Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Meridian, ID
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Meridian leads 14 of 22 categories
Meridian
Idaho
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4
Median Household Income
$93,296 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
119,872 ✓ Larger
Nampa
Idaho
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4
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.
Meridian, ID
Pros
58% less violent crime than Nampa
Households earn $25,950 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 43.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,800
Higher rents — median is $1,548/mo
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $136k less ($289,400 vs $425,800)
Rent averages $347/mo less ($1,201 vs $1,548)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Cons
Median income trails Meridian by $25,950/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Meridian
Median Income
$25,950
$93,296 vs $67,346/yr
Meridian
Violent Crime
58% lower
146.8 vs 353.1 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 93.4 on the COL index
Nampa
Median Home Value
$136k less
$289,400 vs $425,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Meridian, ID | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 | 93.4 |
| Median Home Value | $425,800⚠ High | $289,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,548⚠ High | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,296 ✓ Higher | $67,346 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% ✓ Lower | 3.0% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.8% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 35 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.5% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.8°F | 39.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.4" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3" | 9.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,872 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.3% ✓ Higher | 70.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% ✓ More | 25.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Meridian's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Meridian leads 14 of 22 categories. Meridian wins 14 and Nampa wins 8. 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 Meridian to Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,800 vs $289,400 median home), income ($93,296 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Meridian, ID and Nampa, ID are about 9 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.