County FMR · HUD FY2026
Kootenai County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Kootenai County, ID - 36% above the US average.
- $1,302
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,547
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.2%
- YoY change
- +36%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Kootenai is the 6th most expensive of 44 counties in Idaho by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #440 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.2% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #440
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #6
- most expensive of 44 in Idaho (2BR)
- +37%
- vs the state average
- $52,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (54.9%); 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 Kootenai County, ID. Verify with HUD →
Kootenai County, Idaho carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,302 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,547/mo and a studio is $1,103/mo. That's 36% above the national benchmark of $959 and 37% above the Idaho average of $950.
Rent increased6.2% from FY 2025 ($1,226), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $52,080/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 48.1% of the 19,203 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 3.9%, 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 4.4% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Idaho. Population: 173,396. Population grew 15.7% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Idaho's statewide growth of +12.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area KOOTENAI·COUNTY·ID·ID
Kootenai County, ID: $1,302/mo 1BR · #440 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ID
- 1BR-FMR $1,302
- 2BR-FMR $1,547
- RANK-MID #440
- YOY-SURGE +6.2%
- VSUS-HIGH +36%
- VS-ST-HIGH +37% ID
- INC-MID 20%
- POP-MID 173K
- PHOTO-NEAR Ada County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,172–$1,432
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Ada ($79 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,001 | $1,103 | +$102 (+10.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,226 | $1,302 | +$76 (+6.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,460 | $1,547 | +$87 (+6.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,046 | $2,152 | +$106 (+5.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,452 | $2,595 | +$143 (+5.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Kootenai 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 Kootenai sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,547 Top 14% higher than 86% 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 Kootenai 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
- Madison
Madison County
$1,008 1BR FMR / mo
- Twin Falls
Twin Falls County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
- Bannock
Bannock County
$894 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Kootenai is highlighted. Nearby Idaho counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Ada County ($1,381), Canyon County ($1,381), Kootenai County (this county) ($1,302), Bonneville County ($1,095), Madison County ($1,008), Twin Falls County ($979), Bannock County ($894).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,302/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Idaho BLS wages?
| Occupation | ID Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,900 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $76,480 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $66,150 | 23.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $64,840 | 24.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,670 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,620 | 26.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,020 | 28.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,260 | 29.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,210 | 34.6% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,420 | 39.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,360 | 44.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,400 | 46.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,840 | 52.4% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,450 | 54.9% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Kootenai County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Kootenai (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 79.3% overall, from $726 to $1,302. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.2% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.2% | $1,103 | $1,302 | $1,547 |
| FY 2025 ↑17.7% | $1,001 | $1,226 | $1,460 |
| FY 2024 ↑3.5% | $853 | $1,042 | $1,258 |
| FY 2023 ↑19.2% | $838 | $1,007 | $1,228 |
| FY 2022 ↑11.9% | $738 | $845 | $1,047 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.0% | $679 | $755 | $946 |
| FY 2020 | $682 | $726 | $927 |
Part of the Coeur d'Alene, ID Metro Area
Kootenai County is a central county of the Coeur d'Alene, ID metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Kootenai 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 Kootenai County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Kootenai County is $1,302 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,547 and a studio is $1,103.
How does Kootenai County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Kootenai County is 36% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,302 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Kootenai County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Kootenai County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,547 ranks #440 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Kootenai County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $52,080 ($4,340/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Kootenai County.
Is rent going up or down in Kootenai County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kootenai County increased by 6.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,226 to $1,302.
Which jobs can afford rent in Kootenai 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 $1,302/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Kootenai County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kootenai County went from $726 in FY 2020 to $1,302 in FY 2026, a total change of +79.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Kootenai County?
In Kootenai County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,302/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 Kootenai County?
For Kootenai County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,302/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Kootenai County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.9%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Kootenai County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.4% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Kootenai'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 $1,302 implies about $52,080/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 Kootenai 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.