$31 an Hour in North Dakota — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $31/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $64,480. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and North Dakota state income tax, your take-home pay is $25.38/hr. In North Dakota's low cost-of-living environment, this is a comfortable living wage in North Dakota.

Gross Annual
$64,480
Net Annual
$52,780
Net Monthly
$4,398
Net Hourly
$25.38

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $31.00 $5.62 $25.38
Daily (8 hrs) $248.00 $45.00 $203.00
Weekly (40 hrs) $1,240.00 $225.00 $1,015.00
Biweekly $2,480.00 $449.99 $2,030.01
Monthly $5,373.33 $974.99 $4,398.35
Annual $64,480 $11,700 $52,780

Full Tax Breakdown — North Dakota, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $31/hr × 2,080 hrs $64,480
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $48,380
Federal Income Tax 8.6% −$5,557.60
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$3,997.76
Medicare (1.45%) −$934.96
North Dakota Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
North Dakota State Income Tax 1.9% −$1,209.50
Total Tax 18.1% effective −$11,699.82
Net Take-Home $52,780

How Does North Dakota Compare?

See how $31/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$31/hr = $64,480/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

✓ Comfortable — $31/hr covers costs in North Dakota
  • Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/mo — within budget (18% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in North Dakota: $34,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $52,780 ($18,780 above comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$38.3/hr

Working at $31/hr in North Dakota

At this level in North Dakota you're doing exceptionally well financially. The 2.5% income tax and low COL create one of the highest real purchasing power positions in the US at this wage level.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 38 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Fargo (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's within the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 4.3x North Dakota's federal minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in North Dakota is 18.1% -- federal income tax accounts for 8.6%, FICA 7.6%, and North Dakota state tax 1.9%.

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 $31/hr in North Dakota

Based on $4,398/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 21.6%
Food (groceries + dining) $528 $6,336 12.0%
Transportation $440 $5,280 10.0%
Utilities $264 $3,168 6.0%
Healthcare $220 $2,640 5.0%
Entertainment $220 $2,640 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $440 $5,280 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $1,336 $16,032 30.4%

Overtime Pay — $31/hr in North Dakota

At time-and-a-half ($46.50/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 $233 $195 $9,750
10 hrs/week $465 $391 $19,550
20 hrs/week $930 $782 $39,100

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $31/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $25.38 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 1.7 hrs 2 hrs
Week of groceries $120 3.9 hrs 4.8 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 25.8 hrs 31.5 hrs
1 month rent (Fargo) $950 30.7 hrs 37.5 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 322.6 hrs 394.1 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 1548.4 hrs 1891.7 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

31/hr in North Dakota gives you $52,780/year after taxes -- a comfortable living wage in North Dakota. Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/month (within the 30% rule).

What is 31 an hour after taxes in North Dakota?

31/hr in North Dakota = $52,780/year or $4,398/month net. Effective rate: 18.1%.

How does 31/hr go further -- North Dakota or Texas?

31/hr in North Dakota has similar purchasing power to ~38.3/hr in Texas.

What does 31/hr look like as a monthly budget in North Dakota?

On $4,398/month in North Dakota: rent $950, food $528, transport $440, savings $440, surplus ~$1,336.

How much does overtime add at 31/hr in North Dakota?

At 1.5x (46.50/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$9,750/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$19,550/year.