Looking for the best places to live in Idaho?
This local has you covered, heres a roundup of the best cities in Idaho.
Boise seems to balance business with pleasure in a seamless manner.
Living in Idaho | (Shutterstock/Sean Pavone)
In terms of staving off boredom, theres a handful of sights to see.
Speaking of parks, Boise maintains 90 parks and over 200 miles of multi-use trails.
Hard not to love that.
And on the flip side of the coin, Boise crime rates arebelow the national average.
Likewise, Boise is considered of thefastest-growing cities in the country, largely fueled by a strong job economy.
It offers an urban-suburban feel with a mix of shopping, restaurants, and culture.
Fortunately, Meridian is fairly large and well-established, offering a vast variety of housing types for all budgets.
The city has 17 public parks that offer great outdoor recreational opportunities.
From well-kept hiking trails, water sports and seasonal events like farmers markets and free concerts.
The city has nearly 30 parks and 14 miles of pedestrian walkways.
The$395,000 average home pricesits below the state average, attracting young families and working professionals.
Continuous construction, increased traffic, and limited public transportation options are some of the issues Nampa locals face.
Sitting at the confluence of several rivers, the city is also renowned for its abundant natural beauty.
Its also home to the College of Idaho, the states oldest private liberal arts college.
These contrasting attributes certainly make Caldwell one of the liveliest places to live in Idaho!
The vibrant downtown core and great cultural scene dont hurt either.
If Im being honest though the older parts of the city are aging rather poorly.
Likewise, its not uncommon for locals to drive to other parts of the state for outdoor recreation.
However, there are a handful of fun year-round events hosted in the tow.
Like summer night rodeos and weekly farmers markets, which provide plenty of entertainment.
Pocatello
Nicknamed the U.S.
Smile Capital, Pocatello is in far southeastern Idaho.
Unsurprisingly, its frequentlynamed a best cityby Forbes, NerdWallet, and others.
Recreation abounds, from hiking and mountain biking to fishing and kayaking.
Theres a distinct lack of public transportation, but fortunately, traffic is almost always very light.
Coeur dAlene has a relatively high cost of living.
The$568,000 average home valueis well above average, and the job market is also somewhat limited.
Play the world-famous floating green on the 14th hole atCoeur dAlene Golf & Spa Resort!
Being a fairly small college town, job prospects are limited outside of the university and tourism.
Of course, many people may consider that a positive thing.
Residents do enjoy the small-town feel, but there truly isnt much entertainment here, and winters are harsh.
Although its a different pop in of entertainment, outdoorsy folks will be right at home in Lewiston.
Hiking, fishing, camping, and river recreation abounds.
Hailey is a small mountain town within the larger Sun Valley.
On the flip side, its actually one of the more affordable mountain towns in the state.
Getting around the small town is a breeze, but winters are tough and the area is notoriously windy.
Skiing is king in Ketchum.
Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and rafting are other popular activities here.
Everything is upscale and priced accordingly, and the town can become overrun with visitors during peak ski season.
That season is also somewhat long, and it often snows six months out of the year.
Salmon
As with many other Gem State cities, Salmon is a dream for outdoorsmen.
The rather low$329K average home valueallows people to pursue different outdoor hobbies and experiment with self-sufficiency.
Salmon is also one of the best places to live in Idaho for retirees.
On the other hand, Salmon isnt the best choice for many young professionals and families.
Unfortunately, there arent many jobs beyond construction or education, and housing options are equally limited.
The downtown scene offers boutique shopping, interesting eateries, and several community activities.
Combined with the friendly neighborhood vibe, Bonners Ferry is appealing to many folks.
