County FMR · HUD FY2026

Payette County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Payette County, ID - 15% below the US average.

$816
1-bedroom FMR
$1,071
2-bedroom FMR
+10.9%
YoY change
-15%
vs US avg

The verdict

Payette is the 18th cheapest of 44 counties in Idaho by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,415 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,415
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#18
cheapest of 44 in Idaho (2BR)
-14%
vs the state average
$32,640
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 (34.4%); 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 Payette County, ID. Verify with HUD →

Payette County, Idaho carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $816 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,071/mo and a studio is $811/mo. That's 15% below the national benchmark of $959 and 14% below the Idaho average of $950.

Rent increased10.9% from FY 2025 ($736), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,640/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 34.7% of the 2,418 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Idaho. Population: 25,571. Population grew 13.7% 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 PAYETTE·COUNTY·ID·ID

Payette County, ID: $816/mo 1BR · #1415 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA ID
  • 1BR-FMR $816
  • 2BR-FMR $1,071
  • RANK-MID #1,415
  • YOY-SURGE +10.9%
  • VSUS-BELOW -15%
  • VS-ST-LOW -14% ID
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-SMALL 26K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Ada County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $734–$898
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Ada ($565 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $898 · US avg: $893
$811/mo
↑ 10.9% YoY -10% vs state -9% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $950 · US avg: $959
$816/mo
↑ 10.9% YoY -14% vs state -15% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,173 · US avg: $1,175
$1,071/mo
↑ 11.0% YoY -9% vs state -9% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,619 · US avg: $1,525
$1,490/mo
↑ 10.2% YoY -8% vs state -2% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,949 · US avg: $1,756
$1,797/mo
↑ 14.7% YoY -8% vs state +2% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $731
$811
+$80 (+10.9%)
1 Bedroom $736
$816
+$80 (+10.9%)
2 Bedroom $965
$1,071
+$106 (+11.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,352
$1,490
+$138 (+10.2%)
4 Bedroom $1,567
$1,797
+$230 (+14.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Payette County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
14.8%
Affordable
Need $32,440/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.9%
Affordable
Need $32,640/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.6%
Affordable
Need $42,840/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.2%
Affordable
Need $59,600/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
32.8%
Burdened
Need $71,880/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%19.6%
Payette County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $65,723 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Idaho rent burden →

Where Payette sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,071 higher than 55% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Payette compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Idaho counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Payette 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), Payette County (this county) ($816).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $816/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 12.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $66,150 14.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $64,840 15.1% Affordable
Electricians $60,670 16.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $59,620 16.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $54,020 18.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,260 18.4% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $45,210 21.7% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,420 24.8% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,360 27.7% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $33,400 29.3% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $29,840 32.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,450 34.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Idaho) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Payette County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Payette (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 40.2% overall, from $582 to $816. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.9% (FY 2026).

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $816
Payette County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑10.9% $811 $816 $1,071
FY 2025 ↓4.7% $731 $736 $965
FY 2024 ↑9.2% $767 $772 $1,014
FY 2023 ↑8.1% $702 $707 $930
FY 2022 ↑7.7% $650 $654 $861
FY 2021 ↑4.3% $603 $607 $795
FY 2020 $578 $582 $766
Total change (6yr): +40.2%
Annualized: +5.8%/yr
1 BR: $582 → $816

Part of the Ontario, OR-ID Micro Area

Payette County is a central county of the Ontario, OR-ID micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Payette County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Malheur County ($942), Payette County (this county) ($816).

Malheur County
1 BR: $942/mo
Payette County (this county)
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Payette 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).

Linn County
IA · 2 BR $1,071/mo
St. Lawrence County
NY · 2 BR $1,071/mo
Chaves County
NM · 2 BR $1,071/mo
Muscatine County
IA · 2 BR $1,071/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ID).

Hansford County
TX · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $1,113/mo
Henderson County
KY · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $949/mo
Franklin County
KY · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $1,083/mo
Boyd County
NE · 19.6% of income · 2 BR $961/mo

Nearby Counties in Idaho

Largest counties by population in Idaho

Showing the 8 largest of 43 other counties in Idaho.

Ada County
1 BR: $1,381/mo Pop: 497,494
Canyon County
1 BR: $1,381/mo Pop: 235,006
Kootenai County
1 BR: $1,302/mo Pop: 173,396
Bonneville County
1 BR: $1,095/mo Pop: 124,490
Twin Falls County
1 BR: $979/mo Pop: 90,592
Bannock County
1 BR: $894/mo Pop: 87,434
Madison County
1 BR: $1,008/mo Pop: 52,487
Bingham County
1 BR: $742/mo Pop: 48,253
View all counties in Idaho →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Payette County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Payette County is $816 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,071 and a studio is $811.
How does Payette County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Payette County is 15% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $816 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Payette County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Payette County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,071 ranks #1,415 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 Payette County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,640 ($2,720/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Payette County.
Is rent going up or down in Payette County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Payette County increased by 10.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $736 to $816.
Which jobs can afford rent in Payette 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 $816/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Payette County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Payette County went from $582 in FY 2020 to $816 in FY 2026, a total change of +40.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Payette County? ▼
In Payette County, the FY 2026 FMR of $816/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 Payette County? ▼
For Payette County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($816/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.