Skip to main content
RentIndex
Home / Idaho / Butte County

Butte County, ID

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Butte County, ID is $1,304 per month, ranking #306 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $43,281, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 36.2% of income on housing. Rent in Butte County has increased 30.9% year over year. The area has a population of 2.7K, with 22.6% of households renting.

36.2%
Rent Burdened
of income → rent
$1,304
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$43,281
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$525
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+30.9%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
2.7K
Population
Census ACS
22.6%
Renters
of occupied housing
$195,800
Median Home Value
3.8%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
20.2%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
21.3%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,020
Studio
$1,094
1 Bedroom
$1,304
2 Bedroom
$1,814
3 Bedroom
$2,188
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Butte County, ID, a household earning the area median income of $43,281 would spend 36.2% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.

Income Needed for 2BR
$52,160
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$25
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$525
$779 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+65.3% since 2021
$7892021$8242022$9132023$9962024$1,3112025$1,3042026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 138.4 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Butte County is 21.3%, well above the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
138.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
21.3%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Butte County is $195,800. At a median income of $43,281, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.5x. 20.2% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 3.8%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,371 est. mortgage
vs $1,304 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
20.2%
of housing units
Unemployment
3.8%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Idaho

Boise City
$1,655/mo
2BR FMR · 24% burden
Coeur d'Alene
$1,547/mo
2BR FMR · 24.1% burden
Idaho Falls
$1,305/mo
2BR FMR · 20.3% burden
Twin Falls County
$1,284/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden
Logan
$1,241/mo
2BR FMR · 19.2% burden

Compare Butte County

vs Boise City, IDvs Coeur d'Alene, IDvs Idaho Falls, ID

Areas With Similar Rent to Butte County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Butte County, ID is $1,304 per month. A studio is $1,020/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,094/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,814/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $525/mo.

Butte County has a rent burden of 36.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $43,281 would spend 36.2% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $52,160.

Butte County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,304/mo is $54 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Butte County ranks #306 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Butte County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $52,160, or a full-time hourly wage of $25/hour. The area median income is $43,281.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Butte County increased by 30.9% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.