Idaho · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lewiston, ID

Prices around Lewiston, ID run 8.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $72,197 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,220 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $48,800 a year.

Lewiston, ID at a glance

Median household income

$72,197$6,016 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,220HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.2-8.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential ID
Population34,651Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lewiston, ID?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,220Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$48,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,805At 30% of $72,197
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Lewiston, ID? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Lewiston, ID-WA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lewiston, ID, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$925$11,100$37,00015.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$931$11,172$37,24015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,220$14,640$48,80020.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,697$20,364$67,88028.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,037$24,444$81,48033.9%

Rent in Lewiston, ID, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Lewiston, ID

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $72,197 a year ($6,016 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,008/moRent ($1,220 2-BR), utilities (~$129/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,805/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,203/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $72,197 leaves after Idaho taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Idaho tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$72,197
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$72,197
Net 79%
Fed 10%
ID 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,884After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,740Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,188Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,053 / yr
Idaho state income tax$2,737 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,523 / yr

Living in Lewiston, ID: common questions

What is the median household income in Lewiston, ID?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lewiston, ID is $72,197 per year (approximately $6,016 per month).

What is the average rent in Lewiston, ID?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $925 for a studio, $931 for one bedroom, $1,220 for two, $1,697 for three and $2,037 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Lewiston, ID expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.2, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Lewiston, ID?

To keep a $1,220 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $48,800 a year, or $4,067 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in Lewiston, ID earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Lewiston, ID?

On the local median income of $72,197 ($6,016 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,008 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,805 for everything else and $1,203 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,220 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lewiston, ID?

Homes in Idaho paid 14.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $129. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.