Boise City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Boise City
Salt Lake City-Murray
Opportunity
79 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 10%
Growth
82 · Top 5%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
59 · Bottom 20%
vs49 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 23%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 16%
vs73 · Bottom 21%
Access
76 · Bottom 39%
vs71 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
88 · Top 7%
vs98 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Boise City | Salt Lake City-Murray | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 811,115 | 1,275,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,987 | $98,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,624 | $44,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 69/sq mi | 164/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $468,900 | $515,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,487 | $1,583 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 67.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | 0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 38.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9,410 | 7,755 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.6 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.4% | 20.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 6.7" | 6.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Boise City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Salt Lake City-Murray
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Boise City
76
Your Score
75
Area Score
Salt Lake City-Murray
71
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Boise City, ID Metro Area · Salt Lake City-Murray, UT Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology