How much does it cost to rent in Boise? Check all local ZIP codes with our interactive map
Boise is the 97th-largest city in the United States, but continues to punch above its weight in rental prices. The City of Trees ranks as the 60th-most expensive city to live in, according to new figures from Apartment List.
The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Boise is $1,112, while a two-bedroom apartment will run for $1,313, according to Apartment List. Those figures indicate a 1.2% increase over the past month but a 0.7% decrease compared to prices last year.
The 1.2% increase since last month is the 15th-largest increase in the nation, putting Boise in line with the type of growth larger cities such as Tampa, Florida (1.3%) and Madison, Wisconsin (1.1%) are seeing.
But what about the Treasure Valley as a whole?
While parts of downtown Boise have seen rent increases, much of the valley has enjoyed lowering prices over the past year. The following interactive map uses data from RentHub to calculate the average rent cost in each Treasure Valley ZIP code.
Median rental prices across the Treasure Valley are about $1,800, an approximate 7.2% drop from this time last year — and a significant decrease when compared to the city of Boise’s 0.7% decrease.
ZIP code 83634, which encompasses Kuna and other surrounding towns, has experienced the most significant increase in rent over the past year. The ZIP code has seen rental prices for all types of housing increase by 19.2% since February 2022 and currently has a median rental price of $2,325.
It’s a mixed bag for downtown Boise. Several of the city’s primary ZIP codes — such as 83702, 83703 and 83704 — have increased over the past year. But other Boise ZIP codes, like 83712 and 83706, have decreased as much as 15.9%.
The city continues to welcome new apartment buildings into the downtown area that it deems “affordable housing.” A 48-unit apartment building called The Martha is expected to open in April and will offer housing for “very low-income” residents, according to previous Statesman reporting.
The rest of the Treasure Valley, including Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell, has enjoyed significant decreases over the past year. ZIP code 83605, which spreads across Caldwell and Maddens, has enjoyed a 40.3% decrease over the past year and is seeing median rent prices of just $1,250 monthly.
Affordable housing help
Despite lowering prices, many Idahoans still need help finding affordable housing. The nonprofit Intermountain Fair Housing Council, which provides legal aid to eviction cases, is assisting victims of four mass evictions in the Treasure Valley, according to previous Statesman reporting.
A mass eviction is when four or more tenants are forced to leave a rental property because of significant rent increases. Intermountain Fair Housing Council also helps victims of mass evictions with rental assistance and hotel vouchers.
“This emergency rental and voucher assistance is a life saver when tenants are facing eviction or sharp rent increases,” IFHC executive director Zoe Ann Olson stated in a news release. “But it is not enough when we have over 14 mass evictions throughout Idaho, and there are no shelters and little to no affordable, accessible housing for those living below 100% of (area median income) in most counties.”
