Community · Payette County, Idaho
Payette, Idaho Homes for Sale
Payette started in the 1880s as a railroad camp and grew into the seat of Payette County, near where the Payette River meets the Snake. Its original downtown is still standing, and most of its houses were built before 1980.
8,536
Population
$276,500
Median home value (owner estimate)
1972
Median year built
22.3 min
Average commute
$276,500
Median home value (owner estimate)
1972
Median year built
Founded in Boise in 2015
Featured in Realtor.com and People Magazine
What it's like
Living in Payette
The city's comprehensive plan traces Payette to "Boomerang," a camp for the Oregon Short Line at the mouth of the Payette River (1882 to 1884). There, logs floated downstream were cut into railroad ties. The settlement then moved upstream, incorporated in 1891 under the name of fur trapper François Payette, and became the county seat when Payette County split from Canyon County in 1917.
The plan calls Payette one of the few cities still holding its original central business district intact. It also lists nine places on the National Register of Historic Places, including the City Hall and Courthouse, the A.B. Moss and Woodward buildings on 8th Street, and two homes. The Payette County Historical Museum sits at 90 South 9th Street. The Washoe Ferry Landing marks an 1862 Snake River crossing.
Payette's housing is older even than Emmett's: 68.1% of homes were built before 1980 (Emmett: 56.9%), and 18.7% date to 1939 or earlier (ACS 2020 to 2024, B25034). Owners occupy 59.2% of homes (B25003), and median gross rent is $837 (B25064).
Where to look
Payette neighborhoods and areas
Every part of Payette has its own feel. Tell us what you're after and we'll point you to the right pockets.
- Main Street core. The plan notes that Main Street from 3rd Avenue North to 2nd Avenue South might qualify as a historic district, though no district has been designated.
- North-side historic homes. The David C. Chase House (307 9th Street North) and the N.A. Jacobsen House (1115 1st Avenue North) are both National Register listings in the older residential grid.
- Park Crossing. A Bear Homes community a quarter mile from Highway 95 and 7th Avenue, announced with 40 homes: 26 townhomes and 14 duplexes.
- River edges. The plan places the 100- and 500-year floodplains right next to the Payette River and flags the Payette and Snake floodplains as development moves west.
Active listings
Search homes for sale in Payette
Search live Payette MLS listings right here. Enter “Payette” or a specific neighborhood, then filter by price, beds, and baths. New and updated listings appear the moment they hit the market.
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Market snapshot
Payette housing market
| Measure | Figure | Source, date |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-estimated median value, Payette | $276,500 (±$40,660) | Census ACS 2020 to 2024, B25077 |
The Census value margin of error here is wide, at about ±$40,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, table B25077).
Commuting from Payette
Payette's average commute is 22.3 minutes, with 36.8% of workers employed inside the city (ACS 2020 to 2024, S0801 and B08008). Only 1.8% work from home, compared with 8.4% in Fruitland (B08301). US 95 runs south through Fruitland to Interstate 84.
Payette FAQs
FAQ
Payette owners estimated a median home value of $276,500 in the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 survey, with a wide margin of about ±$40,660.
Yes. Census estimates show about 19% of the city's housing predates 1940. The city plan also lists National Register homes on 9th Street North and 1st Avenue North.
Limited. Park Crossing adds townhomes and duplexes. Permits in Payette covered 67 new homes in 2025 and 96 from January through August 2026, half of this year’s in multi-unit buildings (Census Building Permits Survey).
For homes near the river, yes. The city's comprehensive plan places the 100- and 500-year floodplains next to the Payette River.
The entire city is inside Payette Joint School District No. 371, according to the Census Bureau’s 2025 boundary files.
State irrigation maps show both Lower Payette Ditch Co. and Lake Reservoir Co. with service areas covering about 93% of the city. Which one bills a particular lot depends on its water rights, so ask for the latest assessment.
Payette workers average 22.3 minutes each way, and about 37% have jobs inside the city itself (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
Nearby
Related communities
Sellers
Selling a home in Payette
Well-documented updates, a pre-listing inspection on an older house, and accurate floodplain information can set your listing apart.
Timber and Love Realty, LLC helps clients sell homes in Payette, Payette County. List on the open market with a local agent.
Local expertise
Working with a Payette real estate agent
Older homes bring their own homework, like permits on past remodels, the age of systems, and floodplain status near the river. A Payette realtor can help you work through it. Timber and Love Realty, LLC is based in Boise, and we help buyers and sellers in Payette. You can work with Mira DiMaggio, Jennifer Carr (our designated broker) or Travis Bolen, who holds an associate broker license.
Talk with an agent who knows Payette block by block, whether you're buying, selling, or just getting oriented.
Timber and Love Realty, LLC; Designated Broker: Jennifer Carr, DB40824; Equal Housing Opportunity