The Town FilesPayette, Idaho
City in Payette County · population 8,127 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $276,500
- Household income
- $55,208
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.5
Payette is a city of 8,127 people in Payette County, Idaho. The median home is worth $276,500, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Idaho towns, easier by car than 81% of Idaho towns.
How Payette ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Payette is worth $276,500, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $55,208, which is more affordable than 37% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $837 a month. 59.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Payette | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $276,500 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $837 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $55,208 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 59.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Payette
| People | Payette | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.9% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 91.2% |
Weather in Payette
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 11.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.4 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Payette since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 1, 1983 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 10, 1966.
Severe weather in Payette County since 1996
Payette County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| July 27, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1927: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
| January 4, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1154: Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Payette County
Payette County had 7,122 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,412 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Payette itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Payette
5 public schools with 1,359 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAYETTE PRIMARY SCHOOL | PK-3 | 445 | 20.2 |
| PAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 364 | 16.5 |
| MCCAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 291 | 19.4 |
| WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4-5 | 209 | 20.9 |
| PAYETTE ACADEMY | 6-12 | 50 | 16.7 |
Towns near Payette
- Fruitland, ID4.4 mi · 6,072 people · home $329,600
- Ontario, OR4.5 mi · 11,645 people · home $236,300
- Weiser, ID12.2 mi · 5,630 people · home $223,400
- Nyssa, OR14.4 mi · 3,198 people · home $204,300
- Emmett, ID26.1 mi · 7,647 people · home $342,000
- Middleton, ID29.9 mi · 9,425 people · home $403,100
Payette questions
Is Payette, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Payette scores better for retirees than 63% of Idaho towns and quieter than 55%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Payette?
The median owner-occupied home in Payette is valued at $276,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,208, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $837 a month.
What is the weather like in Payette?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.2 inches of precipitation a year and 15.4 inches of snow.
Does Payette get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Payette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 1, 1983. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)