Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boise City, ID
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Boise City leads 15 of 22 categories
Boise City
Idaho
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$76,402 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
234,192 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boise City, ID
Pros
Households earn $18,459 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Provo
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Provo, UT
Pros
30% less violent crime than Boise City
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $134/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,223)
Cons
Median income trails Boise City by $18,459/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Boise City
Key Differences at a Glance
Boise City
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 95.8 (100 = US avg)
Boise City
Median Income
$18,459
$76,402 vs $57,943/yr
Boise City
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
Provo
Violent Crime
30% lower
206.6 vs 293.8 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$10k less
$391,500 vs $401,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boise City, ID | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper | 95.8 |
| Median Home Value | $401,800⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,223 | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,402 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.4% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 68 | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 61 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BOISE INDEPENDENT DISTRICT | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.8°F | 41.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.5" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.6" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 234,192 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 37.9 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boise City's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Boise City is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Boise City leads 15 of 22 categories. Boise City wins 15 and Provo wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Boise City to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($401,800 vs $391,500 median home), income ($76,402 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boise City, ID and Provo, UT are about 330 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.