Idaho Falls, ID — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Idaho·Idaho Falls

Bonneville County · Idaho Falls · population 69,523

Idaho Falls, ID
Image: Wikipedia · Idaho Falls, Idaho
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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62
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Idaho Falls stands

Steady, no major recent move.

Median home $397,991
1-year +0.5%
5-yr CAGR +3.9%
vs 5-yr peak -5.3%
Population +1.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-06$398k$156k$250k$343k$437k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
90/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,365/mo$1,014$1,234$1,453202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent121126100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 24.3
Lean rent

At a 24.3 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Idaho Falls. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
53 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
58 · w22%
Distance from peak
59 · w18%
Population growth
77 · w16%
Rent YoY
55 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
85 · w10%
Long thesis

Idaho Falls has held up across the cycle: home values at $397,991 with +3.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Idaho Falls's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls is a city in Bonneville County, Idaho, with an estimated population of 69,523. The population grew 1.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Idaho Falls is $397,991 as of 2026-04, up 0.5% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.9% annual growth (-5.3% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Idaho Falls average $1,365 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.4%). The composite momentum score is 62 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Net positive migration: population up 1.8% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
○The data is the data: Idaho Falls has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Idaho Falls (Wikipedia)

Idaho Falls is the fourth most populous city in Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County. It is the state's most populous city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 64,818. In the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813, with a metro population of 133,265. As of the 2020 census, the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 154,855.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorLisa Burtenshaw
Area24.55 sq mi
Elevation4712 ft
Founded1864
Density2700.75/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Bonneville County right now.

NWS active alerts (ID)Idaho Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Bonneville County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Idaho Falls

Ammon, ID66 · RisingMountain Home, ID73 · RisingEagle, ID62 · RisingMoscow, ID71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Idaho Falls

ToolCan I afford Idaho Falls?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Idaho Falls rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Idaho Falls to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolIdaho Falls cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
36° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
87° / 55°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
207
~57% of year
Annual precip
19″ rain
26″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
Moderate
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Idaho Falls listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Idaho Falls area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
60%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$70,200
Idaho state median
Top industries (state-level)
Tech (Boise)AgricultureManufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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