Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Williston, ND?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.2% of gross income.
Williston rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Dakota state estimate).
About rent and an elementary school teacher salary
Teacher affordability is one of the sharpest local-rent lenses available, because public-school pay scales are set by state and district while rent is set by local market conditions. The result is that two teachers with identical credentials can face very different rent burdens depending on where they teach. At the national-average teacher salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,677 a month in rent — comfortable in most of the Midwest and South, tight in mid-cost cities, and out of reach without roommates in the most expensive coastal markets. The per-city pages below combine local rent with local teacher-pay estimates to show where the math works.
Cheaper rent nearby
These North Dakota cities have lower median rent than Williston, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:
Compare with full rent data for Williston
View full rent data for Williston, ND →Frequently asked questions
Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Williston, ND?
Median rent in Williston is $1,256 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in North Dakota earns about $65,068 a year, which makes that rent 23.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Williston?
Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in North Dakota (~$65,068/yr) supports up to $1,627 a month in rent. Williston's current median rent is $1,256/mo, which leaves a $371/mo buffer.
How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Williston?
At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, an elementary school teacher in North Dakota works roughly 40.1 hours a month to cover Williston's median rent of $1,256.
Where is rent cheaper than Williston for an elementary school teacher?
Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Dickinson ($1,255/mo), Bismarck ($1,254/mo), Bismarck ($1,250/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.