City comparison
Raleigh, NC versus Boise, ID is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,750 a month in Raleigh and $1,655 in Boise, and median household income lands at $78,631 versus $76,402. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Raleigh takes job market and weather, while Boise takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Boise leads by 46% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Raleigh can feel further apart than Raleigh and Boise do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Raleigh and Boise reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Raleigh, NC
Boise, ID
Rent
5% cheaper
Boise rent is 5% cheaper than Raleigh
Raleigh
$1,750/mo
Boise
Winner$1,655/mo
Typical rent runs $1,655 a month in Boise versus $1,750 in Raleigh, so Boise is 5% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $95, or $1,140 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
3% higher
Raleigh's median income is 3% higher than Boise
Raleigh
Winner$78,631
Boise
$76,402
Median household income is $78,631 in Raleigh versus $76,402 in Boise, so typical pay runs 3% higher in Raleigh — about $2,229 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
46% lower crime
Boise's crime index is 46% lower than Raleigh
Raleigh
97 (100 = avg)
Boise
Winner52 (100 = avg)
Boise's crime index is 52 versus 97 in Raleigh (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 46% lower in Boise. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Boise is the easier city. Raleigh can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Raleigh and Boise are about even on school scores.
Raleigh
A- · 84/100
Boise
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Raleigh, A- in Boise). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
11% more comfortable
Raleigh weather is 11% more comfortable than Boise
Raleigh
Winner79°F typical
Boise
82°F typical
Raleigh scores 11% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Raleigh and 82°F in Boise. Raleigh reads as warm weather most of the year; Boise reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Boise's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Raleigh is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 3% higher ($78,631), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Boise is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 5% cheaper here at about $1,655 a month. Choose Boise if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Boise is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 46% lower than Raleigh (52 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
If safety is your priority, Boise is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Raleigh pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Boise offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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