Basalt is a small town of 430 in Idaho, with a median household income of $72,917
and a 1.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is
6% below the national average.
Strengths:
Basalt stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Basalt is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Basalt city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.9
Basalt's overall cost of living index is 93.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Basalt costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
Metric
Basalt, ID
National Avg
Median Home Value
$211,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,036
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
84.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$72,917
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Basalt's violent crime rate is 149.5 per 100,000 residents
— 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
149.5 /100k
Property Crime
653.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Basalt, ID
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
13.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Basalt sees average highs of 31.2°F in January
and 86.9°F in July,
with 12.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 14.7 inches of snow per year.
Basalt's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Basalt roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $211,300 and median rent is $1,036/month.
Basalt's violent crime rate is 149.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 653.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Basalt, ID has a population of 430, a median household income of $72,917, and an unemployment rate of 1.8%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Basalt averages 31.2°F in January and 86.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.1 inches
with about 14.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Basalt, ID is covered by 1 ZIP code: 83218.
The population of Basalt, Idaho is 430 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Basalt: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $211,300, median household income $72,917, crime index 36 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Basalt side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.