What it's like to live in Meridian
Meridian is a mid-size city in Idaho with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Meridian deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
How Meridian compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Meridian
Based on Meridian's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,610
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $72,200 a year
- 48% of Meridian renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$106,320
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $53,160
- Homes cost 5.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 28% above US
$1,805/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,805 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $531,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $531,600 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 30% below US
3.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 58% below US
137 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 408/100k · Meridian Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% 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
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 23% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
46 public schools inside the boundary
There are 46 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (93 miles away).
Bottom line
Meridian's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,805/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (19% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Meridian
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