Zap, North Dakota

Population

Growing. Up 1.3% since 2020.

229

people, the 150th-largest of North Dakota's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among North Dakota's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

Every job here goes to someone who lives somewhere else.

100.0%

of 17 jobs located in Zap are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 39% since the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.

$1,275

a month. North Dakota's median is $954.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $399.

A $399 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Mercer County.

• $918 Tract 9616
• $1,317 Tract 9618

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

The median rent is above what local wages can carry.

$266–$398

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $1,275 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

Most of the housing here is older than 2000.

• 0 homes permitted, 2022–2025
• 92% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2022–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

None of three estimates finds a housing shortfall here.

0

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 63% less than North Dakota's.

$91,300

median home value in Zap.

• $91,300 Zap
• $249,900 North Dakota
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year