3 Idaho Towns Now Rank Among Most Expensive in the United States

When Idahoans talk about expensive housing, the conversation usually circles back to the Treasure Valley and understandably so. When the United States Census Bureau released its ranking of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Cities in America (2020-2024) last spring, five Idaho cities appeared on the list. 

Caldwell, Kuna, Meridian and Nampa all made the list which just confirms what locals already knew. Growth in our part of the state hasn’t slowed down. However, a new national study from LendingTree suggests that Idaho’s rising home prices are no longer just a Boise-area problem. 

READ MORE: Boise Residents Say They're Ready to Move to These 15 More Appealing Cities 

The study analyzed home values in what LendingTree called “micropolitan” towns. It’s a fancy name they gave to cities and towns with populations between 10,000 and 50,000. LendingTree used those numbers to put together a list of the 50 most expensive small towns in the country.

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The study also compared each town’s median home price to its median household income to illustrate how expensive homes are in comparison to what people who live there actually make. 

After crunching the numbers, five Idaho cities appeared in the Top 50. That means home prices in those communities are higher than most similarly sized towns across the United States, even when local incomes are factored in. 

Three of those Idaho towns actually fought their way into the Top 25 and none of them were in the Treasure Valley. Whether it’s in North Idaho or the Wood River Valley, these smaller communities are now being compared to major cities when it comes to the cost of a mortgage. 

Can you predict which Idaho cities made the Top 25? Here’s a look at the 25 most expensive small towns in America and the major metros that their home prices rival.