Biggest Cities in Idaho

Idaho's population is increasingly concentrated in the Treasure Valley (Boise metro), which has been one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the US for a decade.

Boise — 240,000 (metro: 760,000)
Idaho's capital and by far its largest city — Boise has transformed from a regional agricultural and government center into a significant tech hub. The Basque community (the largest per capita Basque population in the US, descended from sheepherders who settled here in the 19th century) gives Boise an unusual cultural identity — the Basque Block downtown has restaurants, a cultural center, and a fronton (jai alai court). The Boise River Greenbelt (25 miles of paved path along the river through the city) is one of the finest urban greenbelts in the US. The foothills above Boise have 190 miles of mountain bike and trail running trails immediately accessible from the city.

Meridian — 130,000
Boise's fastest-growing suburb — Meridian grew from 35,000 in 2000 to 130,000 in 2024, driven entirely by residential and commercial development in the Treasure Valley. Meridian is predominantly suburban residential with major retail corridors and new school construction. The St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center is the largest private employer.

Nampa — 100,000
A Treasure Valley city with significant food processing (dairy, potato processing, frozen food industry), light manufacturing, and the College of Idaho (Caldwell, adjacent). The Nampa-Caldwell corridor is Idaho's most important agricultural processing zone.

Idaho Falls — 65,000
In the upper Snake River Plain — Idaho Falls is the commercial and medical center for eastern Idaho and the gateway to Yellowstone's west entrance. The Idaho National Laboratory (the primary federal nuclear energy research laboratory — employs 6,000+ scientists and engineers) is the dominant employer in the region.

Coeur d'Alene — 55,000
Northern Idaho's largest city and the Inland Northwest's resort destination — the lake, the resort, and the proximity to Spokane (30 miles) make Coeur d'Alene a distinct urban center. Silver mining (the Coeur d'Alene Basin) historically dominated; today tourism, real estate, and healthcare are the main industries.