Rent vs buy in Idaho Falls, ID
In Idaho, a typical rent in Idaho Falls, Idaho runs $1,396 /mo and a typical home costs $394,199.
Renting saves you $30k over 7 years
These figures rely on Idaho Falls's typical home value and typical rent, plus 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point comes in year 12.
This clearly labelled opinion shows the math. Estimates, not quotes. Adjust any number and the stamp will change.
- Renting leads by
- $30k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 12 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of ownership
- $3,301 /mo year 1, against $1,396 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp draws on the typical rent and home value for Idaho Falls's market. Your rent, price and years can change the result.
Do these numbers differ from the city's?
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Idaho Falls?
When you include the money returned after the sale, renting costs $30,188 less over 7 years. For the first 11 years, renting costs less. In year 12, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost so far, shown by year.
Idaho Falls: average rent compared with mortgage payment
Neither rent nor the mortgage tells the whole story. At Idaho Falls's typical price, here's every monthly cost during year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,396 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,149 | $1,894 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $191 | 0.58% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $83 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $328 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,751 | $255 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $641 | What the cash would earn each year at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $164 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,301 | Cash out, with the equity part deducted and the two lines above added. |
The figures behind Idaho Falls's result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $394,199
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,396 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Idaho, 1995 to 2025
- 5.2% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Idaho Falls
- 0.58% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Idaho Falls
- $83 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
Which conditions would reverse the result in Idaho Falls?
Each line shows where the 7-year result changes in Idaho Falls, with all other factors left unchanged.
Renting is better when
- Home prices grow at less than 6.1% a year. We base the calculation on 5.2%, Idaho's long-run rate.
- Mortgage rate remains above 5.88%.
- Such a home rents for under $1,720 each month; the typical figure here is $1,396.
- Before year 12, you move.
When buying wins
- Home prices rise by more than 6.1% each year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 5.88% (today's rate is 7.24%).
- If you rent the same home, you'd pay more than $1,720 a month.
- You remain there for 12 years or longer.
Idaho Falls versus the other 812 cities
| Measure | Idaho Falls | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $394,199 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,396 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.5 (#192 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 8.5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 2.7% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.58% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 36% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Idaho's other cities
- Renting wins by $25k in Boise City, ID.
- Renting wins by $18k in Meridian, ID.
- Renting wins by $9k in Nampa, ID.
- It's a toss-up, but buying is ahead by $3k in Caldwell, ID.
- Renting wins by $44k in Pocatello, ID.
- Renting wins by $61k in Coeur d'Alene, ID.
- Renting wins by $7k in Twin Falls, ID.