Meridian, ID

Census place 1652120 · pop 130,138

C62/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in ID
📍 Idaho ranks #9 of 50 states →
🏆 Growth+27.7% · top 5%
🚽 Bad air35 days · bottom 8%
Taxes
0.46% property · US 0.99%6.03% sales · US 7.00%5.30% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level35 days8

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

35 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$531,60018

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$531,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,995/mo34

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,995/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Air quality (AQI)County-level44 AQI44

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level88/10051

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

88/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4358

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Commute time22 min60

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Violent crime rate150/100k60

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

150 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Uninsured adults8.2%64

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

8.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health15.5%72

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher44.2%75

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

44.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$100,79576

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$100,795 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Homeownership74.6%77

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

74.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult smoking10.3%78

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Property crime rate584/100k80

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

584 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult obesity28.8%80

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

28.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poverty rate6.0%80

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

6.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Broadband access95.6%83

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity17.8%88

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

17.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property-tax burden0.46%93

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.46% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Population growth (5yr)+27.7%95

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+27.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Frequently asked

Is Meridian, ID a good place to live?
By the numbers, Meridian scores 62/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is unhealthy air days. Idaho overall ranks #9 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Meridian, ID?
Meridian reports 150 violent crimes per 100k and 584 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Meridian, ID expensive to live in?
Meridian has a median home value of $531,600 and typical rent around $1,995/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Meridian, ID?
Its weakest measured area is unhealthy air days (35 days) — 8/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Meridian, ID best at?
Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+27.7%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.