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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 $60K 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…
#1 Ranked: Nampa — cost index 91, rent $1,561/mo, income $72,122
0 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
0 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K 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 $60K 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.
Here's Nampa by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 91. Rent: $1,561/month. Income: $72,122/year. Home price: $408,658. Population: 114,268. The strongest category is Housing at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,008 per year vs. the national median. Year over year, that savings rate is portfolio-grade.
On a $60K salary, the key number is $1,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Nampa ($1,561/mo, 31%), Boise ($1,703/mo, 34%), Meridian ($1,954/mo, 39%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $43,740 to $43,740/year across these top picks.
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. 0 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. In a market where everything is going up, this stands still — in a good way.
Put differently: Here's the state-level backdrop: Idaho averages a 101 cost index, $1,739/mo rent, and $84,039 income across 3 cities. That's $156 less than the national rent average. Pandemic migration boom has reshaped prices — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
Bottom line: Nampa leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
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
The numbers for Nampa are straightforward: 91 on the cost index, $1,561/month rent, $72,122 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Fairly typical for a city this size (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
235,421 residents · Idaho
The #2 spot goes to Boise, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,703/month — whether that matters depends on your situation — — saving renters $2,304 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
134,801 residents · Idaho
The #3 spot goes to Meridian, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,954/month — costing renters $708 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 103, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 114. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Nampa | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $43,740 |
2Boise | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $43,740 |
3Meridian | 5.695% | 6.02% | 0.56% | $43,740 |
We model what a $60K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 91 and median income of $72,122.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Nampa, rent would consume about 31% 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 91 and rent of $1,561/mo, while Meridian (ranked #3) has a cost index of 114 and rent of $1,954/mo — a 23-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 $60K in Nampa is approximately $43,740/year ($3,645/month). After median rent of $1,561/month, you'd have roughly $25,008/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.