Rents are 3% below what Caldwell's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,736 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Caldwell usually run 1.1% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in August, about $33 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Caldwell is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2021.
Rent in Caldwell changed +4.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 18 Idaho cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.9%.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($73,058) is $1,826 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,675); a 3-bedroom is $2,345.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Caldwell. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Caldwell, ID is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 19.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Caldwell, ID has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Caldwell, ID has shifted from $1,326 to $1,736, up 30.9% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $73,058 today, compared with $59,795 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Caldwell, ID adding about 7,644 residents over the five-year window, up 13.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 32.7% to 27%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 16.8% to 19.5% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Caldwell
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Caldwell on your salary?
At $1,736/mo, how Caldwell rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Caldwell rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Caldwell. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Caldwell
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Caldwell is $1,736/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,180/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,675/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,395/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,345/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($73,058/yr), Caldwell ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Caldwell?
Is rent going up or down in Caldwell?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Caldwell?
Which Caldwell neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Caldwell rent compare to other cities in Idaho?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Caldwell?
At $1,736/mo, rent takes ~29% of Caldwell's median household income ($73,058/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Caldwell.
No discussions yet.