Star receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Caldwell
Star
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs80 · Top 5%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs60 · Bottom 21%
Schools
13 · Bottom 4%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs86 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Caldwell | Star | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,516 | 14,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,058 | $97,936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,345 | $41,260 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,646/sq mi | 1,281/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $367,300 | $564,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,264 | $1,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 80.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,467 | 847 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 22.1 | 57.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.6% | -20.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.5" | 11.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 26 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.56 | 21.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.2% | 48.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.8% | 61.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.9% | 26.5% | 2024-25 school 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
Caldwell
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave.
Star
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: Caldwell, ID · Star, ID · How this is calculated: methodology