Nicknamed “City of Trees,” Boise was discovered in the early 1800s when French-American fur trappers saw trees along the now-Boise River and nicknamed the area Boise, which means “wooded” in French. The city grew over the next few decades, becoming the state capital in 1864, and today Boise lives up to its original nickname, embracing its surrounding natural beauty and recreation.
Considered one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, Boise has just under 236,000 residents, making it the largest city by population in Idaho. Despite its metro city status, it has a small-town feel and slow-paced lifestyle. “There’s that community aspect to it, where when you go up to Bogus Basin, you see your dentist, you see your neighborhood friend, and you see Bob from school. You actually see people you know,” says Craig Flood, a real estate agent with the Living in Idaho Team and the creator behind the Living in Idaho YouTube channel.
Boise’s leading industries include technology, food production and manufacturing, and major employers include grocery chain Albertsons and Micron Technology. Micron recently broke ground on a $15 billion expansion project in the Boise area, expected to create 2,000 new jobs. The city has a large concentration of Basque people hailing from the Basque Country in parts of France and Spain. About 16,000 Basque people live in the city, and a part of Downtown Boise called the Basque Block is dedicated to their heritage and culture.
Families enjoy the Alive After 5 at the Grove Plaza in downtown Boise.
Join Idyltime for old timey bluegrass music fun at Green Acres Community Squaredance.
Crowds listen to the spirited vibes at the Boise Soul Food Festival.
You’ll love the outdoor lifestyle of the Foothills.
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More than 90 parks and year-round activities
Boise’s biggest asset is natural beauty. Each neighborhood has its own park, including Central Rim , Foothills and East End ; the city operates more than 90 in total. “Ann Morrison Park is ginormous. You have the dog park; you have the baseball fields. I go there with friends in the summertime, and we play volleyball in the back,” says Flood. The Boise River Greenbelt includes tree-lined walkways along the Boise River; folks can stop in one of the parks, public swimming pools or golf courses as they stroll along the pathway. The city’s parks and recreation department runs the Foothills Learning Center, Boise Urban Garden School and the Boise Watershed, which provide educational opportunities for kids and adults.
In the winter, people drive 15 miles to Bogus Basin for skiing, snowboarding, tubing and fat tire biking. Boise also has two ice skating rinks: the public Glide on Grove downtown, and Idaho Ice World, a private indoor rink. All these recreation opportunities put Boise in the top 30 healthiest cities in the country, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Quail Hollow golf course in the beautiful foothills is sure to challenge your game.
Practice all your tricks at Rhodes Skate Park in West Downtown.
Beautiful Bogus Basin is just a short retreat away from downtown Boise.
Enjoy endless trails for hiking, running, and biking throughout the Boise area.
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Home to 30 neighborhoods with diverse housing
Boise has more than 30 neighborhoods, each with its own association. East End has several parks and top-rated schools, while Barber Valley is a new neighborhood with large contemporary homes. The Depot Bench is one of the eight neighborhoods in the Bench section of the city, popular for its proximity to Ann Morrison Park and historic homes. The North End of the city is also popular, says Flood. “That’s a huge area that can’t really grow. It’s really close to downtown, and you have Hyde Park and Camel’s Back Park, so the prices there have just skyrocketed over the last few years,” Flood says.
The median price for a single-family home in Boise is around $515,000, less expensive than nearby suburbs like Eagle and Meridian. Home prices throughout Boise continue to trend upward, and the number of properties on the market has decreased over the past few years. Condos are in and around downtown, while townhouses are more widespread. The median price for a townhouse is around $475,000, roughly the same price as Eagle and Meridian.
Winding streets and hillside views in Quail Ridge in the Foothills.
Modern townhomes are common near Warm Springs Golf Course.
The Central Rim's largest homes feature five bedrooms.
Historic homes like this beautiful Queen Ann can be found in the North End.
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Hundreds of annual events and vibrant city nightlife
Downtown is one of the city’s most walkable areas and the heart of Boise’s food and retail scene. Lining downtown sidewalks are several coffee shops and a diverse selection of restaurants, including KIN, where chef Kris Komori, won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in 2023. Komori was the first Idaho chef to receive the award. Towards West Boise is an array of shopping outlets ranging from big box retailers to chain restaurants. Boise Town Square has more than 150 stores, including Macy’s, Dillard’s and JCPenney.
Boise holds hundreds of annual events, including cultural festivals and races. The Boise Farmers Market runs from April to October, and the North End’s Hyde Park Street Fair has been a staple for 40 years. Streets shut down during the fair for food trucks, vendors and bands. Concerts are held at the Morrison Center, a popular music venue, and music festivals like the Treefort Music Festival and Boise Music Festival happen every year. But one of the most popular annual events is the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic, where dozens of colorful hot air balloons take over Ann Morrison Park for about five days.
The Boise State Broncos draw people from across the state for their football games, but the city also has two minor league teams: the Boise Hawks baseball team and the Idaho Steelheads hockey team.
