Loading
Assembling your view…
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 $75K salary, 2 cities (67%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in Idaho using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Nampa come…
#1 Ranked: Nampa — cost index 104, rent $1,561/mo, income $72,122
2 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
2 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Nampa | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $53,438 |
2Boise | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $53,438 |
3Meridian | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $53,438 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (67%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. 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.
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. 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. That level of affordability is getting rarer every year.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Nampa ($1,561/mo, 25%), Boise ($1,703/mo, 27%), Meridian ($1,954/mo, 31%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $53,438 to $53,438/year across these top picks.
The real story isn't in the ranking — it's in the details below. 2 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (67%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
It's a strong position — but not without footnotes. Across Idaho, the average cost of living index is 110 — 2 points below the national median. Known for pandemic migration boom has reshaped prices, the state offers 3 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,739/month. That's $156 less than the national average of $1,895. This alone could tip the scales.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 2 cities (67%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Rent in #1-ranked Nampa has increased from $1,502 to $1,561/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
114,268 residents · Idaho
What does daily life actually cost in Nampa? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 95) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 109) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $72,122 and homes at $408,658 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
235,421 residents · Idaho
What does daily life actually cost in Boise? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 101) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 125) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $81,308 — whether that matters depends on your situation — and homes at $494,696 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
134,801 residents · Idaho
Why Meridian ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 115 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 3% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,954/month while the median household pulls in $98,686/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 106, though Housing (138) lags behind. Home prices average $526,393 — $59,023 above the national median.
We calculate what percentage of a $75K 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 $75K salary in Nampa, rent would consume about 25% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 $75K in Nampa is approximately $53,438/year ($4,453/month). After median rent of $1,561/month, you'd have roughly $34,706/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.