Rent vs buy in Twin Falls, ID
In Twin Falls, Idaho, the typical rent is $1,565 /mo and the typical home is $370,431.
Renting comes out $7k ahead over 7 years
The inputs are Twin Falls's typical rent, its typical home value, 20% down and today's mortgage rate. It breaks even in year 8.
Opinion, clearly labelled, math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Adjust a number and the stamp changes.
- Renting leads by
- $7k after 7 years
- The break-even point
- In year 8 when owning catches up
- Full cost of ownership
- Each month: $3,129 /mo year 1, against $1,565 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp works from Twin Falls's usual rent and home value. Your own rent, price and years can flip it.
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Enter your own rent, home price and down payment. The stamp changes along with them.
In Twin Falls, which costs less, renting or buying?
Renting costs $7,432 less over 7 years when you include the money returned after selling the home. For the first 7 years, renting costs less. In year 8, the cost of owning catches up.
Rent. Own. Net cost to date, by year.
Twin Falls: average rent vs mortgage payment
The rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Every monthly cost in year 1 appears here, at Twin Falls's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,565 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,020 | $1,780 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $210 | 0.68% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $74 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $309 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,612 | $239 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $602 | What the cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $154 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,129 | Cash paid out, minus the equity portion, plus the two amounts listed above |
The figures behind Twin Falls's result
- Typical home value: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $370,431
- Typical rent: Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,565 /mo
- Down payment: 20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine leaves out.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate, from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- dt| Growth in home prices, from the FHFA index, Idaho, 1995 to 2025
- 5.2% each year
- Rent growth, per the CPI measure of primary residence rent, annual growth from 2006 to 2026
- Each year, 3.5%
- Return from savings60% S&P 500 (dividends included) and 40% 10 year Treasuries, with yearly rebalancing, 1928 to 2025
- Each year, 8.3%
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Twin Falls data
- Rate on value: 0.68%
- Home insurance, per the Census ACS 2020-2024, Twin Falls
- $74 a month
- Maintenance, per Fannie Mae, bottom of the 1% to 4% range
- Each year, 1% of the value
- Home purchase costsFreddie Mac, 2% to 5% midpoint
- 3.5% of the purchase price
- Selling costsAgent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
In Twin Falls, what would flip it?
Every line marks the threshold where Twin Falls' 7-year result changes; all other figures stay the same.
When renting wins
- Growth in home prices stays under 5.4% a year, and the model runs on 5.2%, Idaho's long-run pace.
- The mortgage rate remains above 6.88%.
- A home like this one rents for under $1,640 each month (typical here: $1,565).
- You move earlier than year 8.
When buying wins
- Home prices increase by more than 5.4% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 6.88% (today's rate is 7.24%).
- Renting that same home would cost more than $1,640 a month.
- You remain there for 8 years or more.
How Twin Falls compares with 812 other cities
| Measure | Twin Falls | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $370,431 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,565 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 19.7 (#345 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 8.5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 0.68% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 36% | 42% |
Data come from Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Idaho
- Rent. Renting wins by $25k in Boise City, ID.
- Rent. Renting wins by $18k in Meridian, ID.
- Rent. Renting wins by $9k in Nampa, ID.
- Toss-up. Buying ahead by $3k in Caldwell, ID, a toss-up.
- Rent. Renting wins by $30k in Idaho Falls, ID.
- Rent. Renting wins by $44k in Pocatello, ID.
- Rent. Renting wins by $61k in Coeur d'Alene, ID.