County FMR · HUD FY2026
Clearwater County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clearwater County, ID - 14% below the US average.
- $821
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,077
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.2%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Clearwater is the 19th cheapest of 44 counties in Idaho by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,384 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.2% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,384
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #19
- cheapest of 44 in Idaho (2BR)
- -14%
- vs the state average
- $32,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.6%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Idaho counties range as much as 54% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Clearwater County, ID. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Clearwater County, Idaho at $821 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,077/mo and a studio is $815/mo. This is 14% lower than the national average of $959 and 14% below the Idaho average of $950.
Rent increased11.2% from FY 2025 ($738), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,840/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 39.1% of the 654 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.4% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Idaho. Population: 8,810. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than Idaho's statewide growth of +12.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CLEARWATER·COUNTY·ID·ID
Clearwater County, ID: $821/mo 1BR · #1384 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ID
- 1BR-FMR $821
- 2BR-FMR $1,077
- RANK-MID #1,384
- YOY-SURGE +11.2%
- VSUS-BELOW -14%
- VS-ST-LOW -14% ID
- INC-ROOM 17%
- POP-SMALL 9K
- PHOTO-NEAR Ada County
- VOUCH-90-110 $739–$903
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Ada ($560 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $733 | $815 | +$82 (+11.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $738 | $821 | +$83 (+11.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $968 | $1,077 | +$109 (+11.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,354 | $1,498 | +$144 (+10.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,626 | $1,807 | +$181 (+11.1%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Clearwater County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Clearwater sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,077 higher than 56% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Clearwater compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Idaho counties
- Ada
Ada County
$1,381 1BR FMR / mo
- Canyon
Canyon County
$1,381 1BR FMR / mo
- Kootenai
Kootenai County
$1,302 1BR FMR / mo
- Bonneville
Bonneville County
$1,095 1BR FMR / mo
- Twin Falls
Twin Falls County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
- Bannock
Bannock County
$894 1BR FMR / mo
- Clearwater
Clearwater County
$821 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Clearwater is highlighted. Nearby Idaho counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Ada County ($1,381), Canyon County ($1,381), Kootenai County ($1,302), Bonneville County ($1,095), Twin Falls County ($979), Bannock County ($894), Clearwater County (this county) ($821).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $821/mo compares to Idaho salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | ID Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,900 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $76,480 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $66,150 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $64,840 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,670 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,620 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,020 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,260 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,210 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,420 | 25% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,360 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,400 | 29.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,840 | 33% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,450 | 34.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clearwater County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clearwater (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.0% overall, from $595 to $821. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.2% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.2% | $815 | $821 | $1,077 |
| FY 2025 ↓2.0% | $733 | $738 | $968 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.7% | $726 | $753 | $989 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.9% | $675 | $680 | $895 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.8% | $632 | $636 | $837 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.0% | $603 | $607 | $800 |
| FY 2020 | $577 | $595 | $783 |
Where Clearwater County Ranks in Idaho
Clearwater County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #19 of 44 counties in Idaho. Nearest by rank: Latah County ($1,011), Minidoka County ($1,022), Gooding County ($1,026), Cassia County ($1,028), Idaho County ($1,049), Camas County ($1,071), Payette County ($1,071), Clearwater County (this county) ($1,077), Benewah County ($1,079), Custer County ($1,079), Oneida County ($1,096), Madison County ($1,105), Washington County ($1,127), Shoshone County ($1,128), Bannock County ($1,173).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Clearwater County, both outside Idaho so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside ID (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ID).
Nearby Counties in Idaho
Largest counties by population in Idaho
Showing the 8 largest of 43 other counties in Idaho.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Clearwater County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Clearwater County is $821 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,077 and a studio is $815.
How does Clearwater County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Clearwater County is 14% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $821 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Clearwater County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Clearwater County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,077 ranks #1,384 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Clearwater County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,840 ($2,737/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Clearwater County.
Is rent going up or down in Clearwater County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clearwater County increased by 11.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $738 to $821.
Which jobs can afford rent in Clearwater County?
Based on Idaho BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $821/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Clearwater County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Clearwater County went from $595 in FY 2020 to $821 in FY 2026, a total change of +38.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clearwater County?
In Clearwater County, the FY 2026 FMR of $821/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clearwater County?
For Clearwater County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($821/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Clearwater County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Clearwater County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.4% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Clearwater's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $821 implies about $32,840/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Idaho counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Ada
- See where Clearwater ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.