Housing decision brief
Custer County, ID Housing Market
Custer County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
27th lowest home value out of 44 Idaho counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 44
Median home value
$295,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$744/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$816/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$72/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$744/mo is 15% below Idaho county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$56,957 median income is 13% below Idaho county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Custer 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. | $295,600 | $281,950 | $281,900 | 5% pressure5% above Idaho county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $744 | $877 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below Idaho county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $816 | $916 | $1,672 | 11% favorable11% below Idaho county median |
Median household income | $56,957 | $65,531 | $74,755 | 13% pressure13% below Idaho county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.31% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 69% favorable69% below Idaho county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 27.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$27,197
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,986
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Custer County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $744/month in gross rent, with 27.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $744/month rent versus $816/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $72/month cheaper , a 9% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,971/year. With a median household income of $56,957, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Custer County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Idaho, Custer County is less affordable than Idaho County by roughly 7% ($744/mo vs $797/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owyhee County, ID | $281,600 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $281,600 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Lemhi County, ID | $282,100 | $721/mo | Same-state comparison near $282,100 home value and $721/mo rent. |
| Idaho County, ID | $284,600 | $797/mo | Same-state comparison near $284,600 home value and $797/mo rent. |
| Adams County, ID | $327,300 | $823/mo | Same-state comparison near $327,300 home value and $823/mo rent. |
| Franklin County, ID | $304,000 | $831/mo | Same-state comparison near $304,000 home value and $831/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Custer County
Is Custer County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Custer County?
How much income do you need for housing in Custer County?
What should I double-check before moving to Custer County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.