Boise Area Information

Looking for a great place to live? Boise just might be the perfect choice.

The Boise area offers the perfect blend of "small town" quality of life with all the amenities of a big city.

One of Boise greatest draws is its friendly people and safe streets. In Boise bad news still makes the news. It is sad that in many cities violent crime is no longer newsworthy. In Boise, however, when something bad happens it still hits the front page of the paper. In all, the Violent Crime Rate in Boise is 45% less than the National average. When compared to cities such as Los Angeles where the Violent Crime Rate is 113% more than the National average, it is easy to see that Boise is a much safer place than your typical city. In fact, in December of 2007, Farmers insurance rated Boise the second safest city in the nation.

The population of Boise is 193,414. The population of the greater Boise area (Boise Metropolitan Statistical Area or Boise MSA) is 587,526. The Boise MSA includes surrounding communities such as Meridian, Eagle and Nampa. This population size is moderate enough to not feel overwhelmed, but also substantial enough to provide a strong and robust business climate.

Boise businesses are wide ranging. Unlike some smaller communities that rely on a single industry or large anchor business for most of its jobs, Boise offers a wide range of businesses spanning many industries. From high tech to agriculture and everything in between, Boise offers something for everyone. Hewlett Packard, Micron Technology and Microsoft all have campuses in Boise and a large number of smaller tech-firms have cropped up in supporting roles and spin-offs from the larger firms. In March of 2008 Boise was ranked the second best place in the Nation for business and careers by Forbes magazine.

The majority of the east portion of the Treasure valley consists of Boise, Meridian and Eagle. These communities each have unique and separate identities, however, they are all essentially part of the Boise area. Boise lies in the Northeast portion of valley. Eagle lies to the immediate Northwest of Boise at the base of the foothills. Meridian is directly West of Boise and is adjacent to Eagle at the North.

North Boise is defined by the historic "North End" residential real estate with mature trees and pristinely renovated classic homes. Eagle offers some of the Boise area's more affluent neighborhoods. Meridian might best be described as the new construction suburbs of Boise without the suburbs stigma. Meridian offers plenty of class and character with new shopping, restaurants, entertainment and commerce.

Looking for something fun to do? Catch the latest movie at one of Boise's multiplex, stadium style seating movie theaters. Whether the Edwards 21 off the freeway or the Edwards 9 in downtown Boise in the new and upscale BoDo district. To round out your evening, if you're visiting the Edwards 21, consider catching a meal before the show at the Cheesecake factory which is just down the street or, if you're headed downtown, take in a meal at P.F. Changs or The Spaghetti Factory which are both within walking distance of the theater. Boise offers many excellent restaurants to suite all dining tastes. Simply in the mood for a great pizza? Be certain to visit Guidos in downtown Boise or their second location in West Boise.

The weather in Boise is moderate. A common misconception about the Boise area is that there is lots of snow in the winter months. In reality, most Boise snowstorms leave just a few inches of snow on the ground. Just enough snow to make a snowman and throw snowballs in the morning, but not so much snow that you have to battle the snow for days on end. Most snow in Boise melts off within a day or two.

One of the great things about Boise is that we enjoy four real seasons. The beautiful colors of spring and fall are very impressive and give Boise tremendous character and beauty. Temperatures in the summer are often in the 70's and 80's and daytime temperatures in the winter are typically in the 30's and 40's.

The Boise area offers excellent healthcare options. St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus are the two major hospitals in the Boise market. St. Lukes operates hospitals in the downtown Boise core as well as a second hospital in Meridian. St. Alphonsus operates hospitals in the central Boise area and in Eagle. Both St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus are very reputable and well respected in the market and offer a complete range of in-patient and out-patient services. Another advantage that commonly impresses new residents is the hospitals' lightning fast service. Horribly long hospital wait times are nowhere to be found in the Boise market.

Boise has many options for the outdoor enthusiast. A favorite pastime of the locals is floating the Boise River. The Boise River is peaceful and calm and the float from Barber Park to the take out point lasts about two hours. Truly a great way to spend an afternoon with the family. For the more adventurous rafter a quick drive one-hour north will find you on the Payette River with class three to class five rapids. Hiking in the Boise foothills or walking along the Boise Greenbelt are also favorite summertime activities. In the winter months Bogus Basin ski resort is just a quick 45 minute drive up the hill from North Boise and Brundage in McCall and Tamarack in Donnely are approximately two hours North of Boise. Sun Valley is about three hours to the East.

Boise offers plenty for the sports fan. The Boise State Broncos won national fame in 2007 with their impressive win against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Broncos football is huge in Boise and if you love being a hardcore fan, then Boise Football wont disappoint. The Idaho Steelheads are Boise's hockey team, which is a farm team for the Dallas Stars of the NHL. Steelies hockey offers non-stop action and all the fun you would expect at a fast paced hockey game. The Boise Hawks are Boise's baseball farm team for the Chicago Cubs. Great baseball with plenty of after game fireworks to boot!

Have a question that hasn't been addressed here? Please feel free to ask now via our online chat system by clicking here. Chat will open in a new window.

Are you thinking about making a trip to Boise? Be sure to spend some time with one of our agents who will give you a grand tour of the Boise area. The tour takes approximately four to eight hours (depending on whether you would like to explore any homes along the way) and is best when taken at the very beginning of your trip so that you can get your bearings on our wonderful city. Please contact us to make arrangements.