2026 editionWestPop. 2,029,733Capital Boise43rd state, admitted 1890Cook PVI R+20
Is Idaho a Good Place to Live? Idaho Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Idaho ranks #4 of 50 with a composite score of 78.4 and an A+ grade, strongest in growth (#1) and weakest in education (#32). The median household earns $81,166 (in line with the national median), homes typically cost $478,744 (30% above the national average), and violent crime is 217 per 100,000 (34% below the national average).
The Treasure Valley took the migration, +9.9 per thousand residents, #2, and fits people who want a safe, growing, low-property-tax state with mountains at the edge of town. The trade is a price-to-income ratio of 5.9x, #43, built by buyers who sold a California house first, and schools that rank #32.
Idaho by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Idaho's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Idaho overview
Idaho scores above the national average in 10 of 11 categories and ranks #2 of 13 states in the West, behind 1 regional neighbor. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (217, 34% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($478,744, 30% above the national average). With 6 top-10 finishes and no bottom-10 category, its weaknesses are relative, not absolute.
Where does Idaho rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Idaho is top 10 in 6 and bottom 10 in 0.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 50.9 | #19 of 50 | B | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.7% and median household income is $81,166. |
| Safety | 86.6 | #5 of 50 | A+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 217.3 violent crimes and 605 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 61.9 | #16 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 78.4 years, 32.7% of adults have obesity, and 9.2% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 55.2 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 278 in NAEP math and 261 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 79.9%. |
| Affordability | 72.1 | #24 of 50 | B | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $478,744 (5.9x median income); cost of living index 95.5 (100 = US); center-based infant care $10,887 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 71.0 | #9 of 50 | A | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $1,580 of debt per resident, has 91% of pensions funded, and holds a AA+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 72.6 | #1 of 50 | A+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 1.44% last year; Census net domestic migration is +9.9 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 55.8 | #10 of 50 | A | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 22.2 minutes, 0.5% of workers use public transit, and 12.7% work from home. |
| Livability | 39.6 | #15 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.64 restaurants and 0.023 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.178 bars and 0.059 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 50.2 | #6 of 50 | A | 6% | 29.4 | 62.5% of its land is public, with 2.85 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 70.0 | #4 of 50 | A+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 34, 70% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 21.7. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Idaho's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Idaho bulges toward growth and dips at education.
How expensive is Idaho?
Idaho's cost of living index is 95.5 against a national baseline of 100, 5% below the national average and #23 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $478,744 (30% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $118,073, $36,907 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Pocatello is cheapest (index 88.9) and Star priciest (98.4).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #12 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #41 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $36,907 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Idaho housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Idaho | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$11,891 | −$11,758 | #26 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$26,637 | +$31,418 | #37 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$30,814 | +$35,970 | #36 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Idaho?
Idaho's tax mix is low property tax, with income and sales taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 7.54% of income, 1.2 points below the national average (#10 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.56% of home value (#10), and combined sales tax averages 6.03% (#14).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 71 out of 100, #9 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Idaho safe?
Idaho reports 217 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 34% below the national average and #11 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 605 per 100,000, 61% below the national average (#1 of 50). The safety score is 86.6 out of 100, #5 of 50; among tracked cities, Moscow has the lowest violent crime rate.
Idaho vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Idaho
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian | 130,138 | 137 | 408 |
| Coeur d'Alene | 56,447 | 235 | 683 |
| Boise | 237,242 | 289 | 851 |
| Idaho Falls | 67,725 | 301 | 960 |
| Nampa | 110,319 | 310 | 675 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 Idaho cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Idaho?
Idaho's unemployment rate is 3.7%, 0.3 points below the national average and #18 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $81,166, in line with the national median. Real GDP grew +3% in the latest year (#8 of 50) and GDP per capita is $50,766, 21% below the national average. The population is growing 1.44% a year, 0.9 points above the national average. The economy score is 50.9 out of 100, #19 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Idaho, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $211,918 | $192,845 | Boise City |
| Lawyers | $145,444 | $132,354 | Boise City |
| Software Developers | $135,305 | $123,128 | Boise City |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,669 | $91,609 | Boise City |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $100,132 | $91,120 | Boise City |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Idaho's schools and healthcare?
Idaho's education score is 55.2 out of 100, #32 of 50. Eighth graders average 278 in NAEP math (#14 of 50) and 261 in reading (#9 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 79.9%, 5.7 points below the national average (#47 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene | 92% | 18.3 | $10,689 |
| Pocatello | 91% | 19.6 | $9,868 |
| Chubbuck | 91% | 20.1 | $8,426 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
Idaho is #16 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 78.4 years, 1.5 years above the national average. 32.7% of adults have obesity (#18 of 50) and 9.2% of residents have no health insurance (#38 of 50). The health score is 61.9 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Idaho, and who is leaving?
Idaho gained a net 5,811 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 35,831 moved in and 30,020 moved out, +2.9 per 1,000 residents (#5 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $81,248 against $64,061 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +12.3K people (72.4K in, 60.1K out, ±8.9K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1California7,907 · $103,714
- 2Washington6,151 · $85,287
- 3Oregon3,156 · $73,292
- 4Utah3,137 · $64,258
- 5Arizona1,702 · $70,961
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Washington5,146 · $61,517
- 2Utah3,531 · $52,812
- 3California3,092 · $82,886
- 4Oregon2,534 · $56,060
- 5Arizona1,745 · $69,942
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Idaho?
