1st Advantage MortgageCanyon County households have a median income of $76,488 and median rent of $1,347 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Canyon County by the numbers
- What Canyon County households earn
- Employment and commuting in Canyon County
- Renting and owning in Canyon County
- Counties near Canyon County
- Canyon County towns compared
- What a median Canyon County budget can carry
- More Canyon County figures
- Reading the Canyon County data as a borrower
- Lender oversight for Canyon County
- A Canyon County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Canyon County by the numbers
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Canyon County's population at 250,790; only 1 of Idaho's 44 county-level areas are larger. It covers 587 square miles of land, or about 427 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Boise City, ID metropolitan area. Of the 9 Census places inside Canyon County, Nampa leads by population with about 110,319; 9 of the 9 are incorporated.
What Canyon County households earn
The median household income in Canyon County is $76,488; statewide it is $77,800, so Canyon County runs 2% below Idaho as a whole. Only 8 Idaho counties post a higher median.
| Households earning | Canyon County | +/- vs Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.3% | -1.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.0% | +3.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.6% | +1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.1% | -3.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Canyon County households make $100,000 or more, and 17% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 10.5%, the same as the state's 10.6%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.395 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Canyon County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Employment and commuting in Canyon County
The biggest employer of Canyon County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 21% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 12% locally and 9% for Idaho. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.7% in Canyon County. About 73% drive to work alone and 13% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Sector | Canyon County | Compared with Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.6% | -1.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Construction | 11.7% | +2.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | -0.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.8% | +0.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.4% | -1.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Renting and owning in Canyon County
Renters in Canyon County pay a median of $1,347 a month, 9% above the Idaho figure of $1,238. 49% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 19% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $390,000, about 5.1 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 76%.
| Cost | Canyon County | Idaho figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,347/mo | $1,238/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $390,000 | $418,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 47% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% | 6.9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Canyon County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Counties near Canyon County
Payette County is closest, 26 miles from center to center; the sixth, Washington County, is 57 miles off. Income ranges from $54,000 in Washington County to $91,502 in Ada County; 2 of these neighbors top Canyon County's median. The list crosses into Oregon, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon County | - | $76,488 | $1,347/mo | 76% |
| Payette County, ID | 26 mi | $67,673 | $860/mo | 75% |
| Ada County, ID | 26 mi | $91,502 | $1,577/mo | 71% |
| Gem County, ID | 34 mi | $64,605 | $1,038/mo | 76% |
| Malheur County, OR | 54 mi | $54,519 | $821/mo | 63% |
| Boise County, ID | 55 mi | $78,774 | $850/mo | 90% |
| Washington County, ID | 57 mi | $54,000 | $938/mo | 75% |
Canyon County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 83% of Canyon County residents live in one of the 9. Star has the highest median household income on the list ($97,936) and Melba the lowest ($45,750), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nampa | city | 110,319 | $74,279 | $1,420 | 8 mi |
| Caldwell | city | 66,516 | $73,058 | $1,264 | 3 mi |
| Star | city | 14,745 | $97,936 | $1,924 | 12 mi |
| Middleton | city | 10,649 | $89,013 | $1,147 | 7 mi |
| Wilder | city | 2,074 | $55,117 | $793 | 11 mi |
| Parma | city | 1,928 | $49,231 | $980 | 16 mi |
| Greenleaf | city | 1,482 | $69,141 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Melba | city | 617 | $45,750 | $1,067 | 20 mi |
| Notus | city | 573 | $64,813 | $1,125 | 8 mi |
What a median Canyon County budget can carry
Canyon County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Monthly gross at the median, Canyon County: $6,374
- Housing at the median rent of $1,347 uses 21%
- With a 36% ceiling, about $948 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
More Canyon County figures
College graduates make up 23% of the adult population. 12.3% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Canyon County | Idaho | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 37.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.2% | 31.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.3% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.3% | 9.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.4% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 13.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 3.7% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Canyon County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.9% |
| 60+ min | 4.5% |
Reading the Canyon County data as a borrower
A few patterns in the Canyon County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Uninsured care. 12% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Tight rental budgets. With 49% of Canyon County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Lender oversight for Canyon County
The Idaho Department of Finance is the place to verify any lender's Idaho license. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the Idaho state guide for the statewide picture.
A Canyon County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Canyon County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Idaho guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Canyon County household make?
About $76,488 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 2% below the Idaho median.
Is Canyon County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,347 against $1,238 statewide, and 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Canyon County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 76% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Canyon County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Nampa, Caldwell, Star, Middleton, Wilder and 4 more.
Will a Canyon County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Idaho as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.