Boise City, ID Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Boise City, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Boise City →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 234,192 people call Boise City, Idaho home. Household income runs $76,402 at the median, roughly in line with what we see across the broader set of cities (+6%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to Boise City. The median home value sits at $401,800 (above the multi-city median at +23%), while renters pay a median of $1,223 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
Home values run about 5.3× median income in Boise City, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Prices in the area have gained 2.71% year over year, a moderate pace that suggests a stable market around Boise City. FEMA classifies Boise City's hazard risk as Relatively Moderate, a comparatively low rating among the cities we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,223/mo in Boise City would take 19.2% of your income.
$687/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($401,800) would take 33.7% of your income toward principal & interest.
$362/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Boise City
Median home value is $401,800 and median gross rent is $1,223/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Ada rose 2.71% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,655/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Boise City's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Moving to Boise City
Planning a move to Boise City? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Boise City, ID?
- In Boise City, the median home value is $401,800 and median rent is $1,223 per month, against a median household income of $76,402. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Boise City?
- Boise City's median rent of $1,223/month works out to roughly $48,920 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Boise City.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Boise City?
- In Boise City, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,223/month) takes about $48,920 in annual income, while buying the median home ($401,800) takes roughly $91,930 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
See the full salary breakdown for Boise City →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Boise City's.