What it's like to live in Boise
Boise is a large city in Idaho with unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and hospitals with strong quality ratings. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Boise deals with home prices well above the national average and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Strong hospital ratings
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Cold winters
How Boise compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Boise
Based on Boise's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,892
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,840 a year
- 47% of Boise renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$96,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,480
- Homes cost 5.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,446/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,446 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $484,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $484,800 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 26% below US
3.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 12% below US
289 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 851/100k · Boise Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
6 hospitals
There are 6 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.3 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 32% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
73 public schools inside the boundary
There are 73 public schools inside the boundary and 23 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (85 miles away).
Bottom line
Boise's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,446/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Boise
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