How much does it cost to live in North Dakota?
Home to 760,394 citizens, North Dakota has the 16th lowest overall cost of living when compared to all other states. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis data, goods and services in the state cost 9.4% less than they do on a national level.
Cost of Living Parameters
Housing & Rent
On average, North Dakota renters pay $806 per month, $217 less than the national average of $1,023. If you want to buy a house in the state, the typical home value is $185,000, which is less than the national median home value of $408,800.
Here are some stats on North Dakota Mortgages:
- Homeownership rate: 63.8%
- Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.0%
- Rental vacancy rate: 12.3%
Childcare
In North Dakota, the average annual cost of infant care is $9,091 or $758 per month. Childcare for a 4-year-old costs $8,221, or $685 each month.
Here’s a look at the annual childcare costs from infant to college:
- Infant: $9,091
- 4-year-old: $8,221
- School: $5,0922
- College: $7,687
Utilities
Apartment utilities refer to the essential services required in a home such as gas, water, electricity, cable, and internet. A North Dakota resident can expect to spend up to $334 per month on apartment utilities on average.
Food & Groceries
A single adult in North Dakota spends an average of $3,232 on food each year, while a family of four's annual food cost reaches $9,329. These figures are based on a nutritionally appropriate diet purchased from a grocery shop and prepared at home.
The average price for eating out would be:
- A basic meal with a drink at an inexpensive restaurant $12.80
- Fast food Combo (Big Mac etc.) $7.26
- Bottle of Coca-Cola $1.90
- Bottle of water $1.20
Grocery shopping in the state would cost as follows:
- Milk (regular), (1 liter) $1
- Loaf of fresh white bread (500g) $2.61
- Rice (1 Kg) $4.44
- Eggs (regular) (12) $2.12
- Chicken fillet (1kg) $9.37
- 4 Rolls of toilet paper $3.58
- Hair shampoo $4.89
Transportation
90.2% of commuters in North Dakota drive to work, compared to 85.5% nationally. The average motorist in the state drives 12,867 miles per year. Taking average fuel economy and average gas prices into account, the average motorist in the state can expect to spend $1,119 on gas alone in a year.
Other transportation expenditures, such as car insurance, also vary by state. According to Insure.com, the average vehicle insurance rate in North Dakota is $1,419, which is less than the national average of $1,517.3 According to EPI data, the average single adult in the state spends $10,681 on transportation each year.
Average Income & Taxes
The average yearly income of a single adult living in North Dakota is $73,4014 and the income tax system ranges from 1.10% to 2.90%.5
Most Expensive North Dakota Cities to Live in:
- Williston
- West Fargo
- Fargo
- Bismarck
- Jamestown
Why is disability insurance important to have in North Dakota?
As shown by the above cost of living breakdown, a steady income is required to live comfortably and worry-free. But sometimes you find yourself unable to work due to some sort of emergency, illness or accident. Whether you are a full-time employee or a freelancer, getting disability insurance is the first step towards financial stability and peace of mind.
What would happen if you found yourself unable to earn a paycheck because you were too ill or injured to work? According to a recent survey conducted by the personal financial website Bankrate, more than half of Americans (51%) have less than three months' worth of emergency funds.
Medical bills are reported to be the number one cause of U.S. bankruptcies. One study has claimed that 62.1% of bankruptcies were caused by medical issues. Other studies show that over 2 million people are adversely affected by their medical expenses.
If medical bills start piling up, you might not be able to support your lifestyle in other areas, especially if your income is on hold. You might find yourself unable to pay for utilities and rent, and that eventually could lead to foreclosure. Half of the foreclosures on conventional mortgages in North Dakota are caused by the disability of one of the homeowners. In fact, the foreclosure rate in the state reaches one in every 28,511 households.
A lot of people still think that the need for disability insurance is not top priority, thinking that disability rarely happens, and when it does, it’s only caused by serious accidents. But did you know that up to 90% of disability cases recorded are due to illness, not injury? Getting disability income insurance should be on top of your to-do list because life is unpredictable and your income shouldn’t be.
Does North Dakota have state disability insurance?
Only 5 states in the U.S. require companies to provide their employees with disability insurance coverage that includes benefits for accidents or illnesses sustained outside of the workplace. Unfortunately, North Dakota is not among these states.
To receive SSDI in the Flickertail State, you must prove to the Social Security Administration that you are both medically and non-medically eligible.
Medical eligibility entails demonstrating that you have an SSA-approved handicap, as evidenced by medical documents, hospital bills, and notarized letters from employers.
Even if you don’t have a specific disability as defined by the SSA Blue Book, you can demonstrate that you have a low Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) as a result of ailments such as chronic back pain. By assisting you in compiling the necessary evidence of your impairment, an SSDI lawyer can help you package your SSDI application in such a way that it is more likely to be granted.
However, in North Dakota, 58% of all initial SSDI applications are denied, which is lower than the national average of 70%. If your Social Security Disability claim is denied, you can ask for a reconsideration and provide additional evidence to the SSDI disability examiner at the Disability Determination Services.
If your application is still denied, you have the option of requesting a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. If that fails, you can request a hearing before the Appeals Council, which may refer your case to a different ALJ for a second review after the disability hearing. Your final alternative is to take your case to a federal district court, although most cases do not wind up there.
What qualifies as disability in North Dakota?
If you have disability insurance provided by your employer, make sure to double-check the criteria in the agreement that qualify you to receive disability benefits when you’re unable to work. Some of these criteria can include the following:
- You are unable to perform the Substantial and Material Duties of your Regular Occupation as shown on the Schedule and;
- You are under the Regular Care of a Physician appropriate for your disabling Sickness or Injury and;
- There is no reasonable simplified worksite modification(s) that would allow you to perform one or more of the Substantial and Material Duties of your regular job.
How can I easily get disability insurance in North Dakota?
Seeking a private disability insurance policy is the best option in North Dakota. Here at Asteya, we offer disability insurance (or disability income insurance as we like to call it) that’s simple, fast, and affordable. Our 100% digital process means we don’t tire you out with proof of income, medical exams, phone interviews, or wait times. Click here to get a quote, or contact us for any enquiries.
Who qualifies for disability insurance in North Dakota?
Most insurance policies are bought to protect homes, vehicles, and health, but our most valuable asset tends to get neglected: our income. 70% of working Americans live paycheck to paycheck, with little savings to buffer the financial burden of a disability that leaves them unable to work.
At Asteya, we offer a variety of disability income insurance policies. Please visit asteya.world for more details on the eligibility of our product offering.
How much does disability insurance in North Dakota cost?
Protecting your income shouldn’t be a luxury, so here at Asteya, we’ve created affordable and easy solutions that won’t drain what you’re trying to protect (your income!). Our prices start as low as:
- Permanent Disability Income Insurance: starting at $6.05/month
- Sickness & Injury Disability Income Insurance: starting at $5/month
The bottom line
On average, living in the state of North Dakota will cost you $6,1168 per month, give or take – that’s a lot of expenses! You've invested a lot of time and hard work in building a life that works for you, and your hard work should not go to waste due to an accident or illness. That’s why you should protect your lifestyle and your income with disability insurance.
If you're still on the fence about whether disability income insurance is for you (hint: it is), here are a few extra points to consider while thinking about it:
- Asteya’s applications are 100% digital. We don't require blood tests or doctor's appointments, unlike other insurers and we'll just ask you a few minutes of questions to determine your best policy.
- Get paid out directly on an approved claim, and spend without restrictions once it's in your bank account.
- We've made our Income Insurance as inclusive and accessible as possible. From corner store employees to corner office executives, our products were created to fit every budget and lifestyle.