The median home price in Ada County reached $485,000 in February 2026, a 6.2% increase from the same month last year, according to data released Tuesday by the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. Available housing inventory simultaneously fell to just 1.8 months of supply — far below the 4-6 months that real estate economists consider a balanced market — creating intense competition among buyers and driving prices higher across Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, and Star.
The data confirms what many Ada County residents already know from firsthand experience: the Treasure Valley housing market remains one of the tightest in the western United States, with demand consistently outstripping the supply of homes available for sale. For first-time homebuyers in particular, the combination of elevated prices and mortgage rates near 6.8% has made homeownership increasingly difficult to attain in the communities where they work and want to raise their families.
Ada County Housing Prices by City
Price increases varied significantly across Ada County’s communities. Meridian saw the largest year-over-year gain at 8.1%, with a median price of $475,000. Eagle followed at 7.4% with a median of $615,000, reflecting strong demand for the city’s larger lots and upscale neighborhoods. Boise proper rose 5.3% to a median of $465,000, while Kuna — long considered the Treasure Valley’s most affordable market — saw prices climb 9.2% to $385,000 as buyers priced out of Boise and Meridian look further south.
Star, which has experienced explosive residential growth over the past five years, posted a median price of $435,000, up 6.8% from February 2025. Garden City, with its eclectic mix of older homes and new infill development, rose 4.1% to $395,000.
“What we’re seeing is a supply-driven market,” said Amanda Chen, president of the Boise Regional Realtors association. “Demand hasn’t gone away — Ada County is still attracting thousands of new residents every year. But builders can’t keep up, existing homeowners aren’t selling because they’d face the same tight market as buyers, and the result is persistent upward pressure on prices.”
Impact on Ada County First-Time Homebuyers
First-time buyer activity in Ada County declined 11% in February compared to the same month last year, according to IMLS data. At the current median price of $485,000 with a 6.8% mortgage rate, a buyer with 10% down would face monthly principal and interest payments of approximately $2,860 — not including property taxes, insurance, and HOA fees that can add $500 or more per month.
To qualify for that mortgage at standard debt-to-income ratios, a household would need annual income of approximately $120,000. That exceeds the Ada County median household income of $78,000 by a significant margin, illustrating the affordability gap that many local families face.
The Idaho Housing and Finance Association offers down payment assistance programs for qualifying first-time buyers, and several Ada County communities have explored partnerships with employers to provide housing subsidies for essential workers including teachers, first responders, and healthcare professionals.
What’s Driving Ada County’s Housing Crunch
Multiple factors contribute to Ada County’s persistent housing shortage. Population growth continues at approximately 3% annually, adding roughly 15,000 new residents to the Treasure Valley each year. Construction of new homes, while robust by historical standards, has not kept pace with demand — builders cite labor shortages, rising material costs, and lengthy permitting timelines as constraints on production.
Additionally, the “lock-in effect” of low mortgage rates from 2020-2021 means many existing homeowners who refinanced at 3% or below are reluctant to sell and take on a new mortgage at nearly double that rate, further constraining the supply of homes available for resale.
What Comes Next for Ada County Real Estate
Real estate analysts expect Ada County home prices to continue rising through 2026, though at a more moderate pace than the double-digit increases seen in 2020-2022. The Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions will remain the most significant variable affecting affordability. Prospective buyers can monitor current listings and market conditions through the IMLS website at imls.com or by contacting a licensed Boise Regional Realtors member. The Ada County Assessor’s office provides property value information and assessment appeal instructions at adacounty.id.gov/assessor.