| Iowa | -1.9% | -$2,087 | $981 | $81,800 |
| Tennessee | -2.7% | +$301 | $1,284 | $82,600 |
| Oklahoma | -2.9% | -$2,754 | $1,044 | $82,900 |
| Wyoming | -3.5% | +$301 | $998 | $83,400 |
| West Virginia | -4.4% | -$2,474 | $883 | $84,300 |
| Alabama | -4.4% | -$3,021 | $1,077 | $84,300 |
| Kentucky | -5.0% | -$2,382 | $998 | $84,900 |
| Nebraska | -5.0% | -$2,460 | $1,102 | $85,000 |
| Missouri | -5.7% | -$2,460 | $1,067 | $85,700 |
| Ohio | -5.8% | -$1,124 | $1,090 | $85,800 |
| Kansas | -6.3% | -$3,364 | $1,079 | $86,400 |
| New Mexico | -6.9% | -$2,294 | $1,117 | $87,100 |
| Texas | -7.9% | +$301 | $1,475 | $88,000 |
| South Carolina | -9.0% | -$2,688 | $1,272 | $89,600 |
| North Carolina | -9.1% | -$2,382 | $1,338 | $89,400 |
| Indiana | -9.5% | -$3,333 | $1,104 | $89,800 |
| Wisconsin | -9.7% | -$2,940 | $1,142 | $90,300 |
| Montana | -10.1% | -$2,858 | $1,177 | $90,700 |
| Nevada | -10.6% | +$301 | $1,709 | $91,000 |
| Idaho | -10.9% | -$2,831 | $1,384 | $91,600 |
| Michigan | -11.6% | -$2,848 | $1,168 | $92,200 |
| Georgia | -11.8% | -$2,943 | $1,506 | $92,600 |
| Pennsylvania | -11.9% | -$2,211 | $1,252 | $92,600 |
| Vermont | -12.7% | -$2,519 | $1,319 | $94,200 |
| Alaska | -13.0% | +$30 | $1,444 | $93,800 |
| Arizona | -13.4% | -$1,297 | $1,672 | $94,500 |
| Florida | -13.5% | +$301 | $1,812 | $94,500 |
| Maine | -13.7% | -$3,821 | $1,210 | $95,300 |
| New Hampshire | -14.2% | +$301 | $1,558 | $95,300 |
| Utah | -14.3% | -$3,096 | $1,593 | $95,900 |
| Minnesota | -15.3% | -$3,968 | $1,291 | $97,400 |
| Illinois | -15.8% | -$3,514 | $1,322 | $97,600 |
| Delaware | -16.3% | -$3,958 | $1,530 | $98,700 |
| Virginia | -16.7% | -$3,485 | $1,646 | $99,000 |
| Rhode Island | -17.0% | -$2,962 | $1,418 | $99,300 |
| Colorado | -17.5% | -$2,863 | $1,822 | $100,000 |
| Washington | -17.9% | -$809 | $1,824 | $100,200 |
| Connecticut | -19.2% | -$3,874 | $1,550 | $102,800 |
| Massachusetts | -20.9% | -$3,847 | $1,848 | $104,800 |
| Oregon | -21.4% | -$5,657 | $1,597 | $106,900 |
| New Jersey | -22.2% | -$3,132 | $1,800 | $107,600 |
| New York | -22.3% | -$3,768 | $1,634 | $107,200 |
| Maryland | -22.3% | -$5,413 | $1,721 | $107,500 |
| Washington, DC | -23.4% | -$3,531 | $1,931 | $110,300 |
| California | -24.5% | -$3,934 | $2,104 | $113,000 |
| Hawaii | -24.5% | -$4,365 | $1,942 | $111,300 |
Single filer, $80,000 W-2 salary. "Buying power" is after-tax pay adjusted for regional prices, and "Equal salary" is the pay that keeps it the same (see how to work out the salary you need). Weighing a state with no income tax? See what you really save.
Not sure where to go? Take the where-should-I-move quiz to match states to your budget and priorities, or read how to choose a city to move to.
Where North Dakota residents actually move
North Dakota lost households to other states in every one of the last five IRS years.
IRS Statistics of Income migration data, 2022–2023. See national migration.
Everyday costs in North Dakota
- Average electric bill
- $118/mo
- Regular gas
- $4.26/gal
- Insure + fuel one car
- $2,853/yr
- Health plan, age 40
- $570/mo
- Natural hazard risk
- About average (55.7)
EIA 2024 bills, AAA gas, NAIC insurance + 12,000 miles of gas, KFF 2026 benchmark silver before subsidies, FEMA National Risk Index, Census ACS 2024.
Cities in North Dakota
More about living in North Dakota
Cost of living
Prices and the salary it takes to rent, buy, or live a typical lifestyle in North Dakota.
Buying a home
Income needed and monthly cost of the median North Dakota home.
Retiring in North Dakota
How North Dakota taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s.
Moving to North Dakota
Who moves here, what it costs, and the driver license and registration deadlines.
Moving costs
What it costs to move from North Dakota to every other state.
Car shipping
What it costs to ship a car from North Dakota to every state.
Disaster risk
FEMA risk for North Dakota and every county.
Health insurance
2026 Marketplace premiums in North Dakota by age.
Property tax by county
Effective rates for every North Dakota county.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people from North Dakota move?
The top destinations in IRS data for 2022–2023 were Minnesota (4,007 households), Texas (920 households), Arizona (680 households).
Is North Dakota gaining or losing residents to other states?
North Dakota had a net loss of 46 households to other states in 2022–2023 (IRS).
Which state gives the most buying power if I leave North Dakota?
On an $80,000 salary, no state raises your after-tax, price-adjusted income by 1.5% or more; the best is South Dakota (+0.9%).
Moving to North Dakota instead?
The Moving to North Dakota guide covers where newcomers come from, the cost of living and the first-month deadlines. Reports for the most common moves here: