Meridian vs Twin Falls
Meridian, Idaho versus Twin Falls, 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 Twin Falls score about the same overall (56 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Meridian | Twin Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $93k | $58k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $47k |
| Home Value | $426k | $244k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $952 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.35% | 11.08% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.8 in | 9.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.7 in | 24.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 268 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 43°F | 41°F |
| Comfortable Days | 59 days | 58 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 7.7 | 23.3 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 27 AQI |
| School Quality | 19.9 | 21.0 |
| Violent Crime | 746/100k | 1603/100k |
| Property Crime | 641/100k | 1475/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 119,872 | 52,315 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 34.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+47 |
| White (%) | 82.2% | 76.6% |
| Black (%) | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.0% | 15.1% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 11.9/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 113 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.9% | 88.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 39.63 | 22.75 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Excellent |
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 Twin Falls more affordable?
- Twin Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Meridian's $58k and Twin Falls's $47k. Median rent is $2k in Meridian versus $952 in Twin Falls.
- Is Meridian or Twin Falls safer?
- Meridian has the lower violent crime rate. Meridian reports 746/100k and Twin Falls reports 1603/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Meridian or Twin Falls?
- The median home value is $426k in Meridian and $244k in Twin Falls, so homes are more affordable in Twin Falls.