Cost of Living in Meridian, ID
Cost of Living in Meridian, ID has an overall index of 124, 24% above the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $485,000; typical monthly rent is $1,954; and median household income is $98,686.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. Rent: Zillow ZORI market signal as of 2026-02. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Housing costs sit well above the national baseline. This describes the local market, not your household.
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Frequently asked questions about Meridian
Living in Meridian
Is Meridian, ID an expensive place to live?+
Yes — Meridian is about 24% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 124. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $485,000, and monthly rents average roughly $1,954. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.
How does Meridian fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,954, while local median household income is $98,686. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 24% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Meridian, ID?+
Idaho uses an approximate state-income-tax planning model; 5.8% is top marginal-rate context from the tax snapshot. Applying the 0.63% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $485,000 gives a planning estimate near $3,056 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 6.02%.
How much does it cost to rent in Meridian, ID?+
The typical monthly rent in Meridian is around $1,954. That's about 45% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $485,000, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Meridian, ID?+
The typical home value in Meridian is $485,000. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $2,354/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 76% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Meridian?+
Grocery prices in Meridian are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 71). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.
What is Meridian, ID like to live in?+
Meridian is a mid-sized city with a population of about 124,865. The median age of residents is 37.4, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 6.23%, well below the national average of 12.4%.