Discover Boise, ID: Scores, Rankings, and Comparisons

Colorful urban traffic at night

Hot air balloons

Boise is centrist with a conservative slant and has a Democratic representative in Congress. However, the city is politically segregated with clear Democratic and Republican enclaves, which commonly can be attributed to racial divides

224,300

Boise Population7

46,093

Median Income6

5.1

Unemployment Rate17

Air Quality

94
- Unhealthy air quality
  
  0 days per year
- Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups
  
  0 days per year
- High PM2.5 pollution14
  
  82 days per year
- High ozone14
  
  96 days per year
Safety

76
- Property crimes1
  
  2,062.9 per 100,000 residents
- Violent crimes1
  
  283.1 per 100,000 residents
Climate

70
- Sunny days3
  
  63 days
- Rainy days11
  
  90 days
- Hot days11
  
  48 days
- Cold days11
  
  119 days
- Average humidity11
  
  53 %
- Average wind speed11
  
  8 mph
- Annual snowfall11
  
  20 inches
- Temperature in January11
  
  31 °F
- Temperature in July11
  
  76 °F
- Wildfire risk23
  
  High
- Hurricane risk23
  
  None
- Tornado risk23
  
  None
- Earthquake risk23
  
  Medium
- Flood risk23
  
  Low
Taxes

66
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for median earners)
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for high earners)
- State income tax16
  
  4.1 % (for median earners)
- State income tax16
  
  5.7 % (for high earners)
- City sales tax
  
  0.0 %
- State sales tax20
  
  6.0 %
- Property tax21
  
  0.7 %
- Vehicle tax21
  
  0.0 %
Local Transportation

62
- Walkability score10
  
  88
- Bikeability score10
  
  96
- Transit score
  
  0
- Commute via public transit17
  
  0.6 %
- Commute via walking17
  
  2.0 %
- Commutes via driving solo17
  
  80.4 %
- Commute time (avg)17
  
  18.5 minutes
Economy

59
- Income6
  
  $31,569
- Income (full-time)6
  
  $46,093
- Income ($100,000 or more)6
  
  13.7 %
- Income ($25,000 and less)6
  
  18.3 %
- Income growth (1-year)6
  
  3.6 %
- Income growth (10-year)6
  
  14.0 %
- Employment rate17
  
  94.9 %
- Employment rate (full-time)6
  
  44.5 %
- Employment rate growth (1-year)17
  
  1.1 %
- Employment rate growth (10-year)17
  
  8.1 %
- Population growth (1-year)7
  
  1.6 %
- Population growth (10-year)7
  
  8.6 %
Attractions

55
- Restaurants8
  
  46.8 per 100,000 residents
- Bars8
  
  44.4 per 100,000 households
- Performing arts centers8
  
  78.2 per 100,000 households
- Museums8
  
  5.3 per 100,000 households
- Music venues18
  
  24
- Historical sites
  
  0
- Golf courses19
  
  21
- Wineries
  
  2
- Casinos22
  
  2
Education

51
- Public schools rated 8+4
  
  12
- Public schools rated 8+ (%)4
  
  16.4 %
- High schools in top 25%13
  
  2
- High schools in top 25% (%)13
  
  20.0 %
- Top rated public high school13
  
  Boise Senior High School
- Top rated public high school (national rank)13
  
  1,266
Travel Connectivity

49
- Airports
  
  1
- Train stations
  
  0
Diversity

46
- White or Middle Eastern7
  
  82.7 %
- Black7
  
  2.0 %
- Asian7
  
  3.1 %
- Hispanic7
  
  9.0 %
Healthcare

44
- Hospitals (<50 miles)2
  
  10
- Hospital rating (avg)2
  
  4.2 / 5
- 5-star hospitals2
  
  1
- 5-star hospitals (%)2
  
  20.0 %
- 5-star hospital (nearest)
  
  4.1 miles from city center
Home Pricing

36
- Median home value5
  
  $345,875
- Median home value (sq ft)12
  
  $339
- Median rent price12
  
  $1,480
Outdoor Activities

36
- Beaches9
  
  1
- Parks15
  
  68
- Ski resorts
  
  2
Internet Connectivity

11
- Access to 25+ mbps wired broadband24
  
  81.2 %
- Access to 100+ mbps broadband24
  
  79.4 %
- Average download speed24
  
  36 mpbs
- Households with broadband25
  
  80.0 %

Boise's aged 45- to 54-years old saw the steapest decline since 2010, falling by 10%, whereas the average population in that segment only declined by 4%

Age

36.2

Median Age7

8.6

Population Growth Since 20107

Proportion of Population by Age Group vs. United States average7

Boise residents are mostly white; however, the city is slowly becoming more diverse as the white community has shrunk by 1.5% since 2010, while the Hispanic community, 2nd largest in the city, has grown by 44.0%

