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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in Idaho using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Nampa comes out on…
114,268 residents · Idaho
Dive into Nampa's numbers: cost index 104 — for better or worse — (8 points below national average), rent $1,561/month, income $72,122, and a home price of $408,658. And roughly speaking, no major red flags in that number. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 95, while Housing runs 109. With 114,268 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
235,421 residents · Idaho
At $1,703/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — for rent and a cost index of 110, Boise is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And more often than not, income is $81,308. Nothing too surprising there. An outlier in the best sense.
134,801 residents · Idaho
In plain English: What does daily life actually cost in Meridian? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 106) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 138) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $98,686 — for better or worse — and homes at $526,393 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
#1 Ranked: Nampa — cost index 104, rent $1,561/mo, income $72,122
0 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K
0 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in Idaho using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Nampa comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Here's Nampa by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 104. Rent: $1,561/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Income: $72,122/year. Home price: $408,658. Population: 114,268. The strongest category is Utilities at 95; the most expensive is Housing at 109. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,008 per year vs. the national median. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
Bottom line: Nampa leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And generally speaking, that's more or less in line with the region. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Nampa | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $22,629 |
2Boise | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $22,629 |
3Meridian | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $22,629 |
We calculate what percentage of a $30K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Nampa ranks #1 in Idaho for this analysis with a cost index of 104 and median income of $72,122.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Nampa, rent would consume about 62% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Nampa (ranked #1) has a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,561/mo, while Meridian (ranked #3) has a cost index of 115 and rent of $1,954/mo — a 11-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Nampa is $1,561/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $334 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.695% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Nampa is approximately $22,629/year ($1,886/month). After median rent of $1,561/month, you'd have roughly $3,897/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Nampa is $408,658, which is 5.7× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Idaho has a 5.695% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.02%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.56%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.