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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
If you're comparing cities, this is the number to watch. And with some exceptions, 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 thresho…
#1 Ranked: Nampa — cost index 91, 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
If you're comparing cities, this is the number to watch. And with some exceptions, 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. If you've ever felt priced out, the numbers here offer a different path.
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: 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. For families with student loans, that cost gap is a second income.
There's more to the story, though. State context matters: Idaho's 3 cities average a 101 cost index with $1,739/month median rent and $84,039 household income. Pandemic migration boom has reshaped prices. One number below changes this entire conversation.
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. And broadly, 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.
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. And as far as the data shows, on the category level, Housing (index 91) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) 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
A closer look at Boise: the cost index of 99 breaks down to a Housing index of 99 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,703/month — 10% below the national median — while household income sits at $81,308, meaning locals spend about 25% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
134,801 residents · Idaho
Meridian earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 114 cost index sits 3 points above the national baseline, and the $98,686 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $526,393 — $59,023 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 103, while Housing trails at 114 (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
| 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 |
Nampa ranks #1 in Idaho for this analysis with a cost index of 91 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 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 $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.