2026 Tax Year · Single Filer · North Dakota

$18 an Hour in North Dakota — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $18/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $37,440. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and North Dakota state income tax, your take-home pay is $15.25/hr. In North Dakota's low cost-of-living environment, this is enough to get by in North Dakota, though budget carefully.

Gross Annual
$37,440
Net Annual
$31,730
Net Monthly
$2,644
Net Hourly
$15.25

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $18.00 $2.75 $15.25
Daily (8 hrs) $144.00 $21.96 $122.04
Weekly (40 hrs) $720.00 $109.82 $610.18
Biweekly $1,440.00 $219.63 $1,220.37
Monthly $3,120.00 $475.87 $2,644.13
Annual $37,440 $5,710 $31,730

Full Tax Breakdown — North Dakota, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $18/hr × 2,080 hrs $37,440
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $21,340
Federal Income Tax 6.2% −$2,312.80
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$2,321.28
Medicare (1.45%) −$542.88
North Dakota Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
North Dakota State Income Tax 1.4% −$533.50
Total Tax 15.3% effective −$5,710.46
Net Take-Home $31,730

How Does North Dakota Compare?

See how $18/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

State State Tax Net Monthly Net Annual
California $671.98 $2,633/mo $31,591 Florida None $2,689/mo $32,263 New York $1,292.09 $2,581/mo $30,971 Texas None $2,689/mo $32,263 Washington None $2,689/mo $32,263
Open Full Calculator for North Dakota — $18/hr →

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$18/hr = $37,440/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:

$37,440 salary in North Dakota — full breakdown $37,440 after tax in North Dakota $37,440 salary to hourly North Dakota paycheck calculator

Adjacent Rates in North Dakota

$15/hr in North Dakota$16/hr in North Dakota$17/hr in North Dakota$19/hr in North Dakota$20/hr in North Dakota$21/hr in North Dakota

Same Rate, Other States

$18/hr in Alabama$18/hr in Alaska$18/hr in Arizona$18/hr in Arkansas$18/hr in California$18/hr in Colorado

Cost of Living in North Dakota

⚠ Tight — $18/hr is borderline in North Dakota
  • Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/mo — over the 30% rule (30% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in North Dakota: $34,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $31,730 ($2,270 below comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$22.2/hr

Working at $18/hr in North Dakota

This is a very comfortable income in North Dakota. The 2.5% flat tax is nearly the lowest in the US. Fargo's stable economy and low cost of living translate this wage into real financial security.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 63 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Fargo (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 2.5x North Dakota's federal minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in North Dakota is 15.3% -- federal income tax accounts for 6.2%, FICA 7.7%, and North Dakota state tax 1.4%.

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 $18/hr in North Dakota

Based on $2,644/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 35.9%
Food (groceries + dining) $317 $3,804 12.0%
Transportation $264 $3,168 10.0%
Utilities $159 $1,908 6.0%
Healthcare $132 $1,584 5.0%
Entertainment $132 $1,584 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $264 $3,168 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $426 $5,112 16.1%

Overtime Pay — $18/hr in North Dakota

At time-and-a-half ($27.00/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in North Dakota. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~16.0%.

Extra Hours/Week OT Gross/Week Net/Week (est.) Added Net/Year
5 hrs/week $135 $113 $5,650
10 hrs/week $270 $227 $11,350
20 hrs/week $540 $454 $22,700

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $18/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $15.25 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 2.8 hrs 3.3 hrs
Week of groceries $120 6.7 hrs 7.9 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 44.4 hrs 52.4 hrs
1 month rent (Fargo) $950 52.8 hrs 62.3 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 555.6 hrs 655.6 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 2666.7 hrs 3146.6 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

18/hr in North Dakota gives you $31,730/year after taxes -- enough to get by in North Dakota, though budget carefully. Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/month (exceeds the 30% rule).

What is 18 an hour after taxes in North Dakota?

18/hr in North Dakota = $31,730/year or $2,644/month net. Effective rate: 15.3%.

How does 18/hr go further -- North Dakota or Texas?

18/hr in North Dakota has similar purchasing power to ~22.2/hr in Texas.

What does 18/hr look like as a monthly budget in North Dakota?

On $2,644/month in North Dakota: rent $950, food $317, transport $264, savings $264, surplus ~$426.

How much does overtime add at 18/hr in North Dakota?

At 1.5x (27.00/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$5,650/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$11,350/year.