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Buying a home in Jefferson County, Idaho

The typical owner-occupied home in Jefferson County is worth about $408,400, about the same as the Idaho median of $418,600 and 23% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,824 a year in property taxes, about 0.45% of their home's value, lower than the Idaho rate of 0.49%. The median household earns $86,679 a year, so the median home costs 4.7 times the median income (5.4 times for Idaho). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Jefferson County at a glance

Jefferson County Idaho U.S.
Median home value $408,400 $418,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,824 $2,038 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.45% 0.49% 0.94%
Median household income $86,679 $77,800 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 83% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 62% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,700 $1,687 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.3% 20.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,138 $1,238 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 22.7% 28.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1994 1991 1980
Vacant homes 5.4% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 33,154 1,934,262 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Jefferson County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Jefferson County home of $408,400 with 20% down costs about $2,521 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,202, 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 $108,051 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 35% of the median Jefferson County household income of $86,679; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $328,000.

The median rent here is $1,138 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,383 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$81,680
Loan amount$326,720
Principal and interest$2,198
Property taxes (0.45% a year)$153
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
PMI$0
Total per month$2,521

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,294
Loan amount$401,003
Principal and interest$2,698
Property taxes (0.45% a year)$153
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
FHA mortgage insurance$181
Total per month$3,202

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Questions about home buying in Jefferson County

What is the median home value in Jefferson County?

About $408,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Jefferson County?

Homeowners pay a median $1,824 a year, which is about 0.45% 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 Jefferson County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,521 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $108,051 a year.

More about Jefferson County

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