North Dakota Section 538 income limits for FY2026

A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In North Dakota that limit for a family of four runs from $57,050 in Sioux County, ND to $158,600 in Dunn County, ND. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.

Source: USDA Rural Development, FY2026 MFH income limits, "RD 538 GUAR MOD INC" row, effective July 13, 2026. Persons in the household.
Area	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Bismarck, ND metro area	95,850	109,550	123,200	136,900	147,850	158,800	169,750	180,700
Fargo, ND-MN metro area	93,100	106,400	119,700	133,000	143,650	154,300	164,950	175,600
Grand Forks, ND-MN metro area	85,950	98,250	110,500	122,800	132,600	142,450	152,250	162,100
McHenry County, ND part of the Minot, ND metro area	84,550	96,600	108,700	120,750	130,400	140,050	149,750	159,400
Renville County, ND part of the Minot, ND metro area	80,500	92,000	103,500	115,000	124,200	133,400	142,600	151,800
Ward County, ND part of the Minot, ND metro area	90,400	103,300	116,250	129,150	139,500	149,800	160,150	170,500
Adams County, ND	87,300	99,800	112,200	124,700	134,700	144,650	154,650	164,700
Barnes County, ND	82,850	94,700	106,500	118,350	127,800	137,300	146,750	156,200
Benson County, ND	63,400	72,500	81,550	90,600	97,850	105,100	112,350	119,600
Billings County, ND	93,200	106,500	119,850	133,150	143,800	154,450	165,100	175,750
Bottineau County, ND	89,800	102,600	115,450	128,250	138,500	148,750	159,050	169,300
Bowman County, ND	85,900	98,150	110,450	122,700	132,500	142,350	152,150	161,950
Burke County, ND	101,900	116,500	131,050	145,600	157,250	168,900	180,550	192,200
Cavalier County, ND	84,750	96,900	109,000	121,100	130,800	140,500	150,150	159,850
Dickey County, ND	79,150	90,450	101,750	113,050	122,100	131,150	140,200	149,250
Divide County, ND	97,700	111,700	125,650	139,600	150,750	161,950	173,100	184,250
Dunn County, ND	111,000	126,900	142,750	158,600	171,300	184,000	196,650	209,350
Eddy County, ND	77,050	88,050	99,050	110,050	118,850	127,650	136,450	145,250
Emmons County, ND	79,700	91,100	102,450	113,850	122,950	132,050	141,150	150,300
Foster County, ND	98,200	112,250	126,250	140,300	151,500	162,750	173,950	185,200
Golden Valley County, ND	87,200	99,650	112,100	124,550	134,500	144,500	154,450	164,400
Grant County, ND	71,650	81,900	92,100	102,350	110,550	118,750	126,900	135,100
Griggs County, ND	80,450	91,900	103,400	114,900	124,100	133,300	142,500	151,650
Hettinger County, ND	87,250	99,700	112,200	124,600	134,550	144,550	154,550	164,500
Kidder County, ND	72,750	83,150	93,550	103,950	112,250	120,600	128,900	137,200
LaMoure County, ND	85,600	97,800	110,050	122,250	132,050	141,800	151,600	161,350
Logan County, ND	64,700	73,950	83,200	92,450	99,850	107,250	114,650	122,050
McIntosh County, ND	73,350	83,800	94,300	104,750	113,150	121,500	129,900	138,250
McKenzie County, ND	102,800	117,500	132,150	146,850	158,600	170,350	182,100	193,850
McLean County, ND	93,150	106,450	119,750	133,050	143,700	154,350	165,000	175,650
Mercer County, ND	90,600	103,500	116,450	129,400	139,750	150,100	160,450	170,800
Mountrail County, ND	85,100	97,250	109,400	121,550	131,250	141,000	150,700	160,450
Nelson County, ND	86,200	98,500	110,850	123,150	133,000	142,850	152,700	162,550
Pembina County, ND	80,200	91,650	103,100	114,550	123,700	132,900	142,050	151,200
Pierce County, ND	83,500	95,400	107,350	119,250	128,800	138,350	147,850	157,400
Ramsey County, ND	82,600	94,400	106,200	118,000	127,450	136,900	146,300	155,750
Ransom County, ND	84,750	96,900	109,000	121,100	130,800	140,500	150,150	159,850
Richland County, ND	88,600	101,300	113,950	126,600	136,750	146,850	157,000	167,100
Rolette County, ND	58,150	66,450	74,750	83,050	89,700	96,350	103,000	109,650
Sargent County, ND	85,000	97,150	109,300	121,450	131,150	140,900	150,600	160,300
Sheridan County, ND	80,450	91,900	103,400	114,900	124,100	133,300	142,500	151,650
Sioux County, ND	39,950	45,650	51,350	57,050	61,600	66,200	70,750	75,300
Slope County, ND	79,850	91,300	102,700	114,100	123,250	132,350	141,500	150,600
Stark County, ND	88,500	101,100	113,750	126,400	136,500	146,600	156,750	166,850
Steele County, ND	94,450	107,900	121,400	134,900	145,700	156,500	167,300	178,050
Stutsman County, ND	88,600	101,250	113,900	126,550	136,700	146,850	156,950	167,100
Towner County, ND	80,700	92,200	103,750	115,250	124,450	133,700	142,900	152,150
Traill County, ND	98,150	112,150	126,200	140,200	151,400	162,650	173,850	185,050
Walsh County, ND	76,100	87,050	97,900	108,750	117,450	126,200	134,900	143,550
Wells County, ND	82,750	94,550	106,400	118,200	127,650	137,100	146,550	156,000
Williams County, ND	90,950	103,950	116,950	129,950	140,350	150,750	161,150	171,550

From income limit to rent cap

Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.

Worked example for Bismarck, ND: the four-person limit is $136,900, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,422 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,976 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.

Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.

All 51 North Dakota areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.

North Dakota Section 538 income limits for FY2026

From income limit to rent cap

Get the FY2027 North Dakota limits when USDA posts them