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Pocatello, ID

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pocatello, ID is $1,173 per month, ranking #416 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $64,080, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 22% of income on housing. Rent in Pocatello has increased 18.8% year over year. The area has a population of 88K, with 31.4% of households renting.

22%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,173
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$64,080
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$879
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+18.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
88K
Population
Census ACS
31.4%
Renters
of occupied housing
$267,200
Median Home Value
6.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
12.2%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$809
Studio
$894
1 Bedroom
$1,173
2 Bedroom
$1,631
3 Bedroom
$1,968
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 Pocatello, ID, a household earning the area median income of $64,080 would spend 22% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$46,920
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$879
$294 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+50.0% since 2021
$7822021$8242022$8962023$9872024$1,1392025$1,1732026

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 124.5 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 Pocatello is 12.2%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
124.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
12.2%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Pocatello is $267,200. At a median income of $64,080, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.2x. 6.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,870 est. mortgage
vs $1,173 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.6%
of housing units

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
Butte County
$1,304/mo
2BR FMR · 36.2% burden
Twin Falls County
$1,284/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden

Compare Pocatello

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

Areas With Similar Rent to Pocatello

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pocatello, ID is $1,173 per month. A studio is $809/mo, a 1-bedroom is $894/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,631/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $879/mo.

Pocatello has a rent burden of 22%, meaning a household earning the median income of $64,080 would spend 22% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $46,920.

Pocatello's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,173/mo is $77 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Pocatello ranks #416 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Pocatello without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $46,920, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $64,080.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pocatello increased by 18.8% 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.