True Cost of Renting in Jackson
Jackson Hole is where American wealth goes to ski — a resort town surrounded by Grand Teton National Park with the steepest Gini coefficient of any county in America (Teton County, WY). The rental market is dominated by the collision between ski resort service workers who can't afford housing and wealthy out-of-state second-home buyers who've removed units from the long-term rental market. Workers commute from 45 miles away in Alpine or Victor, ID because Jackson itself has virtually no affordable housing.
Neighborhoods & Average Rents
Downtown Jackson / Town Square
- Studio:
- $2,500/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $3,200/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $5,000/mo
Jackson's historic town square near the antler arches; walking distance to ski buses and the National Elk Refuge. The few long-term rentals in this area are extremely rare and expensive. Most units in this zone are short-term vacation rentals at $300–500/night.
South Jackson / Wilson area
- Studio:
- $1,800/mo
- 1 Bed:
- $2,500/mo
- 2 Bed:
- $4,000/mo
Slightly more affordable fringe areas south of central Jackson; still deeply constrained by resort demand. Employee housing programs from the Town of Jackson provide below-market units for qualifying local workers. Limited supply.
Utility Providers
- Electric
- Lower Valley Energy (rural electric cooperative)
- Water
- Town of Jackson Water
- Internet
- Spectrum, Starlink, Rise Broadband
Commute & Transportation
US-191/26/89 is the primary highway through Jackson. WY-22 over Teton Pass connects to Driggs and Victor, Idaho (alternative housing market). Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is within Grand Teton National Park — the only commercial airport inside a national park. The START Bus (Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit) provides free service between Jackson and Teton Village (ski resort base). Many resort employees live in Alpine, WY (45 min) or Driggs, ID (45 min over Teton Pass).
Rental Market Overview
Jackson has one of the most dysfunctional rental markets in America. Short-term rental platforms and billionaire land banking have removed the vast majority of would-be rental units from the long-term market. Teton County's year-round population is only 23,000 but summer and winter tourist populations dwarf that. Lower Valley Energy (a rural electric cooperative) provides power at competitive rates. The Town of Jackson operates a community housing trust, but it addresses a tiny fraction of need. Service industry workers are effectively subsidized by employers through employee housing or must commute from Idaho. Renters insurance averages $16–22/month.
Data last updated: 2026-04
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