Idaho Falls vs Meridian
Idaho Falls, Idaho versus Meridian, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Meridian edges out Idaho Falls on overall objective livability (56 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Idaho Falls | Meridian |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $58k |
| Home Value | $267k | $426k |
| Monthly Rent | $931 | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.68% | 0.56% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.53% | 10.35% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 2.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5 in | 12.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.7 in | 9.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 252 days | 268 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 43°F |
| Comfortable Days | 24 days | 59 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.5 | 7.7 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 21.0 | 19.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1111/100k | 746/100k |
| Property Crime | 1383/100k | 641/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 65,685 | 119,872 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | Even |
| White (%) | 78.0% | 82.2% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.6% | 9.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 11.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 187 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.7% | 94.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 38.52 | 39.63 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Idaho Falls or Meridian more affordable?
- Idaho Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Idaho Falls's $50k and Meridian's $58k. Median rent is $931 in Idaho Falls versus $2k in Meridian.
- Is Idaho Falls or Meridian safer?
- Meridian has the lower violent crime rate. Idaho Falls reports 1111/100k and Meridian reports 746/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Idaho Falls or Meridian?
- The median home value is $267k in Idaho Falls and $426k in Meridian, so homes are more affordable in Idaho Falls.