Top 5 Residential Real Estate Investment Markets in Idaho

Trent Seigfried's Photo
By Trent Seigfried Updated May 28, 2024
+ 1 more
's Photo
Edited by Michael Yessis

SHARE

Wendell is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Idaho.

The 83355 zip code in Wendell presents the greatest opportunity for investors among the 292 individual real estate markets in Idaho we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.

Top 5 Idaho residential real estate markets

RankCity InvestScore Affordability Property value appreciation
1Wendell1005.193.05%
2Burley87.75.077.14%
3Heyburn86.84.668.62%
4New Plymouth86.75.995.39%
5Shelley84.94.979.44%
Show more

Looking to buy or sell in Idaho?

Considering investing in Wendell, the hottest investment market in Idaho (or another top market)? Own a property in Burley, Heyburn, or another part of Idaho and are looking to sell? Let us match you with a top real estate agent in your city!

1. Wendell

We've identified the 83355 zip code in Wendell as Idaho's best real estate investment market. Here's why.

🔎 Key data about Wendell

Data pointValueRank in state (of 292 markets)
Zip code83355N/A
InvestScore 100Highest
Typical property value $307,089[1]6th lowest
Five-year appreciation 93.05%[2]7th highest
Household income $60,469[3]53rd highest
Affordability ratio 5.110th most affordable
Five-year population growth 15.2%[4]23rd highest
Unemployment rate 1.6%[5]10th lowest
Property taxes $1,098[6]4th lowest
Educational attainment 9.6%[7]73rd highest
Show more

Wendell (zip code 83355) is the best residential real estate investment market in Idaho. It has the 7th highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 93.05% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.

Wendell is the 10th most affordable market among the 292 Idaho markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 5.1.

Earn 5% back on your mortgage for your next investment property

Clever Rewards lets you earn rewards when you pay your mortgage or rent, check your credit, or learn about real estate. Redeem your rewards to help buy your next investment property!

Try Clever Rewards for free today!

Visit Clever Rewards

2. Burley

The 83318 zip code in Burley is Idaho's second-best residential real estate investment market.

🔎 Key data about Burley

Data pointValueRank in state (of 292 markets)
Zip code83318N/A
InvestScore 87.72nd highest
Typical property value $317,107[8]8th lowest
Five-year appreciation 77.14%[9]34th highest
Household income $63,511[10]49th highest
Affordability ratio 5.07th most affordable
Five-year population growth 13.4%[11]30th highest
Unemployment rate 3.3%[12]33rd lowest
Property taxes $1,144[13]5th lowest
Educational attainment 21.8%[14]50th highest
Show more

The 83318 zip code in Burley features a typical property value of $317,107, the 8th lowest in the state.

Property values have appreciated 77.14% over the past five years, the 34th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Burley homes have an affordability ratio of 5.0, the 7th most affordable in the state.

3. Heyburn

The 83336 zip code in Heyburn comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of residential real estate investment markets in Idaho.

🔎 Key data about Heyburn

Data pointValueRank in state (of 292 markets)
Zip code83336N/A
InvestScore 86.83rd highest
Typical property value $298,025[15]3rd lowest
Five-year appreciation 68.62%[16]51st highest
Household income $64,677[17]44th highest
Affordability ratio 4.6most affordable
Five-year population growth 13.2%[18]33rd highest
Unemployment rate 2.5%[19]19th lowest
Property taxes $1,194[20]7th lowest
Educational attainment 19.4%[21]59th highest
Show more

With a typical property value of $298,025, Heyburn's 83336 zip code features the 3rd lowest property values in the state.

Heyburn homes have an affordability ratio of 4.6, the most affordable among the markets we evaluated.

4. New Plymouth

The 83655 zip code in New Plymouth ranks No. 4 among Idaho's residential real estate investment markets.

