Boise vs Santa Fe
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $444,900 in Santa Fe and $484,800 in Boise.
- Households earn more in Boise ($83,904 vs $73,482 median).
- Santa Fe has the warmer winter: January highs of 43°F vs 39°F.
- Boise has more scorching days: 55 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 24.
Side by side
| Boise, ID | Santa Fe, NM | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 238,429 | 89,837 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.1% | +2.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,800 | 1,720 |
| Median age | 38.6 | 46.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $83,904 | $73,482 |
| Median home value | $484,800 | $444,900 |
| Home value to income | 5.8× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,446 | $1,463 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.4 | 98.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.6 | 108.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,800 | $74,100 |
| Homeowners | 63% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | 5.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.03% | 7.68% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.9 | 21.0 |
| Work from home | 18% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 12.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 26° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 93° / 62° | 86° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 18 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 55 | 24 |
| Nights below freezing | 108 | 168 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.8 | 86.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.7% | +4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +25.7% | +42% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Boise: May to June and September. Santa Fe: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Boise weather by month and Santa Fe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,800 in Boise and $74,100 in Santa Fe. Moving from Boise to Santa Fe, you would need about $75,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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