Race

82.2

Idaho Population, White7

61.1

United States population, White7

Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity7

Boise's somewhat high elevation of 2,730 feet is one of the reasons the city sees relatively little rainfall and low humidity. The average annual rainfall is only 12 inches with 53% humidity

Weather

Chance of Rain11

Chance of Sunshine3

Average Temperature40

The average home value in Boise increased by 96% since 2010 which is 54% higher than the national average and 16% higher than the state average

Rent

1,480

Monthly Average12

Renters41

Average Home Value5

Boise is a somewhat low tax location with sales tax 13% lower than the national average and property tax 35% lower than the national average, but income tax 18% higher than the national average.

Other

0.72

Property Tax21

6.0

Sales Tax20

0.0

Vehicle Tax21

Effective Income Tax Rate at Various Income Levels (Married, Filing Jointly)42

Boise has a high employment rate of 95% which is 1% higher than the national average. The largest employers are SCHEELS and North Dakota State University

Income

18.3

<$25,0006

13.7

$100,000+6

Distribution by Industry17

2016 Presidential Election Results44

Representatives

Mayor28	Lauren McLean Democratic
House of Representative28	Michael K. Simpson Republican

The nearest 5-star hospital, St Luke's Regional Medical Center, is 4.1 miles from the center of Boise, the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center, Boise VA Medical Center, is 5.6 miles away, and the nearest top-rated hospital for cancer care, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, is 299.6 miles away

Medicare-Rated Hospitals (<50 Miles)2

Is Marijuana Legal?

Medical29	No
Decriminalized29	No

In Idaho, 57.8% of adults live in a household with at least one gun, which is a marginal decrease from 2000 when 60.9% of adults lived in households with guns

Gun Laws

Universal Background Checks30

Permit to Purchase Law30

Property Crimes and Violent Crimes per 100,000 Residents

#60	2020 Best Cities to Live by Niche31
#70	2020 Best Cities to Retire by U.S. News & World Report32
#19	2020 Best Cities for Families by U.S. News & World Report33
#51	2020 Best Cities for Families by Niche34
#17	2019 Best Cities to Live by U.S. News & World Report35
#21	2019 Best Cities to Retire by WalletHub36

1	2018 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement \| FBI
2	Medicare-certified hospitals \| Medicare.gov
3	Sunshine - Average Percent of Possible
4	School Rankings & Reviews for Public and Private Schools \| Great Schools
5	Zillow Housing Data
6	2018 Earnings in the Past 12 Months \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
7	2018 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
8	2017 County Business Patterns \| United States Census
9	Beaches \| Yelp
10	2020 City & Neighborhood Scores \| Walk Score
11	Comparative Climatic Data \| National Centers for Environmental Information
12	United States Home Prices & Home Values
13	Best High Schools in the US \| U.S. News & World Report's
14	AirData \| United States Environmental Protection Agency
15	Parks \| Yelp
16	State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2020 \| Tax Foundation
17	2018 Economic Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
18	Music Venues \| Yelp
19	Golf Courses \| Yelp
20	2020 State and Local Sales Tax Rates \| Tax Foundation
21	2020 Property and Vehicle Taxes by State \| WalletHub
22	Casinos \| Yelp
23	Natural Center for Disaster Preparedness \| Columbia University
24	Internet Service Providers: Availability & Coverage \| Broadband Now
25	2018 Social Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
26	Largest Cities of U.S. States \| Wikipedia
27	Zippia, The Career Expert
28	Who represents me \| Ballotpedia
29	State Policy \| Marijuana Policy Project
30	State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership \| The RAND Corporation
31	2020 Best Cities to Live \| Niche
32	2020 Best Cities to Retire \| U.S. News & World Report
33	2020 Best Cities for Families \| U.S. News & World Report
34	2020 Best Cities for Families \| Niche
35	2019 Best Cities to Live \| U.S. News & World Report
36	2019 Best Cities to Retire \| WalletHub
37	2010 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
38	Elevations and Distances \| U.S. Geological Survey Publications Repository
39	Normal Precipitation, Inches
40	Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, °F
41	2018 Selected Housing Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
42	Federal Income Tax Calculator \| smartasset
43	Where Democrats And Republicans Live In Your City \| fivethirtyeight
44	2016 Presidential Election Results \| Politico

Boise, ID

City Score

Air Quality

Safety

Climate

Taxes

Local Transportation

Economy

Attractions

Education

Travel Connectivity

Diversity

Healthcare

Home Pricing

Outdoor Activities

Internet Connectivity

Population

Age