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Living in
Garden City.
About
Life in Garden City
Garden City is a community of 12,483 people in Idaho. The median household income is $70,124, median rent runs about $1,323 per month, and median home values are around $449,500. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Garden City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.0%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
94.7%
of households
Population Growth
+6.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Garden City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Garden City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (41.3%), and 6.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.7%
of residents
65 and Older
25.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
17.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.0%
of households
Married Couples
39.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.19
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% above ID average
Rent, home values, and income in Garden City
In Garden City, rent runs 7% above the ID average, and home values are 7% above the ID average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,592
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $474,076 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below ID average
Unemployment in Garden City and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Ada County, which includes Garden City, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the ID average.
Unemployment rate
Garden City: Ada County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Ada County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Garden City is about 2% of Ada County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Garden City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Boise City, ID metro area
Commute19.5 min avg
How Garden City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Garden City, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 69% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Garden City runs 69% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
557.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,076
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Garden City Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ada County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ada County, which includes Garden City, the most common type is heavy snow, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 16 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $1.0M |
| 2022 | 7 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
19 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ada County, county-wide
Garden City is about 2% of Ada County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ada County, which includes Garden City, is typically good — 270 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
270
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Ada County, county-wide
Garden City is about 2% of Ada County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Garden City has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
14.3"
Annual Snowfall
18.3"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
108
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 26°F | 1.41" |
| Feb | 46°F | 29°F | 1.00" |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 1.33" |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 1.23" |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 1.45" |
| Jun | 81°F | 54°F | 0.75" |
| Jul | 93°F | 62°F | 0.21" |
| Aug | 91°F | 61°F | 0.17" |
| Sep | 80°F | 53°F | 0.43" |
| Oct | 65°F | 42°F | 0.81" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 1.18" |
| Dec | 39°F | 25°F | 1.54" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Garden City
Uninsured
7.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Garden City's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lifeways Hospital
Psychiatric · 1.8 mi away · Boise
Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Boise
Intermountain Hospital
Psychiatric · 2.9 mi away · Boise
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Garden City
Garden City's student/teacher ratio is 15.9:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 39.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Garden City (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 17,674 students · in-state tuition $9,364 · 62% graduate · median earnings $60,091 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,459 students · in-state tuition $3,854 · 28% graduate · median earnings $46,214 (10 yrs after entry)
Eagle Gate College-Boise Campus
4.4 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 594 students · in-state tuition $19,506 · median earnings $41,796 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, 90 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Garden City
Garden City has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (90 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Garden City
Garden City Public
6015 Glenwood St, Garden City
Cities Near Garden City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Garden City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Garden City FAQ
Is Garden City, Idaho affordable?⌄
Garden City's median rent is $1,323/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $70,124/year. Median home value is $449,500.
Is Garden City, Idaho safe?⌄
Garden City's violent crime rate was 557 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1076 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Garden City, Idaho?⌄
Ada County, which includes Garden City, has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Garden City, Idaho?⌄
The cost of living in Garden City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,323/month and median household income is $70,124/year. The median home value is $449,500. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Garden City, Idaho?⌄
The average commute in Garden City is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from