Disclaimer: IRS Collection Financial Standards are intended for use in calculating repayment of delinquent taxes. These Standards are effective on April 21, 2025 for purposes of federal tax administration only. Expense information for use in bankruptcy calculations can be found on the website for the .
The housing and utilities standards are derived from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and are provided by state down to the county level. The standard for a particular county and family size includes both housing and utilities allowed for a taxpayer's primary place of residence. Generally, the total number of persons allowed for determining family size should be the same as those allowed as exemptions on the taxpayer's most recent year income tax return.
Housing and utilities standards include mortgage or rent, property taxes, interest, insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas, electric, water, heating oil, garbage collection, residential telephone service, cell phone service, cable television, and Internet service. The tables include five categories for one, two, three, four, and five or more persons in a household.
The taxpayer is allowed the standard amount, or the amount actually spent on housing and utilities, whichever is less. If the amount claimed is more than the total allowed by the housing and utilities standards, the taxpayer must provide documentation to substantiate those expenses are necessary living expenses.
| County | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 1 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 2 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 3 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 4 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $1,706 | $2,004 | $2,112 | $2,355 | $2,393 |
| Barnes County | $1,451 | $1,704 | $1,796 | $2,003 | $2,035 |
| Benson County | $1,558 | $1,830 | $1,928 | $2,150 | $2,184 |
| Billings County | $1,956 | $2,298 | $2,421 | $2,699 | $2,743 |
| Bottineau County | $1,516 | $1,780 | $1,876 | $2,092 | $2,126 |
| Bowman County | $1,497 | $1,758 | $1,853 | $2,066 | $2,099 |
| Burke County | $1,514 | $1,778 | $1,874 | $2,090 | $2,123 |
| Burleigh County | $1,954 | $2,295 | $2,418 | $2,696 | $2,740 |
| Cass County | $1,904 | $2,237 | $2,357 | $2,628 | $2,670 |
| Cavalier County | $1,424 | $1,672 | $1,762 | $1,965 | $1,996 |
| Dickey County | $1,458 | $1,713 | $1,805 | $2,013 | $2,045 |
| Divide County | $1,631 | $1,916 | $2,019 | $2,251 | $2,288 |
| Dunn County | $1,610 | $1,890 | $1,992 | $2,221 | $2,257 |
| Eddy County | $1,299 | $1,526 | $1,608 | $1,793 | $1,822 |
| Emmons County | $1,334 | $1,567 | $1,651 | $1,841 | $1,871 |
| Foster County | $1,448 | $1,701 | $1,792 | $1,998 | $2,030 |
| Golden Valley County | $1,576 | $1,851 | $1,950 | $2,174 | $2,209 |
| Grand Forks County | $1,812 | $2,129 | $2,243 | $2,501 | $2,541 |
| Grant County | $1,366 | $1,604 | $1,690 | $1,884 | $1,915 |
| Griggs County | $1,374 | $1,613 | $1,700 | $1,896 | $1,926 |
| Hettinger County | $1,451 | $1,704 | $1,796 | $2,003 | $2,035 |
| Kidder County | $1,549 | $1,819 | $1,917 | $2,137 | $2,172 |
| LaMoure County | $1,447 | $1,700 | $1,791 | $1,997 | $2,029 |
| Logan County | $1,437 | $1,688 | $1,779 | $1,984 | $2,016 |
| McHenry County | $1,561 | $1,833 | $1,932 | $2,154 | $2,189 |
| McIntosh County | $1,307 | $1,535 | $1,617 | $1,803 | $1,832 |
| McKenzie County | $2,254 | $2,648 | $2,790 | $3,111 | $3,161 |
| McLean County | $1,688 | $1,982 | $2,089 | $2,329 | $2,367 |
| Mercer County | $1,792 | $2,105 | $2,218 | $2,473 | $2,513 |
| Morton County | $1,775 | $2,085 | $2,197 | $2,450 | $2,489 |
| Mountrail County | $1,692 | $1,987 | $2,094 | $2,335 | $2,373 |
| Nelson County | $1,441 | $1,692 | $1,783 | $1,988 | $2,020 |
| Oliver County | $1,795 | $2,108 | $2,221 | $2,476 | $2,516 |
| Pembina County | $1,334 | $1,567 | $1,651 | $1,841 | $1,871 |
| Pierce County | $1,445 | $1,697 | $1,788 | $1,994 | $2,026 |
| Ramsey County | $1,581 | $1,857 | $1,957 | $2,182 | $2,217 |
| Ransom County | $1,591 | $1,869 | $1,969 | $2,195 | $2,231 |
| Renville County | $1,639 | $1,925 | $2,028 | $2,261 | $2,298 |
| Richland County | $1,606 | $1,887 | $1,988 | $2,217 | $2,252 |
| Rolette County | $1,433 | $1,684 | $1,774 | $1,978 | $2,010 |
| Sargent County | $1,502 | $1,764 | $1,859 | $2,073 | $2,106 |
| Sheridan County | $1,449 | $1,702 | $1,793 | $1,999 | $2,031 |
| Sioux County | $1,496 | $1,757 | $1,851 | $2,064 | $2,097 |
| Slope County | $1,902 | $2,234 | $2,354 | $2,625 | $2,667 |
| Stark County | $1,927 | $2,263 | $2,385 | $2,659 | $2,702 |
| Steele County | $1,555 | $1,827 | $1,925 | $2,146 | $2,181 |
| Stutsman County | $1,674 | $1,966 | $2,072 | $2,310 | $2,348 |
| Towner County | $1,372 | $1,611 | $1,698 | $1,893 | $1,924 |
| Traill County | $1,673 | $1,964 | $2,070 | $2,308 | $2,345 |
| Walsh County | $1,439 | $1,690 | $1,781 | $1,986 | $2,018 |
| Ward County | $1,907 | $2,240 | $2,360 | $2,631 | $2,674 |
| Wells County | $1,467 | $1,723 | $1,816 | $2,025 | $2,058 |
| Williams County | $1,903 | $2,235 | $2,355 | $2,626 | $2,668 |