Boise City and Spokane receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Boise City
Spokane
Opportunity
77 · Top 12%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 37%
vs70 · Bottom 42%
Access
90 · Bottom 36%
vs95 · Top 49%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs54 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Boise City | Spokane | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 237,242 | 230,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,904 | $70,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,861 | $40,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,786/sq mi | 3,349/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $484,800 | $363,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,446 | $1,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.5% | 33.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 743 | 927 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.2% | -10.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.5" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.2 | 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.
Spokane
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
70
Your Score
71
Area Score
Spokane
69
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Boise City, ID · Spokane, WA · How this is calculated: methodology