How much rent can you afford in Boise, ID?
Run your salary against Boise's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Boise
At a median rent of $1,808/mo, Boise is affordable when measured against Idaho median income of $74,636/yr. Rent would consume roughly 29% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $72,320 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
Based on Idaho median income. Boise-specific income data isn't available yet, so state-level medians are used as a proxy.
How Boise compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Boise?
On a $74,636 salary (the Idaho median income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,866/mo. Boise's median rent is $1,808/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Boise?
To keep Boise's $1,808/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $72,320/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Boise affordable on the median Idaho income?
Boise is affordable on a $74,636 income. Rent would take 29% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".