Housing decision brief
Jerome County, ID Housing Market
Jerome County screens as a below-state 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.
15th lowest home value out of 44 Idaho counties with data | 20th lowest rent out of 44
Median home value
$254,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$862/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,078/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$216/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$254,000 median home value is 10% below Idaho county median
Lower rent
$862/mo is 2% below Idaho county median
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 78.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 34.4 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Jerome 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. | $254,000 | $281,950 | $281,900 | 10% favorable10% below Idaho county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $862 | $877 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Idaho county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,078 | $916 | $1,672 | 18% pressure18% above Idaho county median |
Median household income | $69,338 | $65,531 | $74,755 | 6% favorable6% above Idaho county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.64% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 36% favorable36% below Idaho county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 19% favorable22.00% 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
+$34,858
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,138
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Jerome County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $862/month , about 14.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Jerome County is $862/month, while owner costs run $1,078/month. Renting saves approximately $216/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,200/year. With a median household income of $69,338, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Jerome County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Idaho, Jerome County is less affordable than Washington County by roughly 6% ($862/mo vs $919/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cassia County, ID | $257,300 | $920/mo | Same-state comparison near $257,300 home value and $920/mo rent. |
| Bingham County, ID | $258,000 | $845/mo | Same-state comparison near $258,000 home value and $845/mo rent. |
| Minidoka County, ID | $235,300 | $909/mo | Same-state comparison near $235,300 home value and $909/mo rent. |
| Bannock County, ID | $267,200 | $879/mo | Same-state comparison near $267,200 home value and $879/mo rent. |
| Gooding County, ID | $231,800 | $859/mo | Same-state comparison near $231,800 home value and $859/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Jerome County
Is Jerome County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Jerome County?
How much income do you need for housing in Jerome County?
What should I double-check before moving to Jerome County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.