The typical owner-occupied home in Bear Lake County is worth about $275,000, 34% below the Idaho median of $418,600 and 17% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,116 a year in property taxes, about 0.41% of their home's value, lower than the Idaho rate of 0.49%. The median household earns $75,260 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (5.4 times for Idaho). 90% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Bear Lake County at a glance
| Bear Lake County | Idaho | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,000 | $418,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,116 | $2,038 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.41% | 0.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $75,260 | $77,800 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 90% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 56% | 62% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,341 | $1,687 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.0% | 20.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $632 | $1,238 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.8% | 28.7% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 43.3% | 10.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 6,650 | 1,934,262 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Bear Lake County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Bear Lake County home of $275,000 with 20% down costs about $1,688 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,147, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $72,364 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Bear Lake County household income of $75,260; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $286,000.
The median rent here is $632 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,056 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $55,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $220,000 |
| Principal and interest | $1,480 |
| Property taxes (0.41% a year) | $94 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,688 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,625 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $270,019 |
| Principal and interest | $1,816 |
| Property taxes (0.41% a year) | $94 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $122 |
| Total per month | $2,147 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Bear Lake County
What is the median home value in Bear Lake County?
About $275,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Bear Lake County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,116 a year, which is about 0.41% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Bear Lake County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,688 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $72,364 a year.
More about Bear Lake County
- Mortgage Refinance in Bear Lake County
- Debt Relief in Bear Lake County
- Home Equity Loans in Bear Lake County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data