Best Life Index › States › Idaho › Cities › Boise City

Idaho city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Boise City?

What it costs to live in Boise City, and how it compares with other Idaho cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

44

13th best value in Idaho

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Idaho cities.

Overall livability

60

6th overall in Idaho

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Boise City is home to about 231,537 people. A typical home runs $322,300 and a household earns around $68,400, a price-to-income ratio of 4.7. Among Idaho's largest cities, it ranks 13th for value and 6th overall.

Boise City at a glance

Median home price

$322,300

13th in ID of 18

Median rent

$1,103/mo

Median household income

$68,400

Home price to income

4.7x

Unemployment

4.2%

13th in ID of 18

School rating

5/10

5th in ID of 18

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in ID of 18

Walk score

28/100

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‹ See all top Idaho cities ranked  ยท  Idaho state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Idaho only. Updated 2026.