Idaho Falls, ID
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
4.20×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Idaho
- 4.24×-0.04
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
20.3%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Idaho
- 22.6%-2.3
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-3.0
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.13%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Idaho
- 3.21%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.26%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Idaho
- 0.26%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.24
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
9.40
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Idaho
- 7.45+1.95
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+5.88
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.0%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Idaho
- 3.5%-0.5
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-0.9
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+50.2%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+0.5%
Median home value
$325,000
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,095 | $13,140 | 17.0% |
| 2 BR | $1,305 | $15,660 | 20.3% |
| 3 BR | $1,815 | $21,780 | 28.2% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.0%
Median household income
$77,300
What's being built
Total TTM
1,490
Single-family
1,001
2–4 unit
48
5+ unit
441
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonneville County | 124,490 | $327,000 | $76,646 | 1,197 | |
| Jefferson County | 31,383 | $335,000 | $82,952 | 284 | +18.8% |
| Butte County | 2,605 | $195,800 | $43,281 | 9 | +12.5% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Idaho Falls | 158,478 | $77,300 | 4.20× | 3.13% | +50.2% | 9.40 | 3.0% |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 156,084 | $74,946 | — | — | +51.2% | — | 3.1% |
| Monroe, MI | 154,823 | $75,272 | — | — | +44.1% | — | 4.6% |
| Santa Fe, NM | 154,481 | $74,689 | — | — | +52.6% | — | 3.6% |
| Wausau-Weston, WI | 166,222 | $76,185 | — | — | +56.7% | — | 2.7% |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 163,817 | $74,390 | — | — | +59.8% | — | 3.2% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+417
+0.26% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Madison County, ID | 489 |
| Bonneville County, ID | 392 |
| Bingham County, ID | 325 |
| Jefferson County, ID | 314 |
| Bannock County, ID | 180 |
| Ada County, ID | 147 |
Who lives in Idaho Falls
- Median age
- 33
- Bachelor's+
- 30.9%
- Owner-occupancy
- 73.7%
- Vacancy rate
- 6.7%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 37.6%
- Median household income
- $77,300
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.