Housing decision brief
Lemhi County, ID Housing Market
Lemhi 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.
23rd lowest home value out of 44 Idaho counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 44
Median home value
$282,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$721/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$849/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
35.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$128/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
$721/mo is 18% below Idaho county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,057 median income is 21% 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.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
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 Lemhi 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. | $282,100 | $281,950 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Idaho county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $721 | $877 | $1,163 | 18% favorable18% below Idaho county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $849 | $916 | $1,672 | 7% favorable7% below Idaho county median |
Median household income | $52,057 | $65,531 | $74,755 | 21% pressure21% below Idaho county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.39% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 61% favorable61% below Idaho county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 35.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 30% pressure35.00% 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
+$23,217
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,671
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Lemhi County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $721/month representing approximately 16.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 35.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Lemhi County pay $721/month on average, compared to $849/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 15%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,386/year. With a median household income of $52,057, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 35.0% of renter households in Lemhi County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Idaho, Lemhi County is less affordable than Idaho County by roughly 10% ($721/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County, ID | $295,600 | $744/mo | Same-state comparison near $295,600 home value and $744/mo rent. |
| Owyhee County, ID | $281,600 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $281,600 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Idaho County, ID | $284,600 | $797/mo | Same-state comparison near $284,600 home value and $797/mo rent. |
| Benewah County, ID | $255,800 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,800 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Washington County, ID | $250,300 | $919/mo | Same-state comparison near $250,300 home value and $919/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lemhi County
Is Lemhi County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lemhi County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lemhi County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lemhi County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.