Is Blaine County, ID good for real estate investing?

Blaine County has an investment score of 38/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #760 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Blaine?

The rent-to-price ratio in Blaine County is 3.47% annually, which ranks in the 2th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Blaine?

The median home price in Blaine County is $1,083,413. This ranks #994 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Blaine?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Blaine County would generate negative cash flow of $3,641/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Blaine County

IdahoPopulation: 24,248

/100

Avoid

#760 of 1,000 counties

#40 in Idaho (43 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 8, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$1,083,413

Median Home Price

373% above national median

$3,136/mo

Median Rent

116% above national median

3.47%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 98% nationally

-$3,641

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $3,136/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$812,560	-$2,221/mo	3.0%	-14.3%
Median typical MLS deal	$1,083,413	-$3,641/mo	2.3%	-17.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$1,354,266	-$5,061/mo	1.8%	-19.5%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$1,083,413

Down Payment (20%)$216,683

Loan Amount$866,730

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$3,136

Monthly P&I-$5,679

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,097

Net Cash Flow-$3,641/mo

2.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-17.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.47%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

38/100

Cash Flow(30%)

22/100

Based on 3.47% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

74/100

Based on 17.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

0/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+17.3% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (3.47%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$3,641/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

24,248

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
LatahID	40	$459,315	$1,272	3.32%	Avoid	View
GemID	40	$462,903	$1,350	3.50%	Avoid	View
TetonID	40	$833,512	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
AdamsID	40	$496,674	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
PowerID	39	$257,342	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
CurrentBlaineID	38	$1,083,413	$3,136	3.47%	Avoid

The Bottom Line

AvoidBlaine may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Blaine County in Idaho scores 38/100, ranking #760 of 1,000 US counties (top 97%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $3641/month; the 3.47% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-3,641/mo

Cap Rate

2.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-17.5%

Related markets

Markets like Blaine with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Blaine

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Idaho →

Rent vs buy in Idaho cities

Rent vs buy in Boise, IDMedian $512,306 · rent $1,843/mo Rent vs buy in Nampa, IDMedian $404,735 · rent $1,562/mo All Idaho citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Blaine?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

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Scenario comparison

Same $3,136/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$812,560	-$2,221/mo	3.0%	-14.3%
Median typical MLS deal	$1,083,413	-$3,641/mo	2.3%	-17.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$1,354,266	-$5,061/mo	1.8%	-19.5%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$1,083,413

Down Payment (20%)$216,683

Loan Amount$866,730

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$3,136

Monthly P&I-$5,679

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,097

Net Cash Flow-$3,641/mo

2.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-17.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.47%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

38/100

Cash Flow(30%)

22/100

Based on 3.47% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

74/100

Based on 17.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

0/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

County

Verdict

LatahID

$459,315

$1,272

3.32%

Avoid

View

GemID

$462,903

$1,350

3.50%

Avoid

View

TetonID

$833,512

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

AdamsID

$496,674

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

PowerID

$257,342

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

CurrentBlaineID

$1,083,413

$3,136

3.47%

Avoid

The Bottom Line

AvoidBlaine may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-3,641/mo

Cap Rate

2.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-17.5%