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Living in Idaho · 2026

Is $38,000 enough to live in Idaho?

Single adult · ID · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Manageable

Monthly take-home

$2,536

Avg monthly expenses

$2,057

Avg monthly surplus

$479

Savings potential

~19%

After-tax take-home in Idaho

Gross salary$38,000
Federal income tax− $2,454
State income tax− $2,204
Social Security− $2,356
Medicare− $551
Annual take-home$30,435
Effective tax rate19.91%

How $38,000 feels in Idaho cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Boise

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,400
Food
$462
Transport
$189
Utilities
$178
Healthcare
$216
Total: $2,445/mo
Surplus: $91/mo
Rent burden: 55.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Boise analysis →

Meridian

COL index: 0.80× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$850
Food
$466
Transport
$140
Utilities
$132
Healthcare
$160
Total: $1,748/mo
Surplus: $788/mo
Rent burden: 33.5% — Manageable (25–35%)
Full Meridian analysis →

Nampa

COL index: 0.98× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,200
Food
$431
Transport
$172
Utilities
$162
Healthcare
$196
Total: $2,161/mo
Surplus: $375/mo
Rent burden: 47.3% — High (35–50%)
Full Nampa analysis →

Idaho Falls

COL index: 0.93× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,100
Food
$418
Transport
$163
Utilities
$153
Healthcare
$186
Total: $2,020/mo
Surplus: $516/mo
Rent burden: 43.4% — High (35–50%)
Full Idaho Falls analysis →

Pocatello

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,000
Food
$405
Transport
$154
Utilities
$145
Healthcare
$176
Total: $1,880/mo
Surplus: $656/mo
Rent burden: 39.4% — High (35–50%)
Full Pocatello analysis →

Caldwell

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,150
Food
$422
Transport
$166
Utilities
$157
Healthcare
$190
Total: $2,085/mo
Surplus: $451/mo
Rent burden: 45.3% — High (35–50%)
Full Caldwell analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,536 ($30,432/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$1,268

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$761

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$507

per month

  • ›Emergency fund
  • ›401(k) / IRA
  • ›Investments
  • ›Down payment fund
  • ›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$15,216

Wants / year

$9,130

Savings / year

$6,086

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Boise

Rent alone would take 55% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $56,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.5/10 (Challenging)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $38,000 salary can cover essential living costs for a single adult in Boise, Idaho, but leaves little room for savings (~4% of take-home). Lifestyle is rated challenging, with careful budgeting required to avoid month-to-month shortfalls.

Purchasing Power

Boise is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 1.08). $38,000 here is roughly equivalent to $65,093 in San Francisco or $30,963 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$38,000 is 7% below the Idaho individual median of $40,800. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$40,800

-7%

State household median

$70,214

-46%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$38,000 vs. Idaho income benchmarks

Individual median (Idaho)

$40,800

-7% vs. this salary

Household median (Idaho)

$70,214

-46% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Idaho

$40,000$60,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$300,000
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.