Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Nampa leads 14 of 23 categories
Houston
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Nampa
Idaho
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
102,598
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $54k less ($235,000 vs $289,400)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 40°F
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Nampa by $6,906/yr
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.0%)
Nampa, ID
Pros
69% less violent crime than Houston
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (3.0%)
Households earn $6,906 more per year on average
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Median Home Value
$54k less
$235,000 vs $289,400
Nampa
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Median Income
$6,906
$67,346 vs $60,440/yr
Nampa
Violent Crime
69% lower
353.1 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Nampa
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
3.0% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 ✓ Lower | $289,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 | $67,346 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 3.0% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 87.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 9.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 33.9 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | 25.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Nampa leads 14 of 23 categories. Houston wins 9 and Nampa wins 14. 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 Houston to Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $289,400 median home), income ($60,440 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Nampa, ID are about 1,504 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.