Housing decision brief
Payette County, ID Housing Market
Payette 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.
29th lowest home value out of 44 Idaho counties with data | 22nd lowest rent out of 44
Median home value
$310,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$874/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,087/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$213/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
$874/mo is At the Idaho county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 82.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Payette 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. | $310,700 | $281,950 | $281,900 | 10% pressure10% above Idaho county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $874 | $877 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Idaho county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,087 | $916 | $1,672 | 19% pressure19% above Idaho county median |
Median household income | $65,723 | $65,531 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Idaho county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.44% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 56% favorable56% below Idaho county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 11% favorable24.00% 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
+$30,763
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$19,137
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Payette County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $874/month , about 16.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Payette County pay $874/month on average, compared to $1,087/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 20%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,586/year. With a median household income of $65,723, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Payette County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Payette County sits 6% more expensive than Adams County ($823/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, ID | $304,000 | $831/mo | Same-state comparison near $304,000 home value and $831/mo rent. |
| Latah County, ID | $342,500 | $905/mo | Same-state comparison near $342,500 home value and $905/mo rent. |
| Boundary County, ID | $344,100 | $867/mo | Same-state comparison near $344,100 home value and $867/mo rent. |
| Bannock County, ID | $267,200 | $879/mo | Same-state comparison near $267,200 home value and $879/mo rent. |
| Gem County, ID | $367,300 | $887/mo | Same-state comparison near $367,300 home value and $887/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Payette County
Is Payette County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Payette County?
How much income do you need for housing in Payette County?
What should I double-check before moving to Payette County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.