Garden City vs Idaho City
Garden City, Idaho versus Idaho City, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Garden City edges out Idaho City on overall objective livability (57 vs 52 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Garden City | Idaho City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $42k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $48k |
| Home Value | $363k | $96k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $729 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $220 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.72% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.01% | 10.01% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 6.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3 in | 21.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3 in | 116.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 268 days | 268 days |
| Summer Humidity | 43°F | 43°F |
| Comfortable Days | 62 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 25.4 | 87.9 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.1 | 41.1 |
| Violent Crime | 882/100k | 824/100k |
| Property Crime | 826/100k | 365/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 12,301 | 673 |
| Median Age | 47.1 | 38.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.17 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.85 | 0.85 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+49 |
| White (%) | 84.9% | 88.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.2% | 8.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | — |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 11.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 85.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 499.96 | 118.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Garden City or Idaho City more affordable?
- Idaho City has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Garden City's $58k and Idaho City's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Garden City versus $729 in Idaho City.
- Is Garden City or Idaho City safer?
- Idaho City has the lower violent crime rate. Garden City reports 882/100k and Idaho City reports 824/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Garden City or Idaho City?
- The median home value is $363k in Garden City and $96k in Idaho City, so homes are more affordable in Idaho City.