Is Morton County, ND good for real estate investing?

Morton County has an investment score of 60/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #329 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Morton?

The rent-to-price ratio in Morton County is 4.27% annually, which ranks in the 11th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Morton?

The median home price in Morton County is $318,880. This ranks #708 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Morton?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Morton County would generate negative cash flow of $933/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Morton County

North DakotaPopulation: 33,192

/100

Hold

#329 of 1,000 counties

#23 in North Dakota (43 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 11, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$318,880

Median Home Price

36% above national median

$1,135/mo

Median Rent

25% below national median

4.27%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 89% nationally

-$933

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,135/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$239,160	-$515/mo	3.7%	-11.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$318,880	-$933/mo	2.8%	-15.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$398,600	-$1,351/mo	2.2%	-17.7%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$318,880

Down Payment (20%)$63,776

Loan Amount$255,104

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,135

Monthly P&I-$1,672

Est. Expenses (35%)-$397

Net Cash Flow-$933/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.27%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

60/100

Cash Flow(30%)

34/100

Based on 4.27% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

70/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+7.2% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.27%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$933/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

33,192

Median Income

$79,555

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

4.0x

Moderately affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
Grand ForksND	62	$276,329	$1,151	5.00%	Buy	View
StarkND	61	$310,355	$1,212	4.69%	Buy	View
CurrentMortonND	60	$318,880	$1,135	4.27%	Buy
RichlandND	60	$219,459	$807	4.41%	Buy	View
BensonND	60	$142,968	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
WardND	59	$272,772	$1,018	4.48%	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldMorton scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $933/mo at current rates. Consider house hacking, value-add, or all-cash; otherwise a worse score with positive cash flow may be the better deal.

Morton County in North Dakota scores 60/100, ranking #329 of 1,000 US counties (top 43%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $933/month; the 4.27% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-933/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.3%

Related markets

Markets like Morton with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Morton

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in North Dakota →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Morton?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,135/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$239,160	-$515/mo	3.7%	-11.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$318,880	-$933/mo	2.8%	-15.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$398,600	-$1,351/mo	2.2%	-17.7%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$318,880

Down Payment (20%)$63,776

Loan Amount$255,104

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,135

Monthly P&I-$1,672

Est. Expenses (35%)-$397

Net Cash Flow-$933/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.27%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

60/100

Cash Flow(30%)

34/100

Based on 4.27% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

70/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

County

Verdict

Grand ForksND

$276,329

$1,151

5.00%

Buy

View

StarkND

$310,355

$1,212

4.69%

Buy

View

CurrentMortonND

$318,880

$1,135

4.27%

Buy

RichlandND

$219,459

$807

4.41%

Buy

View

BensonND

$142,968

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

WardND

$272,772

$1,018

4.48%

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-933/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.3%