Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Nampa, ID
VS
Sandy, UT
🏆 Sandy leads 13 of 23 categories
Nampa
Idaho
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
102,598 ✓ Larger
Sandy
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$108,165 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
95,635
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $203k less ($289,400 vs $492,300)
Rent averages $439/mo less ($1,201 vs $1,640)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Sandy
Smaller class sizes — 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sandy by $40,819/yr
Sandy, UT
Pros
Households earn $40,819 more per year on average
30% less violent crime than Nampa
Violent crime is well below the national average (246.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 44.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (2.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $492,300
Higher rents — median is $1,640/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Nampa
Snowy winters — about 82" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Nampa
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Median Home Value
$203k less
$289,400 vs $492,300
Sandy
Median Income
$40,819
$108,165 vs $67,346/yr
Sandy
Violent Crime
30% lower
246.7 vs 353.1 per 100k
Sandy
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
2.2% vs 3.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Nampa, ID | Sandy, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $289,400 ✓ Lower | $492,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,201 ✓ Lower | $1,640⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,346 | $108,165 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.0% | 2.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.5 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 17.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 70 | 69 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.4% | 44.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.7% | 95.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT | Canyons District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.5°F ✓ Warmer | 38.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer | 90.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.0" ✓ Drier | 21.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.7" ✓ Less | 81.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 102,598 ✓ Larger | 95,635 |
| Median Age | 33.5 | 36.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% | 76.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Nampa's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Sandy's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sandy leads 13 of 23 categories. Nampa wins 10 and Sandy wins 13. 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 Nampa to Sandy or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($289,400 vs $492,300 median home), income ($67,346 vs $108,165), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Nampa, ID and Sandy, UT are about 319 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.