City profile · Idaho · Census ACS 2023

Boise City, ID

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Boise City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

235,701
Residents
$81,308
Median income
$456,000
Median home
$1,655
Median rent (state)

Boise City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Boise City lands in the 63rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

63rd
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
65th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Boise City, ID

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 235,701 residents in Boise City, a mid-sized U.S. city within Idaho. Boise City households earn a median of $81,308 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.0%. Typical homes in Boise City are valued around $456,000, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. 46.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 741 residential building permits were authorized in Boise City (Construction Slowdown), down 53% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Idaho run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Idaho scores 95.5 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,655 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Idaho's average monthly utility costs around $170 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 87.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

235,701 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Idaho

Median Household Income

$81,308 /yr

Poverty 6.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

95.5 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Idaho average

How does Boise City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Boise City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 82% pricier than other cities
Median rent 65% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Boise City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Idaho, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

63rdIncome percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Boise City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$456,000 18th percentile more affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Boise City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Boise City, ID Boise City, ID's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Boise City, ID-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Boise City, ID median $81,308/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Boise City, ID's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Boise City, ID. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 46.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
235,701
Median Income
$81,308
Median Home Value
$456,000
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Labor force participation
65.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
46.6%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
235,000 residents236,000 residents237,000 residents238,000 residents239,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 236,033 residents 238,429 residents ▲ +1.0%
Boise City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
741
housing units authorized
Single-Family
468
detached homes
Multifamily
273
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,581
2020 1,125
2021 2,021
2022 1,602
2023 1,897
2024 741

Permit volume decreased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.6%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
3.4%
Work from Home
15.8%
Other
4.0%

Based on 128,120 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Idaho - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$170
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Idaho state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Idaho state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Boise City sits in

Cost of Living Index
95.5
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,655/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Idaho

Meridian
124,865 people
Nampa
106,289 people
Idaho Falls
66,672 people
Caldwell
63,465 people
Pocatello
57,152 people
Coeur d'Alene
55,558 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Boise City's 235,701 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Arlington, VA
235,463 people
Norfolk, VA
235,037 people
Enterprise, NV
232,043 people
Scottsdale, AZ
242,169 people
Spokane, WA
229,228 people
Santa Clarita, CA
229,021 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Boise City's $81,308 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Clatskanie, OR
$81,307 median income
Los Chaves, NM
$81,320 median income
Forest Park, IL
$81,323 median income
Orem, UT
$81,292 median income
Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County), CA
$81,288 median income
Redfield, IA
$81,328 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Boise City, ID Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Boise City, ID - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.6% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.5% White 83.6% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 3.4% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 3.0% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Boise City compares to nearby Idaho cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Boise City (this city) 235,701 $81,308
Meridian 124,865 $98,686
Nampa 106,289 $72,122
Idaho Falls 66,672 $69,630
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ID Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Boise City, ID?

What is the population of Boise City, ID? +

The population of Boise City, ID stands at 235,701 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Boise City, ID? +

In Boise City, the typical household earns $81,308 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Boise City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Boise City; the closest available measure is the Idaho state average, a cost of living index of 95.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Idaho vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Boise City, ID? +

A typical home in Boise City is worth $456,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.