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Lewiston, ID

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lewiston, ID is $1,220 per month, ranking #370 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $70,694, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 20.7% of income on housing. Rent in Lewiston has increased 10.0% year over year. The area has a population of 65K, with 27.3% of households renting.

20.7%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,220
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$70,694
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$956
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+10%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
65K
Population
Census ACS
27.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$289,400
Median Home Value
6.9%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
13.7%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$925
Studio
$931
1 Bedroom
$1,220
2 Bedroom
$1,697
3 Bedroom
$2,037
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Lewiston, ID, a household earning the area median income of $70,694 would spend 20.7% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$48,800
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$956
$264 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+37.9% since 2021
$8852021$9252022$1,0082023$1,1092024$1,2082025$1,2202026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 129.4 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Lewiston is 13.7%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
129.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
13.7%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Lewiston is $289,400. At a median income of $70,694, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.1x. 6.9% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,026 est. mortgage
vs $1,220 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.9%
of housing units

Other Areas in Idaho

Boise City
$1,655/mo
2BR FMR · 24% burden
Coeur d'Alene
$1,547/mo
2BR FMR · 24.1% burden
Idaho Falls
$1,305/mo
2BR FMR · 20.3% burden
Butte County
$1,304/mo
2BR FMR · 36.2% burden
Twin Falls County
$1,284/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden

Compare Lewiston

vs Boise City, IDvs Coeur d'Alene, IDvs Idaho Falls, ID

Areas With Similar Rent to Lewiston

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lewiston, ID is $1,220 per month. A studio is $925/mo, a 1-bedroom is $931/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,697/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $956/mo.

Lewiston has a rent burden of 20.7%, meaning a household earning the median income of $70,694 would spend 20.7% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $48,800.

Lewiston's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,220/mo is $30 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Lewiston ranks #370 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lewiston without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $48,800, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $70,694.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lewiston increased by 10.0% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.