Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sun Valley, Idaho
A $846,000 home here costs
$5,848per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,349. The real number is $1,499 higher every month — 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Sun Valley against Blaine County and Idaho
| Measure | Sun Valley | Blaine County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $845,600 | $663,800 |
| Median property tax | $5,402 | $2,563 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.639% | 0.386% |
| Median gross rent | $2,114 | $1,217 |
| Population | 1,383 | 24,579 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sun Valley sits in Blaine County, which averages a high of 86.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.1°F in its coldest, with 12.97" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 185 cooling and 8,380 heating degree days, which is what sets the $111 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Blaine County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Blaine County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sun Valley?
A $846,000 home in Sun Valley, Idaho costs approximately $5,848 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,349 principal and interest, $450 property tax, $164 homeowners insurance, $179 utilities and $705 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sun Valley?
Sun Valley has an effective property tax rate of 0.639%, based on a median home value of $845,600 and median real estate taxes of $5,402. That is higher than the Blaine County average of 0.386%.
What is the average home price in Sun Valley?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sun Valley, Idaho is $845,600, against $663,800 across Blaine County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sun Valley?
Median gross rent in Sun Valley is $2,114 a month, against $5,848 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sun Valley — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Idaho.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.