Large murals can be spotted throughout the city, but the most notable artsy spot is Freak Alley, which has hundreds of murals by local artists along its brick walls. The James Castle House is a historic site that preserves the artwork, working spaces and artifacts of self-taught artist James Castle. Boise is home to five museums with lots of history and interactive elements. Basque Block, located around Capitol Boulevard and 6th Street, celebrates the Basque culture with a museum, restaurant and market.
The annual Spirit of Boise balloon festival draws in thousands of people from all over Idaho.
Live music on two separate stages helps set the vibes at the annual Hyde Park Street Festival.
Male dancers perform on the streets of the Basque Block in downtown Boise.
Sing along with the band at Tator Patch Tuesdays in downtown Boise.
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Top-rated school district and Division I university
The Boise School District is one of the top-rated districts in Idaho, earning an A-minus grade from Niche. The district teaches around 22,500 students spread out across its 46 schools. Boise High and Timberline High, both rated A, are two of the state’s top ten public high schools. The district also has a nationally recognized career program, and 73% of students go to college after graduation. Depending on their home address, some students attend the West Ada School District, also rated A-minus.
Riverstone International School is an A-plus rated private school, and Boise State University is located south of the Boise River. The university has about 26,000 students and a Division I athletic program with 17 national championships and 141 conference championships. Albertsons Stadium, home to the Broncos football team, draws crowds of 36,000, making it one of the most attended sporting events in the area.
Boise High School offers a well-rounded curriculum, promoting academic excellence and growth.
Middle school students in downtown Boise or the north end can attend North Junior High.
Study on the steps of Foothills School of Art and Science in downtown Boise.
Most students attending BSU reside in downtown Boise.
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Car-dependent city with sidewalk improvements
Boise tends to be more car-dependent than other major cities. Gridded streets near downtown make driving around the city relatively easy. Front Street is considered one of the busiest roads in Boise; about 40,000 cars use it every day. Interstate 84 runs through Boise, linking it to far-away major cities like Salt Lake City and Portland. Boise Airport is on the southern edge of town, offering direct flights to 28 U.S. cities.
Boise is served by Valley Regional Transit, the Treasure Valley’s public transportation agency. The bus line takes people all the way to Caldwell, 28 miles west of Boise. While most people get around by car, the city has seen an increase in bike commuters. The city’s Transportation Action Plan outlines a reinvention of its transportation options around the city and its suburbs. Initiatives include improving bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks with hopes to make downtown less reliant on cars.
Crime rates trending downward and new public safety plans
The overall crime rate in Boise continues to decline, with most offenses occurring in the city’s downtown and southwest areas. As of October 2024, overall crime is 19% down from 2023. The Boise Police reported only one homicide in 2024; assault, the most repeated offense, dropped 33% from the previous year. The city recently launched a strategic public safety plan to improve response rates and increase its public safety workforce.
Climate Change initiatives in full swing
Boise gets all four seasons. Springtime temperatures can creep into the 50s, and in the summertime, the heat can exceed 90 degrees. Fall leaves tend to change color in mid-October, and the city gets about 20 inches of snow per year – just enough to cover the mountains. According to the American Lung Association, Boise is one of the worst cities for air quality, with many high ozone days. In 2021, the city set multiple goals for climate change. The biggest goal is for the city to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Residential and Investment Real Estate is not only Daniel Riess's business; it is in his blood. He grew up with direct experience that goes with being raised by a family whose primary income was generated through investment properties.
At age 21 he purchased his first home. Shortly following, buying and renting out his own income properties. Nine years of income property experience later, he schooled up and acquired his Real Estate license. Six more years working full time real estate, for two National Franchisesâ and one Sole Propitiator, he opened his own real estate company (Realty Market Brokers). He has also brokered for three other companies and mentored several agents to a successful career in real estate.
Fast forward to today; his clients know that he has virtual ESP when it comes to evaluating real estate for them. He sizes up the potential problems as well as the projected return so that their purchase decisions are educated and clear-cut.
Plus, his long experience with the Southwest Idaho real estate market means he know of, or can quickly find, the right property and best deals. He also is very practiced at streamlining the entire process and finding solutions to roadblocks when closing the deal.
The single most important reason my clients have worked with him over and over for many years is simple; he gives them the absolute best service, and state-of-art tools, for today's market. He also foresees potential problems, that even good agents may overlook, and solve them quickly. He delivers quality with experience, integrity, honesty, knowledge, and effort.
So whether you are looking for your dream home, want to start building an income property portfolio, or are looking to expand an existing portfolio. Now is the perfect time to buy in Idaho and through him.
Over the next five years Idaho and the Treasure Valley in particular, will deliver increasingly better return for the purchases you make now. Bank owned real estate, and short sales will not be as prevalent in the near future, and current building is all but stopped. Pricing will go up shortly after inventory is diminished.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
