Is Bonner County, ID good for real estate investing?

Bonner County has an investment score of 40/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #715 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Bonner?

The rent-to-price ratio in Bonner County is 3.88% annually, which ranks in the 4th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Bonner?

The median home price in Bonner County is $648,285. This ranks #959 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Bonner?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Bonner County would generate negative cash flow of $2,036/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Bonner County

IdahoPopulation: 47,976

/100

Avoid

#715 of 1,000 counties

#35 in Idaho (43 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 11, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$648,285

Median Home Price

177% above national median

$2,096/mo

Median Rent

39% above national median

3.88%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 96% nationally

-$2,036

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $2,096/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$486,214	-$1,186/mo	3.4%	-12.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$648,285	-$2,036/mo	2.5%	-16.4%
125% of median newer / premium	$810,356	-$2,885/mo	2.0%	-18.6%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$648,285

Down Payment (20%)$129,657

Loan Amount$518,628

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,096

Monthly P&I-$3,398

Est. Expenses (35%)-$733

Net Cash Flow-$2,036/mo

2.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.88%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

40/100

Cash Flow(30%)

28/100

Based on 3.88% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

70/100

Based on 1.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

9/100

Price-to-income ratio of 10.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (3.88%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$2,036/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

47,976

Median Income

$61,816

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

10.5x

Less affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
BlaineID	41	$1,023,468	$2,880	3.38%	Avoid	View
CurrentBonnerID	40	$648,285	$2,096	3.88%	Avoid
LatahID	40	$459,315	$1,272	3.32%	Avoid	View
GemID	40	$462,903	$1,350	3.50%	Avoid	View
TetonID	40	$833,512	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
AdamsID	40	$496,674	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidBonner may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Bonner County in Idaho scores 40/100, ranking #715 of 1,000 US counties (top 95%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $2036/month; the 3.88% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,036/mo

Cap Rate

2.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.4%

Related markets

Markets like Bonner with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Bonner

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Idaho →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Bonner?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $2,096/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$486,214	-$1,186/mo	3.4%	-12.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$648,285	-$2,036/mo	2.5%	-16.4%
125% of median newer / premium	$810,356	-$2,885/mo	2.0%	-18.6%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$648,285

Down Payment (20%)$129,657

Loan Amount$518,628

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,096

Monthly P&I-$3,398

Est. Expenses (35%)-$733

Net Cash Flow-$2,036/mo

2.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.88%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

40/100

Cash Flow(30%)

28/100

Based on 3.88% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

70/100

Based on 1.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

9/100

Price-to-income ratio of 10.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

County

Verdict

BlaineID

$1,023,468

$2,880

3.38%

Avoid

View

CurrentBonnerID

$648,285

$2,096

3.88%

Avoid

LatahID

$459,315

$1,272

3.32%

Avoid

View

GemID

$462,903

$1,350

3.50%

Avoid

View

TetonID

$833,512

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

AdamsID

$496,674

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

AvoidBonner may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,036/mo

Cap Rate

2.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.4%