Where is Boise Located?

Boise is the capital of Idaho and the states largest city. It is located in the Boise-Nampa Metroplitan Statistical Area ( MSA). After Seattle and Portland, Boise is the third largest city in the Pacific Northwest. A 6 hr. drive to the Northwest will take you to Portland and the same travel time will get you to Salt Lake City. Boise is located in southwestern Idaho only 41 miles east of the Oregon border and 110 miles north of the Nevada border.

Boise and surrounding communities make up the Treasure Valley.  Most of the land is flat plain, though there are mountains that rise to the northeast of the city and continue west just north of the city of Eagle. These mountains are referred to as the Boise foothills. The city of Boise has a total area of approximately 64 square miles. Elevation of the area is 2,700 feet.

Four Seasons

Boise's climate is often referred to as high desert with four distinct seasons. In summer, it is not uncommon to see temperatures above 100 degrees and in winter, snow can fall.  Rainfall is typically light averaging only about 1 inch per month. March is the wettest month and August is the dryest. Many local residents agree that spring and fall are the nicest times of year.

The People That Live Here

According to the 2006 Census estimate, Boise's population was just over 198,000 with the entire metro area estimated to have almost 650,000 residents. The racial makeup of the city was 92.15% White 0.77% African American, 0.70% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.74% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.53% of the population.

There were 74,438 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,432, and the median income for a family was $52,014. Males had a median income of $36,893 versus $26,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,696. About 5.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or older.

Our Economy

Boise has recently received national press regarding it's business climate and fantastic quality of life. Forbes Magazine ranks Boise #3 city Best Places for business and careers. One reason is that the city is the headquarters for several major companies, such as URS Corp. Boise, Inc., Albertsons Inc., J.R. Simplot Company, Idaho Pacific Lumber Company, Idaho Timber Corporation, WinCo Foods and Hewlett Packard's printer division. Other major industries are headquartered in Boise or have large manufacturing facilities present. The state government is also one of the city's largest employers.

The area's largest private employer publicly traded and headquartered company in Boise is Micron Technology Others include IDACORP, Inc, the parent company of Idaho Power, Idaho Bancorp  American Ecology Corp., PCS Edventures.com Inc. and Syringa Bancorp.

Technology plays a huge part in the economy, with businesses including Bodybuilding.com, Crucial.com, MobileDataForce, MarkMonitor, Sybase, Kayako, Balihoo.com and Microsoft.Call centers are also a major source of employment; there are over 20 call centers in the city employing more than 7,000 people, including Teleperformance, DIRECTV and T-Mobile.

Culture and Recreation is Booming in Boise

Since 2000, Boise's cultural community has expanded by great lengths. The city is home to several museums, including the Boise Art Museum, Idaho Historical Museum, Discovery Center of Idaho, Idaho Black History Museum and the Basque Museum and Cultural Center.  Boise's Basque community is the fourth largest in the world and every five years the Basque festival of Jaialdi is held in the city.

Theater and Music also are important to residents. The Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise Little Theater and Contemporary Theater host ongoing events throughout the year.

When it comes to outdoor recreation, the city of Boise is at the top of the list. Hiking and Biking is available directly in town along the Boise river. The extensive Boise River Greenbelt is one of the nations largest urban trail system.  The river is also a destination for swimming, rafting and fishing during the warm summer months.
Interested in skiing? No Problem! Within sixteen miles of downtown, cross-country, downhill skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing are found at Bogus Basin Ski Resort.

If you are interested more in spectator sports, Boise has plenty. Minor league professional sports teams such as the Boise Hawks baseball team, Idaho Steelheads hockey team and Idaho Stampede basketball team will keep you entertained.
When it comes to college sports, Boise State University is second to none. The BSU Broncos are one of college footballs most successful teams over the past decade and host rival WAC teams and others on the infamous blue turf at Bronco Stadium each Fall. Academics at the school are also top notch.

Sections of Boise Worth Investigating

Downtown Boise

Downtown Boise is a vibrant community from early morning until the late night hours. This area is home to many small businesses and several high-rises. Downtown has tons of shopping and fantastic restaurants. Streetside cafes and shops line the very popular 8th street. Recently, many national chains have recognized the area and set up shop here including PF Changs, Bonefish Grill, The North Face, Urban Outfitters, Helly Hansen, Ann Taylor Loft, Anthropologie and Title Nine. Since 2005, many condo's have been developed downtown ranging from loft apartments to luxury penthouse units priced into the millions.

