Best Places to Buy Rental Property in Idaho (2026)

We ranked all 22 Idaho counties that have both a median home price and a median rent, ordered by the cap rate a median-priced rental would produce. Shoshone County leads at 4.7%, with a median price of $284,083.

Idaho counties ranked by cap rate

#MarketCap rateMedian priceMedian rentCash flowAnalyze
1Shoshone County, ID4.7%$284,083$1,700-$469Run numbers
2Elmore County, ID3.4%$360,993$1,565-$982Run numbers
3Nez Perce County, ID3.3%$390,046$1,661-$1,081Run numbers
4Minidoka County, ID3.3%$330,539$1,400-$921Run numbers
5Payette County, ID3.2%$418,740$1,717-$1,204Run numbers
6Canyon County, ID3.2%$416,843$1,703-$1,202Run numbers
7Twin Falls County, ID3.2%$380,622$1,545-$1,104Run numbers
8Valley County, ID3.0%$683,169$2,669-$2,049Run numbers
9Ada County, ID2.9%$525,709$1,984-$1,622Run numbers
10Bonneville County, ID2.8%$400,373$1,440-$1,281Run numbers
11Cassia County, ID2.6%$353,801$1,200-$1,180Run numbers
12Teton County, ID2.6%$873,992$2,878-$2,971Run numbers
13Gem County, ID2.4%$488,026$1,490-$1,735Run numbers
14Bannock County, ID2.4%$355,363$1,079-$1,267Run numbers
15Kootenai County, ID2.4%$606,179$1,825-$2,171Run numbers
16Bonner County, ID2.3%$659,993$1,982-$2,367Run numbers
17Boundary County, ID2.3%$472,190$1,400-$1,705Run numbers
18Jefferson County, ID2.3%$472,442$1,368-$1,728Run numbers
19Blaine County, ID2.3%$1,093,756$3,157-$4,006Run numbers
20Madison County, ID2.2%$423,156$1,173-$1,582Run numbers
21Bingham County, ID2.2%$384,891$1,066-$1,439Run numbers
22Latah County, ID2.1%$475,190$1,287-$1,796Run numbers

Looking for every county in the state, including those without rent data? Browse the full Idaho market directory.

How this ranking is calculated

We scored 22 counties in Idaho and ranked them by capitalization rate, calculated as annual net operating income divided by median home price. Markets without both a median home price and a median rent are excluded, because cash flow cannot be estimated without both.

Every figure assumes a median-priced home rented at the local median rent, financed with 20 percent down on a 30-year loan at 7.40%, with closing costs at 3 percent of price and operating costs at 35 percent of rent. Operating costs cover taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and management.

These are modeled estimates for comparing markets, not quotes on a specific property. A real deal turns on the individual property, its condition, and the actual rent it can command. Run any market that interests you through the calculator with real numbers before you make an offer.

National rankings

Compare Idaho against the rest of the country.

Other states

States with fewer than 5 counties reporting both price and rent are omitted, because a ranking that short would not be meaningful.

Run the numbers on a Idaho property

Start from Shoshone County median values and replace them with a real listing price and rent to see whether the deal actually works.