Best places to live in Idaho

The 15 Idaho cities and towns of 20,000+ where people are moving in, ranked on growth, commute times and cost, using Census data. Looking for the lowest prices instead? See the cheapest places to live in Idaho.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

Star#1 pickScore 57 of 100
StarFastest growing+84.6% since 2020
MoscowShortest commute14.3 min average

The top 3 in Idaho

#1Score 57
Star
Growth
+84.6%
Home value
$564,300
Commute
28 min
#2Score 55
Twin Falls
Growth
+8.4%
Home value
$321,300
Commute
16 min
#3Score 55
Moscow
Growth
+4.9%
Home value
$376,400
Commute
14 min

The 10 best places to live in Idaho

Score out of 100. Values and rents are Census medians for each city or town.

#	Place	Score	Median home value	Median rent	Commute	Growth since 2020
1	Star	57	$564,300	$1,924	27.5 min	+84.6%
2	Twin Falls	55	$321,300	$1,082	15.7 min	+8.4%
3	Moscow	55	$376,400	$927	14.3 min	+4.9%
4	Lewiston	52	$333,700	$1,027	15.3 min	+1.5%
5	Rexburg	50	$395,100	$1,004	15.2 min	+1.4%
6	Idaho Falls	49	$335,500	$1,075	18.9 min	+9.4%
7	Caldwell	46	$367,300	$1,264	24.6 min	+27.4%
8	Ammon	42	$381,800	$1,372	21.9 min	+13.5%
9	Nampa	41	$370,800	$1,420	24.4 min	+19.9%
10	Coeur d'Alene	39	$483,500	$1,468	18.1 min	+6.5%

Every Idaho city and town we ranked

See all 15, with scores

#	Place	Score	Median home value	Median rent	Commute	Growth since 2020	Population 2025
1	Star	57	$564,300	$1,924	27.5 min	+84.6%	20,874
2	Twin Falls	55	$321,300	$1,082	15.7 min	+8.4%	56,216
3	Moscow	55	$376,400	$927	14.3 min	+4.9%	26,721
4	Lewiston	52	$333,700	$1,027	15.3 min	+1.5%	34,717
5	Rexburg	50	$395,100	$1,004	15.2 min	+1.4%	40,334
6	Idaho Falls	49	$335,500	$1,075	18.9 min	+9.4%	71,785
7	Caldwell	46	$367,300	$1,264	24.6 min	+27.4%	76,629
8	Ammon	42	$381,800	$1,372	21.9 min	+13.5%	20,119
9	Nampa	41	$370,800	$1,420	24.4 min	+19.9%	120,384
10	Coeur d'Alene	39	$483,500	$1,468	18.1 min	+6.5%	58,179
11	Post Falls	37	$477,400	$1,469	24.1 min	+21.0%	46,715
12	Boise	35	$484,800	$1,446	18.9 min	+1.1%	238,429
13	Meridian	34	$531,600	$1,805	22.4 min	+21.4%	142,988
14	Kuna	33	$423,900	$1,774	28.9 min	+30.8%	31,525
15	Eagle	16	$772,900	$1,765	23.7 min	+11.2%	34,658

How we ranked them

This list is about where people are moving. Each growing place is scored against the others in the state on four Census measures, then weighted. Nothing about who lives in a place goes in.

Who makes the list: places that grew from 2020 to 2025 and whose median home value is at least 75% of the state's typical place ($291,338 in Idaho). Of 16 places, 0 lost population and 1 sit below that line, so they are left off this list. They are all on the cheapest places in Idaho page. Population growth counts births as well as moves.

Weight	Measure
45%	Population growth, 2020 to 2025
25%	Shorter commutes (mean travel time to work)
20%	Lower home values (median value of owner-occupied homes)
10%	Lower rent (median gross rent)

Places are incorporated cities and towns with at least 20,000 residents in July 2025. Unincorporated communities are left out because the Census population estimates do not cover them. Census reports home values of $2 million or more as $2,000,000+ and rents of $3,500 or more as $3,500+. A place with no figure on a measure gets half points on it. Home values are what owners estimate their homes are worth, averaged over 2020 to 2024, so they run below today's listing prices.

Statewide, Idaho has a top income tax rate of 5.30%, an effective property tax rate of 0.42% and a combined sales tax of 6.03%, and it does not tax Social Security. See property taxes by state and states with no income tax.

Weigh things differently? The quiz ranks cities on your own priorities.

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Idaho?

On our ranking of the 15 growing Idaho cities and towns with 20,000 or more people, Star, followed by Twin Falls and Moscow. Star has a median home value of $564,300, median rent of $1,924, an average commute of 27.5 min and grew +84.6% from 2020 to 2025 (US Census Bureau).

What is the fastest-growing city in Idaho?

Of the places we rank, Star, up +84.6% from the 2020 base to July 2025 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025).

Where in Idaho are commutes shortest?

Moscow, where the average trip to work takes 14.3 min (American Community Survey 2020-2024).

Do you rank places by who lives there?

No. The ranking uses population growth, commute times, home values and rent only. Nothing about who lives in a place goes in.

Why isn't the cheapest town in Idaho on this list?

This list ranks the places people are moving to. Places that lost population from 2020 to 2025, or whose median home value is below 75% of the state's typical place, are left off. Every place is on our cheapest places to live in Idaho page.

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