Ada County vs Bonneville County
Ada County, Idaho versus Bonneville County, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Ada County edges out Bonneville County on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ada County | Bonneville County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $50k |
| Home Value | $424k | $288k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $971 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $136k | $30k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.78% | 10.10% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 21°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.1 in | 14.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.1 in | 65.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 268 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 43°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 61 days | 28 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.8 | 82.4 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 25 AQI |
| School Quality | 26.8 | 20.1 |
| Violent Crime | 882/100k | 950/100k |
| Property Crime | 826/100k | 1082/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 497,494 | 124,490 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 33.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+45 |
| White (%) | 82.7% | 81.4% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.9% | 13.8% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 10.7/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 175 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.3% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.04 | 0.08 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ada County or Bonneville County more affordable?
- Bonneville County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Ada County's $58k and Bonneville County's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Ada County versus $971 in Bonneville County.
- Is Ada County or Bonneville County safer?
- Ada County has the lower violent crime rate. Ada County reports 882/100k and Bonneville County reports 950/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ada County or Bonneville County?
- The median home value is $424k in Ada County and $288k in Bonneville County, so homes are more affordable in Bonneville County.