Skip to Main Content
City0

Boise

#25 in Best Cities to Buy a House in America
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • City in Idaho
  • 395 reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A-
  2. Crime & Safety
    C+
  3. Housing
    B
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    A-
  6. Diversity
    B+
  7. Jobs
    B+
  8. Weather
    B+
  9. Cost of Living
    C+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    A-
View Full Report Card
Boise is a city in Idaho with a population of 220,859. Boise is in Ada County and is one of the best places to live in Idaho. Living in Boise offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Boise there are a lot of bars, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Boise and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Boise are highly rated.
About Boise...
Population
220,859

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$206,800
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$875
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    40%
  • Own
    60%
Sponsored Mortgage Options for Boise
Get Rates
  • $0 Lender Fee on Home Loans Limited Time Only
  • Biggest Home Loan Sale Ever. Low interest rates. Get a quote today!
Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

Boise Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    191.9
    282.7
  • Murder
    0.9
    6.1
  • Rape
    63.8
    40.7
  • Robbery
    22.6
    135.5
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    326.1
    500.1
  • Theft
    1,965.2
    2,042.8
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    153.3
    284
Home Security Options for Boise
Learn More
  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    12%
  • 10-17 years
    10%
  • 18-24 years
    11%
  • 25-34 years
    15%
  • 35-44 years
    14%
  • 45-54 years
    13%
  • 55-64 years
    12%
  • 65+ years
    13%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    14%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    27%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    33%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    21%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    6%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

Working in Boise

Jobs
B+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$54,547
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Boise
Places like Boise
More

Boise Reviews

395 reviews
All Categories
Boise is Idaho's capital city—both a cultural center and a playground for those who love the outdoors. A vibrant downtown area affords fine dining, theatre, music, and college and semi-professional sports. Downtown Boise's main attractions include the Idaho State Capitol, the classic Egyptian Theatre, the Boise Art Museum, Julia Davis Park and Zoo Boise. Outdoor enthusiasts have year-round activities such as whiterafting, mountain biking, hiking and skiing. The Greenbelt follows the beautiful Boise River corridor for more than 30 miles, and the Boise foothills are home to miles of hiking and biking trails. This city has it all!
Start Your Review of Boise
Rate It!
Boise is beautiful! The downtown area is fun to walk around in, especially at night, because it feels relatively safe and there are a lot of beautiful lights on the buildings and trees. The foothills just past downtown are amazing to walk in, and the view of the city is beautiful. The greenbelt along the Boise River is so nice to walk down as well, with the Boise State University college campus right alongside it. With loads of different places to shop, you'll never get bored!
Boise is a quickly growing city that has so much to offer! With the great restaurant scene, shopping centers, entertainment plazas, and mountains galore, there is no way that you won't find something to do. But, because Boise is a rapidly growing city, there are some cons; traffic can get crazy! If you want to get somewhere on time, you're going to have to leave extra early especially if it's during rush hours. The housing market isn't ideal because of the growing population so expect to spend more money for less house.
Overall Boise is a great place to live!