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Overall Rating: 86/100 · 55,000 veterans (9.2% of population)
Reviewed 2026. Programs and exemptions verified against North Dakota veterans-affairs and tax-authority sources.
Benefit details verified January 2025. Tax exemptions, caps, and eligibility change and can vary by county — always confirm current figures with your county assessor and your North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs before you rely on them.
100% exempt from state income tax
0.99% average effective rate
100% credit on first ~$120k of value (50%+)
Credit % = rating %, on the first ~$120,000 of value. Minimum 50% (100%→full on that slice, 70%→70%, 50%→50%). Nothing below 50%.
Source ↗No veteran-specific exemptions (5% state)
$85,000
VA Medical Center
2101 North Elm Street, Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 232-3241
Primary care, mental health, specialty care, telehealth
Tuition waiver
Guard members and veterans qualify for in-state tuition assistance
4-year value: $28,000
Median Home
$390,000
1BR Rent
$850/mo
COL Index
94
Unemployment
2.3%
Major employers: Sanford Health, Microsoft, Bobcat Company, North Dakota State University
Pros: VA facility, tax-free military retirement, low unemployment, affordable housing
Cons: Extremely cold winters, remote location
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Buying a home
$0 down, no PMI. Funding fee waived for service-connected veterans.
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In competitive hiring, North Dakota adds 5 points (5%) to a non-disabled veteran's score and 10 points (10%) for a disabled veteran; in non-competitive hiring, disabled veterans receive first preference, then non-disabled veterans, then eligible spouses/unremarried surviving spouses.
Official source ↗North Dakota resident veterans with a 50%+ service-connected disability receive a free fishing license; those rated 100% disabled or individually unemployable may buy a combined game, habitat, small game, and furbearer license for $10 (plus a $2 certificate fee).
Official source ↗Veterans with a 50%+ service-connected disability rating and former POWs (and surviving spouses of veterans who had a 50%+ rating) are eligible for a free lifetime North Dakota state park entrance permit.
Official source ↗Veterans may add a veteran indicator to a North Dakota driver's license after a Veterans Service Officer verifies status on form SFN 59980; the indicator is added free at renewal (an $8 duplicate fee applies if the license is not yet due).
Official source ↗Veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled are eligible for two sets of DAV license plates, which are exempt from sales tax and registration fees and allow parking in marked accessible spaces statewide.
Official source ↗The state veterans home in Lisbon provides basic care (98 beds) and skilled nursing care (52 beds). Eligible veterans must have been ND residents for at least 30 days or entered service as a ND resident, with an honorable discharge; spouses and surviving spouses may also receive care.
Official source ↗The unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased qualifying disabled veteran is eligible for the property tax credit (up to 100% for a spouse receiving VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation); file the application with the county by March 31.
Official source ↗Sourced from official state agencies; programs and eligibility change — confirm with your North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs before applying.