Prices, homes, rents and state income tax side by side
By J&H Digital Services LLCChecked Oct 23, 20265 sources
Compared with most West Coast and big-city metros, Boise has cheaper homes and rents and a moderate 5.3% flat income tax. Compared with Texas, Phoenix or Las Vegas, Boise is often pricier for housing and has an income tax those states lack (Arizona's is 2.5%).
| Los Angeles, CA | Boise | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 113.6 | 98.4 |
| Housing price level | 170.4 | 105.6 |
| Typical rent, all rentals | $2,929 | $1,924 |
| Typical home value | $950,000 | $492,000 |
| State income tax | up to 13.3% | 5.3% flat |
Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. Home values: Zillow, Sept 2026. Rents: Zillow Observed Rent Index (all rentals), Sept 2026. Metro areas, not just the core city. An estimate, not a promise.
| Metro area | Price level, all items (U.S. = 100) | Housing price level (U.S. = 100) | Typical home value | Typical rent (all rentals) | State income tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, ID | 98.4 | 105.6 | $492,000 | $1,924 | 5.3% flat |
| Los Angeles, CA | 113.6 | 170.4 | $950,000 | $2,929 | Up to 13.3% |
| San Francisco, CA | 115.6 | 194.7 | $1,120,000 | $3,445 | Up to 13.3% |
| San Diego, CA | 111.9 | 179.3 | $927,000 | $2,967 | Up to 13.3% |
| Sacramento, CA | 106.7 | 130.2 | $573,000 | $2,269 | Up to 13.3% |
| Seattle, WA | 111.1 | 151.3 | $720,000 | $2,250 | None on wages |
| Portland, OR | 105.4 | 125.1 | $539,000 | $1,803 | Up to 9.9% |
| Denver, CO | 105.8 | 146.9 | $555,000 | $1,900 | 4.4% flat |
| Phoenix, AZ | 103.3 | 121.2 | $441,000 | $1,720 | 2.5% flat |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 100.9 | 123.3 | $559,000 | $1,644 | 4.5% flat |
| Las Vegas, NV | 100.2 | 115.5 | $423,000 | $1,732 | None |
| Austin, TX | 98.1 | 120.4 | $414,000 | $1,603 | None |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 103.1 | 117.9 | $358,000 | $1,659 | None |
| Chicago, IL | 103.6 | 112.0 | $356,000 | $2,163 | 4.95% flat |
| New York, NY | 112.6 | 148.6 | $731,000 | $3,546 | Up to 10.9%, plus NYC tax |
Metro areas, not core cities. Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024 (housing = rents index). Home values are Zillow's typical home value (ZHVI), Sept 2026, rounded. Rents are the Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent across all rental homes and apartments), Sept 2026. Tax rates are top state rates as of Jan. 1, 2026 (Tax Foundation); local income taxes are not included. Washington taxes large capital gains at 7% to 9%. Source: BEA, Zillow, Zillow, Tax Foundation
The Bureau of Economic Analysis compares what the same basket of goods and services costs in each metro. 100 is the U.S. average. Boise at 98.4 means overall prices were about 1.6% below average in 2024. Housing was 5.6% above average, while utilities were far below.
On housing, almost always. A typical Boise-area home costs roughly half of one in Los Angeles or San Diego, and typical rents are about $1,000 or more a month lower. Your income tax rate may also drop. But local wages are lower, so the savings shrink if you take a local job at local pay.
You will start paying state income tax on wages, at 5.3%. Boise homes cost more than in Dallas-Fort Worth or Las Vegas, though property taxes are often lower than in Texas. Run your own numbers in the calculator above.
Home values and rents are from September 2026. Price levels are from 2024, the latest BEA release. Boise's housing costs rose quickly after 2020, so older comparisons can understate them.
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