The North End

The North End, which contains many of Boise's older homes, is known for its tree-lined drives such as Harrison Boulevard, and for its quiet neighborhoods near the downtown area. Downtown Boise is visible from Camel's Back Park.  Within biking or walking distance of Downtown, Foothills trails, the Greenbelt, parks, the YMCA and Boise State University, this is the spot to see a range of residential architecture, from bungalow to Queen Anne to mission style. On 13th Street, Hyde Park is home to restaurants and other businesses. The North End also hosts events such as the annual Hyde Park Street Fair.

The median home price is $305,000 for the first quarter of 2008 according to the Intermountain MLS.

Southwest Boise

Southwest Boise is populated by new subdivisions and older homes that are densest along its northern border, Overland Road - one of the few commercial corridors. As the neighborhood stretches south, lots spread out, becoming larger and interspersed with farms and horse properties. The area lies fairly close to Interstate 84, theaters, shopping, the airport, golf and the Boise Bench area.

For the firest quarter of 2008, the median home price was $198,000 according to IMLS.

Northwest Boise

Northwest Boise lies blanketed against the Boise Foothills to the north, the major thoroughfare State Street to the south, the city of Eagle to the west, and Downtown Boise to the east. It contains an eclectic mix of old and new neighborhoods, including Lakeharbor, which features the private Silver Lake, a reclaimed quarry. Northwest Boise has some pockets of older homes with a similar aesthetic to the North End, yet housing prices tend to be lower. Downtown is minutes away, as is Veteran's Memorial Park and easy access to the Boise Greenbelt.  Across the river sits the Boise Bench and to the west is fast access to the communities of Eagle, Star, and Middleton.

The median home price as of first quarter 2008 was $230,000 according to IMLS.

Warm Springs

Warm Springs is centered around the tree-lined Warm Springs Avenue and contains some of Boise's largest and most expensive homes (many of which were erected by wealthy miners and businessmen around the turn of the 20th century; Victorian styles feature prominently). The area gets its name from the natural hot springs that flow from Boise's fault line and warm many of the homes in the area.

South East Boise

South East Boise spans from Boise State University to Micron Technology – all areas between Federal Way and the Boise River. The older area just south of the University can be described as a cross between the North End and the Boise bench. The rest of South East Boise was developed in the last thirty years with suburban style homes. Unlike the more typical flat suburban sprawl, residents of South East Boise are reminded of their city's natural beauty as they catch a close view of Table Rock, or drive along the winding Parkcenter Blvd. along the Boise River. Many people consider this end of Boise a hidden gem as just about everything is about 15 minutes from home: the river, greenbelt, the mountains, lakes, snow, high mountain desert, and more.

Columbia Village subdivision and the older Oregon Trail Heights, were the first major planned communities in South East Boise with an elementary and middle school all within walking distance from all homes. The subdivision is located at the intersections of Interstate 84, Idaho 21, and Federal Way (former US Highway), which are all major arteries to get anywhere in Boise. The subdivision was developed around the Simplot Sports complex (with over 20 fields), as well as a baseball complex, swimming pools, and the has a stunning view of the valley. Surprise Valley is another large subdivision located on the bench above the river. Its homes are much higher end than the Columbia Village and Oregon Trail Heights subdivisions.

The median home price as of first quarter 2008 was $249,900 according to IMLS.

The Boise Bench is south of Downtown Boise and is raised in elevation approximately 60 feet (18 m). The bench is named such because the sudden rise in elevation gives the prominent appearance of a step, or bench. The Bench (or Benches, there are 3 actual benches throughout the Boise Valley) was created as an ancient shoreline to the old river channel. The Bench is home to the old Boise Train Depot and extensive residential neighborhoods. Due south of the Boise Bench is the Boise Airport, raised up on another "bench".

The median home price as of first quarter 2008 was $160,000 according to IMLS.

West Boise

West Boise is home to Boise Towne Square Mall, the largest in the state, as well as numerous restaurants, strip malls, and residential developments ranging from new subdivisions to apartment complexes.  It is relatively the flatest section of Boise, with sweeping views of the Boise Front.

The median home price as of first quarter 2008 was $175,000 according to IMLS.