Pocatello, 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
4.17×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Idaho
- 4.24×-0.07
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
22.0%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Idaho
- 22.6%-0.6
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-1.3
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.42%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Idaho
- 3.21%+0.21
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.08%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Idaho
- 0.26%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.05
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
5.00
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
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+1.48
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.8%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Idaho
- 3.5%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-0.1
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+59.3%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+4.6%
Median home value
$267,200
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $894 | $10,728 | 16.7% |
| 2 BR | $1,173 | $14,076 | 22.0% |
| 3 BR | $1,631 | $19,572 | 30.5% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.8%
Median household income
$64,080
What's being built
Total TTM
477
+75.7% YoY
Single-family
288
2–4 unit
93
5+ unit
96
All 2 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannock County | 87,434 | $267,200 | $64,080 | 472 | +72.3% |
| Power County | 7,918 | $191,200 | $59,760 | 5 | +400.0% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Pocatello | 95,352 | $64,080 | 4.17× | 3.42% | +59.3% | 5.00 | 3.8% |
| Ocean City, NJ | 95,456 | $63,690 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rome, GA | 98,541 | $62,540 | — | — | +60.9% | — | 3.3% |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 97,622 | $67,267 | — | — | +43.5% | — | 3.0% |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 95,118 | $59,413 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lima, OH | 102,087 | $62,001 | — | — | +53.5% | — | 4.5% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+73
+0.08% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Bingham County, ID | 212 |
| Bonneville County, ID | 171 |
| Ada County, ID | 124 |
| Power County, ID | 89 |
| Salt Lake County, UT | 89 |
| Madison County, ID | 71 |
Who lives in Pocatello
- Median age
- 35
- Bachelor's+
- 30.2%
- Owner-occupancy
- 68.6%
- Vacancy rate
- 6.6%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 43.8%
- Median household income
- $64,080
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.