Meridian vs Nampa
Meridian, Idaho versus Nampa, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Meridian and Nampa score about the same overall (56 vs 55 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Meridian | Nampa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $93k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $53k |
| Home Value | $426k | $289k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.63% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.35% | 10.48% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.8 in | 11.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.7 in | 9.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 268 days | 268 days |
| Summer Humidity | 43°F | 43°F |
| Comfortable Days | 59 days | 55 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 7.7 | 12.5 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 19.9 | 31.7 |
| Violent Crime | 746/100k | 1184/100k |
| Property Crime | 641/100k | 1291/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 119,872 | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 33.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.39 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+41 |
| White (%) | 82.2% | 68.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.0% | 25.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.9/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.9% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 39.63 | 21.15 |
| 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 Meridian or Nampa more affordable?
- Nampa has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Meridian's $58k and Nampa's $53k. Median rent is $2k in Meridian versus $1k in Nampa.
- Is Meridian or Nampa safer?
- Meridian has the lower violent crime rate. Meridian reports 746/100k and Nampa reports 1184/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Meridian or Nampa?
- The median home value is $426k in Meridian and $289k in Nampa, so homes are more affordable in Nampa.