$10 an Hour in North Dakota — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $10/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $20,800. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and North Dakota state income tax, your take-home pay is $8.95/hr. In North Dakota's low cost-of-living environment, this is below what's needed for comfortable living in North Dakota.

Gross Annual
$20,800
Net Annual
$18,621
Net Monthly
$1,552
Net Hourly
$8.95

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $10.00 $1.05 $8.95
Daily (8 hrs) $80.00 $8.38 $71.62
Weekly (40 hrs) $400.00 $41.90 $358.10
Biweekly $800.00 $83.80 $716.20
Monthly $1,733.33 $181.56 $1,551.77
Annual $20,800 $2,179 $18,621

Full Tax Breakdown — North Dakota, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $10/hr × 2,080 hrs $20,800
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $4,700
Federal Income Tax 2.3% −$470.00
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$1,289.60
Medicare (1.45%) −$301.60
North Dakota Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
North Dakota State Income Tax 0.6% −$117.50
Total Tax 10.5% effective −$2,178.70
Net Take-Home $18,621

How Does North Dakota Compare?

See how $10/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$10/hr = $20,800/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:

Adjacent Rates in North Dakota

Same Rate, Other States

Cost of Living in North Dakota

✗ Difficult — $10/hr falls short in North Dakota
  • Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/mo — over the 30% rule (55% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in North Dakota: $34,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $18,621 ($15,379 below comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$12.4/hr

Working at $10/hr in North Dakota

North Dakota's 2.5% flat income tax is one of the lowest in the country. Fargo 1BR rents average $900/month. The low tax and low COL make this wage financially workable, especially outside the oil boom areas.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 107 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Fargo (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.4x North Dakota's federal minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in North Dakota is 10.5% -- federal income tax accounts for 2.3%, FICA 7.6%, and North Dakota state tax 0.6%.

North Dakota's economy is driven by energy (Bakken oil formation), agriculture, and healthcare. Fargo has a growing tech and healthcare sector. The oil boom/bust cycle affects wages significantly in western North Dakota.

North Dakota has one of the lowest income tax structures in the US — a flat 2.5% rate for most earners (2026). The state mirrors the federal standard deduction.

North Dakota follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr.

Monthly Budget on $10/hr in North Dakota

Based on $1,552/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for North Dakota's cost of living.

Category Monthly Annual % of Net
Rent / Housing $950 $11,400 61.2%
Food (groceries + dining) $186 $2,232 12.0%
Transportation $155 $1,860 10.0%
Utilities $93 $1,116 6.0%
Healthcare $78 $936 5.0%
Entertainment $78 $936 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $155 $1,860 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $-143 $-1,716 -9.2%

⚠ This budget is underwater — rent alone exceeds the 30% guideline in North Dakota at $10/hr. Consider roommates, lower-cost areas, or targeting a higher wage to reach balance.

Overtime Pay — $10/hr in North Dakota

At time-and-a-half ($15.00/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in North Dakota. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~14.0%.

Extra Hours/Week OT Gross/Week Net/Week (est.) Added Net/Year
5 hrs/week $75 $65 $3,250
10 hrs/week $150 $129 $6,450
20 hrs/week $300 $258 $12,900

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $10/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $8.95 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 5 hrs 5.6 hrs
Week of groceries $120 12 hrs 13.5 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 79.9 hrs 89.3 hrs
1 month rent (Fargo) $950 95 hrs 106.2 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 1000 hrs 1117.1 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 4800 hrs 5361.7 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

10 an hour -- is it a good wage in North Dakota?

10/hr in North Dakota gives you $18,621/year after taxes -- below what's needed for comfortable living in North Dakota. Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/month (exceeds the 30% rule).

What is 10 an hour after taxes in North Dakota?

10/hr in North Dakota = $18,621/year or $1,552/month net. Effective rate: 10.5%.

How does 10/hr go further -- North Dakota or Texas?

10/hr in North Dakota has similar purchasing power to ~12.4/hr in Texas.

What does 10/hr look like as a monthly budget in North Dakota?

On $1,552/month in North Dakota: rent $950, food $186, transport $155, savings $155, surplus ~$0.

How much does overtime add at 10/hr in North Dakota?

At 1.5x (15.00/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$3,250/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$6,450/year.