If you’re looking for safe cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good food, and just overall good family friendly fun, you can stop your search: Idaho is one of the most family friendly states in the USA.
Heck, there’s a reason Idaho is one of the best states to raise a family in the country. There are great family friendly Idaho places around every corner in The Gem State. And, HomeSnacks is here to give you the ultimate guide: we’ve broken down the best places to raise a family in Idaho for 2026, and the top ten list is below.
It is a known fact that many families visit idaho on vacation and end up staying. This is because the state has Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools, cutting edge universities, good jobs with competitive salaries, and tons of staycation possibilities for families on a budget. And speaking of budgets, there are family friendly places for all types of budgets. There are places like Blackfoot for the family that loves spending time outside, places like Moscow for families just starting out, and places like Hailey for families who don’t have to worry about being on a budget.
In all family fun seriousness, you can have the family skiing on the slopes in Sun Valley and at the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise
$57,022 median income · 25.4% households with kids
Located in
Latah County, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho along the state border with Washington, with a population of 23,800 at the 2010 census. The county seat and largest city of Latah County, Moscow is the home of the University of Idaho, the state’s land grant institution and primary research university, as well as the home of New Saint Andrews College, a Christian liberal arts college.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$97,799 median income · 52.8% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$85,056 median income · 48.9% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$90,760 median income · 35.8% households with kids
Located in
Blaine County, Idaho
Hailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho.
The city is named after John Hailey, a two-time Congressional delegate from the Idaho Territory.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$72,289 median income · 26.7% households with kids
Located in
Bonner County, Idaho
Sandpoint is the largest town in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 7,365 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,013 median income · 38.1% households with kids
Located in
Canyon County, Idaho
Middleton is a city in Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 5,524 at the 2010 census, up from 2,978 in 2000. It is part of the Boise City-Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$100,795 median income · 34.8% households with kids
Located in
Ada County, Idaho
Meridian is a city located in Ada County in the US state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population of Meridian was 75,092 making it the third largest city in Idaho after Boise and Nampa. A 2015 estimate placed the population at approximately 90,739. Meridian is the state’s fastest-growing city, with an 81.5 percent increase in population since 2000.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,617 median income · 29.1% households with kids
Located in
Madison County, Idaho
Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 25,484 at the 2010 census, up from 17,257 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Fremont and Madison Counties. The city is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho, a private institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$45,292 median income · 29.6% households with kids
Weiser is a city in the rural western part of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Washington County. With its mild climate, the city supports farm, orchard, and livestock endeavors in the vicinity. The city sits at the confluence of the Weiser River with the great Snake River, which marks the border with Oregon. The population was 5,507 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$66,894 median income · 52.5% households with kids
Located in
Jerome County, Idaho
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Idaho’s statewide median.
Idaho statewide median: $77,800
Idaho statewide median: $473,335
On the map
Where Idaho’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Idaho anyways?
To give you the places in Idaho that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Idaho, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 5,000 people. For Idaho, that meant a total of 28 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Idaho.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Idaho
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moscow | 26,286 | $57,022 | $467,640 | 25.4% |
| 2 | Kimberly | 5,111 | $97,799 | $448,259 | 52.8% |
| 3 | Rigby | 5,404 | $85,056 | $472,610 | 48.9% |
| 4 | Hailey | 9,665 | $90,760 | $900,673 | 35.8% |
| 5 | Sandpoint | 9,637 | $72,289 | $632,345 | 26.7% |
| 6 | Middleton | 10,649 | $89,013 | $499,966 | 38.1% |
| 7 | Meridian | 130,138 | $100,795 | $526,994 | 34.8% |
| 8 | Rexburg | 40,543 | $50,617 | $420,170 | 29.1% |
| 9 | Weiser | 5,935 | $45,292 | $363,062 | 29.6% |
| 10 | Jerome | 12,930 | $66,894 | $399,693 | 52.5% |
| 11 | Blackfoot | 12,782 | $64,032 | $369,865 | 34.6% |
| 12 | Rathdrum | 10,874 | $86,563 | $574,778 | 34.5% |
| 13 | Shelley | 5,092 | $77,563 | $429,812 | 46.9% |
| 14 | Preston | 5,928 | $61,039 | $431,655 | 37.0% |
| 15 | Idaho Falls | 67,725 | $73,110 | $395,035 | 35.0% |
| 16 | Post Falls | 43,391 | $82,183 | $526,055 | 33.9% |
| 17 | Lewiston | 34,651 | $72,197 | $382,188 | 27.7% |
| 18 | Nampa | 110,319 | $74,279 | $412,277 | 36.6% |
| 19 | Emmett | 8,275 | $58,750 | $455,351 | 31.5% |
| 20 | Mountain Home | 16,493 | $63,125 | $358,404 | 34.3% |
| 21 | Fruitland | 6,663 | $65,457 | $409,435 | 35.5% |
| 22 | Coeur d’Alene | 56,447 | $72,338 | $599,946 | 25.9% |
| 23 | Caldwell | 66,516 | $73,058 | $396,876 | 43.0% |
| 24 | Rupert | 6,190 | $54,741 | $326,313 | 45.0% |
| 25 | Payette | 8,536 | $55,208 | $368,362 | 34.3% |
| 26 | Chubbuck | 16,126 | $82,977 | $379,219 | 36.1% |
| 27 | Twin Falls | 54,164 | $61,205 | $367,064 | 33.9% |
| 28 | Pocatello | 57,635 | $60,418 | $336,559 | 30.0% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 28 Idaho cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Idaho
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Idaho ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Idaho are Moscow, Kimberly, Rigby, Hailey, Sandpoint, Middleton, Meridian, Rexburg, Weiser, and Jerome.
