Ada County · Idaho · West · 237k residents
Boise, ID: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Boise: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the Idaho median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
The median home value in Boise is $480,000, 28% above the Idaho median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,600/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 101 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $74,000 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findingsLimited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A river-and-foothills capital where outdoor access, Basque culture, and a growing downtown define the pace.
Known for: The Boise River, foothills trails, Basque Block, universities, and craft food.
Calendar note: Treefort Music Fest and the Western Idaho Fair are signature events.
Story source: Visit Boise
- Scale: A mid-sized city with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Boise about 12 miles from the nearest tracked mountain.
- Climate signal: The profile records 206 sunny days and 18 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 41 and an average commute of 21 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Boise side by side
Cost of living index
101
Median home value
$480,000
2-bedroom rent
$1,600/mo
Median household income
$74,000
Housing momentum
How fast Boise's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
57/100
Steady
Ranks Boise's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Boise's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| Median home value | $480,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $290 |
| Property tax rate | 0.65% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,350/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,600/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.19% |
| Sales tax | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 101 |
| Groceries index | 99 |
| Utilities | $140/mo |
| Transit pass | $42/mo |
| Gas price | $3.35/gal |
| Healthcare index | 97 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,150/mo |
| Median household income | $74,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% |
| Population | 237k |
| Crime index | 34/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 |
| Walkability | 41/100 |
| Disaster risk | 88/100 |
| Avg. commute | 21 min |
| Sunny days / year | 206 days |
| July high | 93°F |
| January low | 26°F |
| Annual snowfall | 18 in |
| Home price YoY | +0.8% |
| Home price MoM | -0.4% |
| Rent YoY | +4.8% |
| Rent MoM | +0.5% |
| Ocean coast | 394 mi |
| Big lake | 276 mi |
| Mountains | 12 mi |
| Major airport | 4 mi |
| Ski resort | 12 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Meridian, ID · 130k
- Eagle, ID · 33k
- Kuna, ID · 27k
- Nampa, ID · 110k
- Caldwell, ID · 67k
Similar size
- Idaho Falls, ID · 68k
- Pocatello, ID · 58k
- Coeur d'Alene, ID · 56k
- Twin Falls, ID · 54k
- Post Falls, ID · 43k
Real listings in Boise
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Boise, ID?
- Boise indexes at 101 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,600/mo and a median home value of $480,000.
- How much does a house cost in Boise?
- The median home value in Boise is $480,000, 28% above the Idaho median (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Boise?
- A two-bedroom in Boise rents for about $1,600/mo.