🔎 Key data about New Plymouth

Data pointValueRank in state (of 292 markets)
Zip code83655N/A
InvestScore 86.74th highest
Typical property value $445,082[22]42nd lowest
Five-year appreciation 95.39%[23]5th highest
Household income $75,688[24]5th highest
Affordability ratio 5.930th most affordable
Five-year population growth 28.5%[25]8th highest
Unemployment rate 3.6%[26]38th lowest
Property taxes $1,405[27]13th lowest
Educational attainment 26%[28]37th highest
Show more

Property values in New Plymouth's 83655 zip code have seen the 5th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 95.39% over the past five years.

New Plymouth's affordability ratio of 5.9 makes it the 30th most affordable among the 292 markets we evaluated.

5. Shelley

The 83274 zip code in Shelley rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Idaho.

🔎 Key data about Shelley

Data pointValueRank in state (of 292 markets)
Zip code83274N/A
InvestScore 84.95th highest
Typical property value $380,237[29]27th lowest
Five-year appreciation 79.44%[30]27th highest
Household income $77,366[31]27th highest
Affordability ratio 4.94th most affordable
Five-year population growth 15.2%[32]22nd highest
Unemployment rate 5.2%[33]62nd lowest
Property taxes $1,323[34]10th lowest
Educational attainment 22.5%[35]45th highest
Show more

Property values in Shelley's 83274 zip code rose 79.44% over the last five years, ranking the city 27th highest among evaluated markets in Idaho.

Shelley homes have an affordability ratio of 4.9, the 4th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.

How we rank residential real estate markets in Idaho

We evaluated 292 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on their weighted and combined rankings. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Idaho.

What is InvestScore?

InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.

  • Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase. We assign a weight of 20% to typical property values.
  • Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results. We assign a weight of 20% to property value appreciation.
  • Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing. We assign a weight of 10% to median household income. We assign a weight of 10% to median household income.
  • Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand. We assign a weight of 15% to the affordability ratio.
  • Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip. We assign a weight of 10% to population growth.
  • Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes. We assign a weight of 15% to unemployment rate.
  • Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates. We assign a weight of 10% to property tax.
  • Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates  local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes. We assign a weight of 15% to educational attainment.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article isn't intended as, and shall not be understood or constituted as, financial advice. The information in this article isn't a substitute for financial advice from an investment professional or real estate agent who is aware of the facts and circumstances of your financial situation or the specifics of any individual property.

Article Sources

[1] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index". Updated March 31, 2024.
[2] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index, difference over last five years". Updated March 31, 2024.
[7] U.S. Census – "U.S. Census Table S1501 - Educational Attainment 2018-2022". Updated 2018-2022.
[8] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index". Updated March 31, 2024.
[9] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index, difference over last five years". Updated March 31, 2024.
[14] U.S. Census – "U.S. Census Table S1501 - Educational Attainment 2018-2022". Updated 2018-2022.
[15] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index". Updated March 31, 2024.
[16] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index, difference over last five years". Updated March 31, 2024.
[21] U.S. Census – "U.S. Census Table S1501 - Educational Attainment 2018-2022". Updated 2018-2022.
[22] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index". Updated March 31, 2024.
[23] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index, difference over last five years". Updated March 31, 2024.
[28] U.S. Census – "U.S. Census Table S1501 - Educational Attainment 2018-2022". Updated 2018-2022.
[29] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index". Updated March 31, 2024.
[30] Zillow – "Zillow Home Value Index, difference over last five years". Updated March 31, 2024.
[35] U.S. Census – "U.S. Census Table S1501 - Educational Attainment 2018-2022". Updated 2018-2022.

Authors & Editorial History

Our experts continually research, evaluate, and monitor real estate companies and industry trends. We update our articles when new information becomes available.

Better real estate agents at a better rate

Enter your zip code to see if Clever has a partner agent in your area
If you don't love your Clever partner agent, you can request to meet with another, or shake hands and go a different direction. We offer this because we're confident you're going to love working with a Clever Partner Agent.