Mountain Home, ID vs Preston, ID

Preston is moderately more affordable than Mountain Home, with a 9.4% lower cost of living index. Mountain Home scores 87 compared to 80 for Preston, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Mountain Home can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Mountain Home is $1,061/month compared to $794/month in Preston — a 34% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Preston has cheaper rent, Mountain Home actually has lower median home values ($270,700 vs $280,500).

Median household income in Mountain Home is $58,486 compared to $55,625 in Preston (+5.1%). The higher salaries in Mountain Home partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of Mountain Home spend roughly 21.8% of their income on rent, more than the 17.1% in Preston.