Meridian vs Sparks
The short version
- Meridian is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Sparks area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $483,800 in Sparks and $531,600 in Meridian.
- Households earn more in Meridian ($100,795 vs $89,056 median).
- Sparks has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 39°F.
- Meridian is growing faster: +21.4% since 2020 vs +3.2%.
- Nevada has no state income tax on wages; Idaho's top rate is 5.3%.
Side by side
| Meridian, ID | Sparks, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 142,988 | 111,902 |
| Growth since 2020 | +21.4% | +3.2% |
| People per square mile | 3,851 | 3,066 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44% | 28% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $100,795 | $89,056 |
| Median home value | $531,600 | $483,800 |
| Home value to income | 5.3× | 5.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,805 | $1,716 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.4 | 101.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.6 | 123.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,800 | $75,800 |
| Homeowners | 75% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.03% | 8.24% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 24.0 |
| Work from home | 19% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Poverty rate | 6% | 8.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 26° | 48° / 26° |
| July high / low | 93° / 62° | 94° / 60° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 7 in |
| Snowfall per year | 18 in | 21 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 55 | 65 |
| Nights below freezing | 108 | 122 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.8 | 96.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 50% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.7% | +3.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +25.7% | +30.3% |
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: Meridian: May to June and September. Sparks: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Meridian weather by month and Sparks 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 Meridian and $75,800 in Sparks. Moving from Meridian to Sparks, you would need about $77,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Meridian and Sparks
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Meridian and Sparks.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.