Housing decision brief
Camas County, ID Housing Market
Camas County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
13th lowest home value out of 44 Idaho counties with data | 32nd lowest rent out of 44
Median home value
$248,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$992/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$978/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
33.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$14/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $63,979 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$248,900 median home value is 12% below Idaho county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $14/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,536 median income is 15% below Idaho county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $63,979, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Camas County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $248,900 | $281,950 | $281,900 | 12% favorable12% below Idaho county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $992 | $877 | $1,163 | 13% pressure13% above Idaho county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $978 | $916 | $1,672 | 7% pressure7% above Idaho county median |
Median household income | $55,536 | $65,531 | $74,755 | 15% pressure15% below Idaho county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.42% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 58% favorable58% below Idaho county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 33.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 22% pressure33.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$15,856
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$13,622
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Camas County is affordable. The median rent is $992/month against a median household income of $55,536, putting rent at 21.4% of income.
Rent vs own
At $992/month rent versus $978/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $14/month cheaper , a 1% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $39,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,914/year. With a median household income of $55,536, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 33.0% of renter households in Camas County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Idaho, Camas County is more affordable than Nez Perce County by roughly 6% ($992/mo vs $936/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, ID | $250,300 | $919/mo | Same-state comparison near $250,300 home value and $919/mo rent. |
| Benewah County, ID | $255,800 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,800 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Clearwater County, ID | $240,800 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $240,800 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| Elmore County, ID | $278,300 | $1,111/mo | Same-state comparison near $278,300 home value and $1,111/mo rent. |
| Cassia County, ID | $257,300 | $920/mo | Same-state comparison near $257,300 home value and $920/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $63,979 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Camas County
Is Camas County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Camas County?
How much income do you need for housing in Camas County?
What should I double-check before moving to Camas County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.