One of the Cheapest Grocery Stores in America Has 13 Locations in Idaho

If there’s one thing that people living in Idaho, more specifically the Boise area, can agree on, it’s that life here has gotten considerably more expensive over the past decade. 

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report still had Boise on their list of “Top Overvalued U.S. Housing Markets” based on mortgage to income ratios. According to Realtor.com, the median listing price for a home in the Boise area in July 2023 was $599,900. That’s up about 7.1% from the same time a year ago. While Boise rental prices have fallen about 6.9% in the past year, Apartment List still considers Boise #66 when it comes to the most expensive large city in the U.S. when it comes to rental payments. 

The price of getting around the Gem State is still high too. At press time, AAA says that Idaho had the ninth highest gas prices in the country with an average price per gallon of $4.051 and that it’s continuing to creep up.

According to Energy Bot, the price of electricity in Idaho has gone up, too. The good news? Even with the slight increase, Idahoans are saving on their energy bills by living in the state. Their table shows that Idaho has the lowest average kilowatt price in the country. 

How Idahoans Can Cut Back on Their Food Costs

Food’s another necessity that’s gotten more expensive. While price increases on food have started to slow down, the USDA reveals that grocery store prices are still up about 4.7% from June 2022 to June 2023.  You may try to cut back on how much you’re spending by using coupons or looking for sales, but switching to a different grocery store entirely might be a good option too! 

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U.S. News & World Report just published their updated list of the 7 Cheapest Grocery Stores in the U.S. and the good news is that one of the Top 3 doesn’t just have stores in Idaho, it’s actually based in our backyard. 

WinCo is the Third Cheapest Grocery Store in the United States

According to the U.S. News & World Report, 87% of the people who answered their survey felt that WinCo provided value for your money landing it at the #3 spot on the list behind Illinois-based Aldi and Wisconsin-based Woodman’s Market. Neither of those brands have stores in Idaho, but Boise-based WinCo has 13 stores in Idaho. 

How does WinCo help save you money at check out? The article quotes Andrea Woroch, a consumer finance and budgeting expert who explains: 

They buy produce and other groceries directly from farmers and manufacturers in bulk so they get better prices per unit to pass on to shoppers.

The Rest of the Best

Two more retailers with locations in Idaho round themselves on the list. California-based Grocery Outlet came in at #6 with 78% of survey respondents saying they offer value for your money. They have 13 locations in Idaho, with plans to grow. 

Washington state-based Costco, ranked #7 with 75% of survey respondents saying they offer value for your money. They have 7 locations in Idaho.