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Buying a home in Moscow, Idaho

The typical owner-occupied home in Moscow is worth about $376,400, 10% below the Idaho median of $418,600 and 13% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,856 a year in property taxes, about 0.76% of their home's value, higher than the Idaho rate of 0.49%. The median household earns $57,022 a year, so the median home costs 6.6 times the median income (5.4 times for Idaho). 40% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Moscow at a glance

Moscow Idaho U.S.
Median home value $376,400 $418,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,856 $2,038 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.76% 0.49% 0.94%
Median household income $57,022 $77,800 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 40% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 58% 62% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,797 $1,687 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.0% 20.7% 21.0%
Median rent $927 $1,238 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.1% 28.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1991 1980
Vacant homes 6.1% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 26,286 1,934,262 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Moscow

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Moscow home of $376,400 with 20% down costs about $2,421 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,048, 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 $103,752 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 51% of the median Moscow household income of $57,022; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $207,000.

The median rent here is $927 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,494 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$75,280
Loan amount$301,120
Principal and interest$2,026
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$238
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$157
PMI$0
Total per month$2,421

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$13,174
Loan amount$369,582
Principal and interest$2,486
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$238
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$157
FHA mortgage insurance$166
Total per month$3,048

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Questions about home buying in Moscow

What is the median home value in Moscow?

About $376,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Moscow?

Homeowners pay a median $2,856 a year, which is about 0.76% 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 Moscow?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,421 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $103,752 a year.

More about Moscow

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