State comparison
North Dakota vs California: which state is better to live in?
North Dakota costs a median household about $6,600 a year less in state and local taxes than California, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $2,244 a year against $5,609 in California.
North Dakota
Low tax burden · COL index 98
Wins 9 categories
California
Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 5 categories
Taxes: North Dakota vs California
North Dakota has a graduated income tax topping out at 2.5%, which works out to 0.7% on a median income of $74,580, or $509 a year. California has a graduated income tax topping out at 13.3%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,375 a year. North Dakota wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.88% of home value a year in North Dakota and 0.71% in California (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $2,244 against $5,609, so California has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.97% in North Dakota and 8.82% in California; North Dakota is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $4,313 a year in North Dakota, $10,957 in California. North Dakota is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
North Dakota's cost of living index is 98 and California's is 142, where 100 is the national average; North Dakota is about 45% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $255K in North Dakota and $790K in California (Zillow, 2024), a $535K gap in North Dakota's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,100 a month in North Dakota and $2,300 in California.
Home insurance averages $2,200 a year in North Dakota and $2,100 in California, so California is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 285 incidents per 100,000 residents in North Dakota and 499 in California (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); North Dakota is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 75% lower. Property crime is 1,779 per 100,000 in North Dakota against 2,027 in California, again favoring North Dakota.
Health
Life expectancy is 78.8 years in North Dakota and 79.2 in California (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 0.4-year edge for California. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks North Dakota's health system 27th of 50 and California's 13th, so California scores better on care.
7.5% of North Dakota residents have no health insurance against 6.8% in California, which favors California. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks North Dakota's K-12 schools 17th in the country and California's 20th, 3 places apart in North Dakota's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election North Dakota went to Trump by 33 points and California went to Harris by 20 points.
North Dakota has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; California has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A, so California regulates guns more tightly and North Dakota is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in North Dakota and protected by state law in California, and marijuana is medical only in North Dakota and legal for adults in California as of 2026. The minimum wage is $7.25 an hour in North Dakota and $16.00 in California.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in North Dakota (blizzard, tornado, flood) and very high in California (wildfire, earthquake, drought), so North Dakota is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 25 in North Dakota and 62 in California (under 50 is good), favoring North Dakota.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
9
North Dakota
5
California
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is North Dakota or California better to live in?
North Dakota wins more of the measures that decide a move. North Dakota on taxes ($4,313 a year for a median household against $10,957); North Dakota on everyday costs (index 98 against 142); North Dakota on safety (285 violent crimes per 100,000 against 499); North Dakota on schools (ranked 17th against 20th).
Which is cheaper, North Dakota or California?
North Dakota is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 98 against 142. The median home is $255K in North Dakota and $790K in California (2024). On state and local taxes North Dakota saves a median household about $6,600 a year.
Does North Dakota or California have lower taxes?
North Dakota. A household earning $74,580 pays about $4,313 a year in North Dakota ($509 income tax, $2,244 property tax on the median home and $1,559 in sales tax) and $10,957 in California ($3,375 income tax, $5,609 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, North Dakota or California?
North Dakota, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 285 per 100,000 residents in North Dakota and 499 in California; property crime is 1,779 against 2,027.
Which has better schools, North Dakota or California?
North Dakota. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks North Dakota 17th of 50 for K-12 and California 20th.
Is North Dakota or California better for retirees?
North Dakota is friendlier to retirees on paper. North Dakota does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; California does not tax Social Security, taxes pensions as income and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $2,244 a year in North Dakota and $5,609 in California.