Cost of living in Meridian research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Meridian is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Idaho, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Meridian is 116, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Meridian is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Meridian ranks as the #29 cheapest in Idaho out of 33.
Meridian ranks as the #4,151 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Meridian is $529,479.
The median income in Meridian is $98,686.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Meridian has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Idaho, Meridian has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Idaho's index of 94.
The standard of living in Meridian ranks as #29 most affordable out of the 33 places we measured in Idaho. By definition, that implies Meridian ranks as the #4 most expensive place in the Gem State.
For more reading on life in Meridian, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Meridian. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Meridian is 106.
The Groceries index in Meridian is 104.
The Health index in Meridian is 103.
The Housing index in Meridian is 154.
The Transportation index in Meridian is 113.
The Utilities index in Meridian is 86.
| Living Expense | Meridian | Idaho | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 116 | 94 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 99 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 103 | 98 | 100 | |
| Housing | 154 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 113 | 103 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 86 | 86 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Idaho, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Meridian is $529,479.
The Median Rent in Meridian is $1,714.
The Median Income in Meridian is $98,686.
The Home Value To Income in Meridian is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Meridian is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Meridian. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Nampa, ID has a cost of living index of 105, 0.9x Meridian.
Caldwell, ID has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Meridian.
Eagle, ID has a cost of living index of 135, 1.2x Meridian.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Meridian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nampa, ID | 106,289 | 105 | 0.9x |
| Caldwell, ID | 63,465 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Eagle, ID | 31,490 | 135 | 1.2x |
| Kuna, ID | 25,960 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Star, ID | 13,231 | 113 | 1.0x |
| Middleton, ID | 10,101 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Emmett, ID | 7,948 | 96 | 0.8x |