1st Advantage MortgageJackson is a WY market where the rent-to-payment ratio decides the loan. Median rent is $2,100, median home value is $1,521,900 and 58% of households rent.
Local data for Jackson investors
Median gross rent in Jackson: $2,100, well above the Wyoming median of $992. Median owner-occupied home value: $1,521,900, well above the Wyoming median of $309,700. Those are citywide medians, so an individual address can sit well on either side of them. Annual median rent is about 1.7% of the median home value in Jackson. That is on the low side, so the payment, not the rent, usually decides whether a file clears, but it blends every housing type, so a house on a specific street needs its own rent comparables.
| Indicator | Wyoming | Jackson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per household | 2.34 | 2.37 | |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 6.4% | 20.0% | +213% |
| Share of homes detached | 67.8% | 36.6% | -46% |
| Long commuters, 45 min plus | 9.7% | 2.4% | -75% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 30.6% | 52.4% | +71% |
| Workers on their own account | 11.9% | 15.8% | +33% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 43.1% | 27.0% | -37% |
| Typical construction year | 1981 | 1990 | |
| Annual rent divided by value | 3.8% | 1.7% | -57% |
| Households that rent | 28.2% | 57.8% | +105% |
| Tax as a share of home value | 0.57% | 0.35% | -39% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $1,767 | $5,271 | +198% |
| Household income, median | $76,176 | $118,991 | +56% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $309,700 | $1,521,900 | +391% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 582,397 | 10,756 |
Renting is the norm for many Jackson households: 57.8% are renters, well above the Wyoming median of 28%. Incomes matter for rent growth: the median household earns $118,991, well above the Wyoming median of $76,176, and 27% of renters are already cost-burdened at 30 percent of income or more.
The kind of housing in Jackson
Multifamily matters in Jackson. About 42% of housing units are in multi-unit buildings, and 20% are in two to four unit properties that fit standard DSCR programs. A median construction date of 1990 points to growth-era housing, where HOA leasing limits and new-build rent comparables are the bigger questions.
Use vacancy as a reality check: 16% of all units are vacant in Jackson, and the rental vacancy rate is 1.7%. Seasonal use covers 10% of the housing units, so expect off-season gaps in nightly income and a lender who asks for history.
What stands out in Jackson
A 1.7% gross ratio leaves little margin in Jackson. Every dollar of insurance, tax and association dues matters, and some deals work only with lower leverage. Because homes here are relatively new, expect more subdivisions and associations than in older cities. Because 58% of households rent, vacancies tend to refill, and the pricing question is how much to charge relative to nearby units.
Carrying costs in Jackson
Tax drag is easy to underestimate. Jackson owners report a median $5,271 in annual real estate taxes, well above the Wyoming median of $1,767, an effective 0.35% of median home value. That is about 21% of a year of median rent gone to taxes before the loan is even counted.
For hazards, FEMA's National Risk Index puts Teton County at a relatively low overall rating, and its top-ranked hazards are avalanches (very high), lightning (very high) and landslides (relatively moderate).
| Hazard in Teton County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Wildfire exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Landslides exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Lightning exposure | Very High |
| Avalanches exposure | Very High |
| Social vulnerability score | Very Low |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Low |
| Composite risk | Relatively Low |
Price the insurance before you price the offer: a landlord quote for the Jackson property, plus flood cover where the map requires it, goes into the payment your rent is divided against.
Running the numbers in Jackson
Try the math at the medians. With rent at $2,100 and taxes near $439 a month, a 1.00 DSCR leaves $1,661 for everything else in the payment, a 1.20 ratio leaves $1,311, and a 1.25 ratio leaves $1,241. Any real property will differ, but the exercise shows how little room insurance and dues can take.
Rules a Jackson landlord should check
Rental registration, inspection and nightly-stay rules differ by city, and we have not verified Jackson's from a municipal source. A short call to the city and Teton County before you make an offer is cheap insurance. Nightly stays carry state tax in Wyoming. Wyoming taxes short-term rentals of less than 30 continuous days with state sales tax and a statewide lodging tax plus local taxes, and platforms that act as marketplace facilitators collect and remit for the reservations they handle.
The return clock runs 60 days from move-out in Wyoming, so Jackson landlords should keep move-in photos and repair receipts. Wyoming rent regulation summary: No rent-increase notice requirement and no rent control provision found in W.S. 1-21-1201 to 1-21-1211 (other titles not searched).
Other Wyoming cities for context
These are not neighboring towns, only other Wyoming markets with Census data on this site: Powell is lowest at $289,400, Sheridan highest at $340,600, and Jackson sits at $1,521,900.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell | 30% | $1,845 | $289,400 | 6,503 | $764 |
| Sheridan | 38% | $1,794 | $340,600 | 19,285 | $936 |
| Cheyenne | 33% | $1,946 | $333,700 | 65,239 | $1,118 |
| Jackson | 58% | $5,271 | $1,521,900 | 10,756 | $2,100 |
The renter base in Jackson
Roughly 15.8% of employed people in Jackson are self-employed, a base of investors and landlords for whom a rent-based loan is a practical option. Looking at who fills the rentals, government workers are about 7% of employment, 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 2% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
On the logistics side, air service through Jackson Hole Airport are noted for Jackson.
Before you make an offer in Jackson
Gather the lease or rent estimate, the tax estimate and an insurance quote for the Jackson address, check them in the calculator, and begin your application or get a quote first.
More Wyoming markets
- All Wyoming DSCR loans
- DSCR loans in Cheyenne, WY
- DSCR loans in Sheridan, WY
- DSCR loans in Powell, WY
- Every market we cover
Source links
- Text of W.S. 1-21-1207, 1-21-1208 for Jackson landlords
- Wyoming tax source: Wyoming Excise Tax Division
- Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020 to 2024 tables
- National Risk Index entry, Teton County
- Jackson overview (Wikipedia)
All Jackson statistics are ACS five-year survey estimates from 2020 to 2024. The Wyoming legal summaries are from the RedFlagLease dataset, licensed CC BY 4.0, with statute links. Verified October 2026. Ordinances and statutes change, so confirm before acting.
A short buyer checklist
Ask the seller for twelve months of utility bills and any lease on the Jackson property, confirm who pays water, trash and lawn care, and get the insurance quote before the inspection period ends so the ratio is tested on real numbers.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
What rent number goes into a Jackson, WY DSCR calculation?
A signed lease or the appraiser's rent schedule supplies the rent, depending on the program, and $2,100 is the Census median for Jackson renters, only a benchmark.
How much payment fits the median Jackson rent?
The denominator is the whole housing payment. Using Jackson's median rent of $2,100, a ratio of 1.25 allows $1,680, and a ratio of 1.00 allows all $2,100.
What tax bill should I expect on a Jackson rental?
The median bill is $5,271, an effective rate near 0.35%. Because Teton County may reassess at sale, use an estimate on the new price when you run the ratio.
Can I use Airbnb income to qualify in Jackson?
It depends on the program and on local law. A Jackson owner needs the right permit or registration, an association that allows nightly stays, and documented bookings.
What deposit rules apply to a WY rental?
A landlord has 60 days to return the deposit. Both come from W.S. 1-21-1207, 1-21-1208.
Is flood or storm risk a concern for a Jackson rental?
The county scores relatively low overall in FEMA's index, with avalanches leading. Parcel-level flood maps and a real insurance quote give the answer that counts.
Do I need an LLC to buy a rental in Jackson?
It is optional. Lenders will close in a properly formed LLC and generally want the members to guarantee. Ask your accountant how a WY entity would be taxed.