For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.
Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in Idaho using 2025 data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.
The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family. Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood.
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- Niche grades: good for families (C+), public schools (B), cost of living (B-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 7,118
- Median household income: $66,653
- Median home value: $220,200
- Top places to live: Soda Springs (C), Grace (B+), Bancroft (C)
- Niche grades: good for families (C+), public schools (C), cost of living (C+), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 5,276
- Median household income: $66,038
- Median home value: $206,700
- Top places to live: Dietrich (B-), Shoshone (C+), Richfield (C)
- Niche grades: good for families (C+), public schools (B), cost of living (C), weather (A-), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 12,284
- Median household income: $59,773
- Median home value: $281,600
- Top places to live: Homedale (C+), Marsing (C+), Grand View (C)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B+), cost of living (C-), weather (C), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 49,456
- Median household income: $65,168
- Median home value: $433,400
- Top places to live: Sandpoint (B+), Ponderay (C+), Kootenai (C+)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (C), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 42,477
- Median household income: $71,466
- Median home value: $291,300
- Top places to live: Lewiston (B), Sweetwater (B), Lapwai (B-)
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- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (C), weather (C), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 14,715
- Median household income: $65,991
- Median home value: $304,000
- Top places to live: Preston (C+), Clifton (B), Dayton (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (C-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 92,121
- Median household income: $65,338
- Median home value: $292,700
- Top places to live: Kimberly (B), Twin Falls (B), Buhl (C)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 21,922
- Median household income: $70,060
- Median home value: $235,300
- Top places to live: Heyburn (B-), Paul (B-), Rupert (C+)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (B-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 6,552
- Median household income: $67,304
- Median home value: $234,200
- Top places to live: Montpelier (B-), Paris (B-), Georgetown (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (C-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 12,136
- Median household income: $76,125
- Median home value: $599,500
- Top places to live: McCall (B+), Cascade (C+), Smiths Ferry (unavailable)
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- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 15,740
- Median household income: $62,395
- Median home value: $231,800
- Top places to live: Wendell (C+), Gooding (C), Hagerman (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (D+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 177,736
- Median household income: $77,034
- Median home value: $467,400
- Top places to live: Dalton Gardens (B), Coeur d'Alene (B-), Rathdrum (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (C+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 8,018
- Median household income: $59,760
- Median home value: $191,200
- Top places to live: American Falls (B), Rockland (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (C-), weather (A-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 242,405
- Median household income: $72,355
- Median home value: $350,300
- Top places to live: Middleton (B+), Nampa (B-), Caldwell (C+)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (C), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 32,234
- Median household income: $82,952
- Median home value: $335,000
- Top places to live: Rigby (B+), Ririe (B+), Roberts (B-)
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- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C), cost of living (C-), weather (C), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 12,101
- Median household income: $90,740
- Median home value: $595,900
- Top places to live: Driggs (B), Victor (B-), Tetonia (C-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (C-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 53,578
- Median household income: $58,259
- Median home value: $365,000
- Top places to live: Sugar City (B), Rexburg (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (C+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 13,701
- Median household income: $72,767
- Median home value: $281,800
- Top places to live: St. Anthony (B), Ashton (B), Island Park (C+)
- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (C+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 25,165
- Median household income: $67,042
- Median home value: $257,300
- Top places to live: Burley (B-), Oakley (B), Albion (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (C), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 127,056
- Median household income: $76,646
- Median home value: $327,000
- Top places to live: Ammon (B+), Idaho Falls (B), Lincoln (B-)
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- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (C+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 48,993
- Median household income: $76,842
- Median home value: $258,000
- Top places to live: Blackfoot (B), Riverside (B), Shelley (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (C), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 88,457
- Median household income: $64,080
- Median home value: $267,200
- Top places to live: Pocatello (B+), Chubbuck (B), Tyhee (B-)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (C-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 40,315
- Median household income: $65,179
- Median home value: $342,500
- Top places to live: Moscow (A), Troy (B), Genesee (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (C-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 24,579
- Median household income: $84,470
- Median home value: $663,800
- Top places to live: Sun Valley (B+), Ketchum (B+), Hailey (B)
- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 508,052
- Median household income: $88,907
- Median home value: $476,000
- Top places to live: North End (A+), Boise Heights (A), Sunset (A)
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