Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hillsboro, OR
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Nampa leads 12 of 23 categories
Hillsboro
Oregon
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
84 ✓ Safer
Population
106,612 ✓ Larger
Nampa
Idaho
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
102,598
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hillsboro, OR
Pros
Households earn $31,545 more per year on average
10% less violent crime than Nampa
More college-educated — 41.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 40°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $452,300
Higher rents — median is $1,797/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Nampa
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.0%)
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $163k less ($289,400 vs $452,300)
Rent averages $596/mo less ($1,201 vs $1,797)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.0%)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Hillsboro
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Smaller class sizes — 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Hillsboro by $31,545/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Hillsboro
Median Income
$31,545
$98,891 vs $67,346/yr
Hillsboro
Violent Crime
10% lower
317.7 vs 353.1 per 100k
Nampa
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Median Home Value
$163k less
$289,400 vs $452,300
Nampa
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.0% vs 4.6% unemployment
Nampa
Summer Heat
11.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hillsboro, OR | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $452,300⚠ High | $289,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,797⚠ High | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,891 ✓ Higher | $67,346 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 3.0% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.4% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 116⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.7% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hillsboro SD 1J | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" ✓ Less | 9.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,612 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.5% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 25.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hillsboro's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Nampa leads 12 of 23 categories. Hillsboro wins 11 and Nampa wins 12. 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 Hillsboro to Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($452,300 vs $289,400 median home), income ($98,891 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hillsboro, OR and Nampa, ID are about 341 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.