What it costs to build a gas station in Idaho in 2026
A gas station with a 3,500 sq ft convenience store runs $2.4 million to $5.8 million, about $3,461,538 per store all-in. On Idaho's own rents, vacancy and lending terms the typical case pencils. Every figure below has its source; checked October 28, 2026.
Cost to build, typical case
| Land | $761,538 |
| Hard cost | $2,037,736 |
| Soft cost | $509,434 |
| Contingency | $152,830 |
| Interest reserve | $0 |
| Total, a gas station with a 3,500 sq ft convenience store | $3,461,538 |
| Range, low to high case | $2,444,444 to $5,818,182 |
Terrapin and Buildermuse 2026: 3,500 sq ft store with 12 to 16 dispensers, excluding land. Rule of thumb: $3.5M all-in needs about 150k gallons a month at 40 cents plus $180k a month inside at 32% to clear roughly $350k of EBITDA after $104k a month of labor.
Would it get financed
- Loan a lender would size$2,146,154, limited by construction LTC
- Rate and amortization10.00%, 25 years
- Equity required$1,315,385 (38% of cost)
- Net operating income, stabilized$319,000
- Yield on cost against target9.2% against 8.0%
- Debt service coverage1.36x
Verdict on statewide numbers: Gas station and convenience store of this size pencils on today's numbers, with $1,315,385 of equity.
The Idaho market
People and jobs
2,029,733 residents in 2025, growing 1.88% a year since 2020. 741,845 private jobs in Q1 2026, +2.2% in a year.
Census Population Estimates (Vintage 2025); BLS QCEW private employment.
Rents and vacancy
Median gross rent $1,150 a month; a new build leases at roughly a premium to that. Rental vacancy 3.5%. 191,681 renter households with a median income of $49,651.
US Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables B25064, DP04, B25003, B25119.
Permits in 2025
14,112 single-family homes, 906 units in 2 to 4 unit buildings, and 2,926 apartment units permitted statewide.
US Census Building Permits Survey, state annual file.
Competing supply
646 gasoline stations in Idaho, 34.1 per 100,000 residents.
US Census County Business Patterns 2023.
How gas station projects get financed
Who lends. SBA 7(a) lenders, local banks, and fuel-brand supply agreements; owner financing is common on acquisitions.
Typical stack. SBA 7(a): 10 to 15% down, 25-year term; conventional 25 to 30% down.
SBA. Eligible, with two gates: a Phase I environmental site assessment and a clean underground storage tank record. Acquisitions want 3 years of operating history.
What a lender will ask for
- Phase I environmental and tank compliance
- Fuel supply agreement and brand
- Traffic count and corner visibility
- Three years of statements for an acquisition
- Inside-sales plan with foodservice
Lenders rely on the environmental report and a traffic-based volume estimate more than on a formal study. This screen gives you the gallons-and-inside-sales target.
Assumptions
| Input | Low | Typical | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-in cost per store | $2,200,000 | $2,700,000 | $3,200,000 | Terrapin and Buildermuse 2026: 3,500 sq ft store with 12 to 16 dispensers, excluding land (2026) |
| Annual gross profit per store | $1,000,000 | $1,450,000 | $2,300,000 | Gross profit basis: NACS SOI 2025 fuel margin 39.7 cents a gallon on 80k to 300k gallons a month, inside sales $187k a month at about 32% margin (2025) |
| Stabilized occupancy | 75% | 85% | 100% | Ramp year one as a share of stabilized gross profit (2026) · estimate |
| Operating expense share | 72% | 78% | 84% | NACS June 2026: wages and benefits $104k per store per month; plus card fees, utilities, maintenance, insurance (2026) · estimate |
| Lease-up or ramp | 6 mo | 12 mo | 18 mo | Fuel volume ramps with signage and loyalty; new builds assume 3.5 to 4M gallons a year (2026) · estimate |
| Exit cap rate | 5% | 7% | 8% | Wawa NNN 4.9 to 5.2% (Q1 2026); independents 7.5% (2026) · estimate |
| Permanent loan to value | 75% | 85% | 90% | SBA 7(a) 10 to 15% down, 25-year term; Phase I environmental and clean tank record required (2026) |
| Permanent rate | 10% | 10% | 12% | SBA 7(a) caps at prime 7.0% (2026) |
| Debt yield floor | 10% | 11% | 12% | Special-purpose, environmental risk (2026) · estimate |
| Construction loan to cost | 55% | 62% | 70% | HVS 2026 survey commentary: lenders requiring larger equity (2026) · estimate |
| Debt service coverage floor | 1.2 | 1.25 | 1.35 | Proprise multifamily underwriting primer (2026) |
Questions
- How much does it cost to build a gas station in Idaho?
- A gas station with a 3,500 sq ft convenience store runs $2.4 million to $5.8 million all-in in 2026, about $3,461,538 per store in the typical case: land $761,538, hard cost $2,037,736, soft cost $509,434, contingency $152,830, interest reserve $0.
- How much of it will a lender finance?
- About $2,146,154 (62% of cost), limited by construction LTC, at 10.00% over 25 years. The sponsor brings $1,315,385 of equity. SBA 7(a): 10 to 15% down, 25-year term; conventional 25 to 30% down.
- Does a gas station pencil in Idaho right now?
- On statewide numbers the typical case pencils: yield on cost 9.2% against a target of 8.0% (exit cap 6.5% plus a development spread). Your city, site and rents change the answer; the $299 Capital Projects screen runs it for your address.
This screen is an informational estimate built from published 2025–2026 benchmarks and public datasets for the county you named. It is not an appraisal, a feasibility study, a market study, an offer or commitment of financing, or investment, legal, tax, construction or financial advice. "Stabilized value" and similar figures are formula outputs (net operating income divided by a benchmark capitalization rate), not opinions of market value. Neur LLC is not a licensed appraiser, broker, lender or engineer. Lenders, the SBA and HUD require independent third-party studies and reports before committing capital; obtain them before you buy land, sign a contract or borrow. Figures are estimates with ranges and will differ from actual bids, rents and loan terms. Use of this screen is subject to neur.co/terms.