By composite score, the best of the 20 Idaho cities we track are Meridian (64.7), Boise (64.4), and Eagle (62.6). Pocatello is the cheapest (cost index 88.9), Eagle the richest ($122,894), and Star the fastest growing (+14.8% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Idaho cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Idaho
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Moscow | 37 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Pocatello | cost of living index 88.9 |
| Most walkable | Boise | walkability 13.6 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Idaho Falls | median AQI 22 (county) |
| Best schools | Coeur d'Alene | 92% graduation rate |
| Richest | Eagle | $122,894 |
Among the 20 Idaho cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Idaho
Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Kuna and Star, plus Mountain Home's air base: most of the state's people and growth; the priciest houses, longest commutes, smoke and inversions.
Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Hayden on the lake, on Pacific time and in Spokane's orbit: wetter, greener, with the top tracked schools and prices set by Washington buyers.
Moscow's university and Lewiston's mill and port: rolling wheat country, the safest and the cheapest tracked cities, and a shrinking population in Lewiston.
Idaho Falls and the national laboratory, Pocatello's university, Rexburg's church college: high desert, cold winters, cheaper houses, and a strong Latter-day Saint presence.
Twin Falls and Jerome on the Snake River canyon: dairies, food plants and farm labor, cheap houses, hot summers, and the weakest tracked schools in Jerome.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meridian | A | 64.7 | 130,138 | $100,795 | 137 | 98.4 |
| 2 | Boise | A | 64.4 | 237,242 | $83,904 | 289 | 98.4 |
| 3 | Eagle | B+ | 62.6 | 32,855 | $122,894 | — | 98.4 |
| 4 | Star | B+ | 60.5 | 14,745 | $97,936 | — | 98.4 |
| 5 | Moscow | B+ | 60.3 | 26,286 | $57,022 | 37 | 91.9 |
| 6 | Coeur d'Alene | B+ | 59.9 | 56,447 | $72,338 | 235 | 98.3 |
| 7 | Kuna | B+ | 59.9 | 27,158 | $96,219 | — | 98.4 |
| 8 | Idaho Falls | B+ | 59.0 | 67,725 | $73,110 | 301 | 94.4 |
| 9 | Nampa | B | 58.6 | 110,319 | $74,279 | 310 | 98.4 |
| 10 | Lewiston | B | 58.3 | 34,651 | $72,197 | 175 | 91.2 |
| 11 | Post Falls | B | 58.0 | 43,391 | $82,183 | 168 | 98.3 |
| 12 | Caldwell | B | 57.3 | 66,516 | $73,058 | 482 | 98.4 |
| 13 | Twin Falls | B | 56.3 | 54,164 | $61,205 | 359 | 92.1 |
| 14 | Chubbuck | B | 56.3 | 16,126 | $82,977 | 280 | 88.9 |
| 15 | Hayden | B | 55.9 | 16,338 | $82,958 | — | 98.3 |
| 16 | Pocatello | C+ | 55.1 | 57,635 | $60,418 | 331 | 88.9 |
| 17 | Rexburg | C+ | 54.9 | 40,543 | $50,617 | 49 | 91.9 |
| 18 | Ammon | C | 52.2 | 19,064 | $86,121 | — | 94.4 |
| 19 | Jerome | C | 50.4 | 12,930 | $66,894 | 356 | 92.1 |
| 20 | Mountain Home | D | 48.0 | 16,493 | $63,125 | 193 | 91.9 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Idaho cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Idaho for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boise | 67.3 | — | 82.4 | 60.6 |
| 2 | Moscow | 67.2 | 53.8 | 95.5 | 75.3 |
| 3 | Meridian | 64.1 | 40.3 | 94.5 | 54.3 |
| 4 | Coeur d'Alene | 63.0 | 51.0 | 87.0 | 60.5 |
| 5 | Lewiston | 62.5 | 57.1 | 85.9 | 76.3 |
Who is Idaho best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Idaho cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Idaho compare with its neighbors?
Idaho ranks #4. Among its bordering states, Wyoming ranks highest (#2) and Nevada lowest (#40). Wyoming is the most similar on the composite score and Nevada the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | #4 | 78.4 | $81,166 | $478,744 | 95.5 | 217 | 7.54% | |
| Wyoming | #2 | 79.9 | $75,532 | $371,854 | 92.7 | 180 | 5.79% | Compare → |
| Utah | #6 | 75.4 | $96,658 | $534,582 | 98.9 | 236 | 9.46% | Compare → |
| Montana | #7 | 75.0 | $75,340 | $471,746 | 94.6 | 419 | 7.87% | Compare → |
| Washington | #20 | 61.8 | $99,389 | $591,879 | 107 | 284 | 8.61% | Compare → |
| Oregon | #35 | 50.9 | $85,220 | $496,113 | 103.4 | 311 | 9.06% | Compare → |
| Nevada | #40 | 45.8 | $81,134 | $442,027 | 100 | 379 | 8.62% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 Idaho city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Idaho numbers say when read together.
Growth is Idaho's strongest suit
Idaho is a #4 state overall but #1 of 50 for growth, 3 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 72.6 against a national average of 38.8. Environment (#4) is next. Growth carries 7% of the composite.
Education is where Idaho falls furthest behind
Idaho ranks #32 of 50 for education, 28 places below its overall #4, with a score of 55.2 against a national average of 57.5. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Violent crime rate is 34% below the national average
Idaho's violent crime rate is 217, 34% below the national average of 328, #11 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $478,744, 30% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
Idaho ranks #5 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+2.9). The households arriving report $17,187 more in average income than those leaving ($81,248 against $64,061), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. The largest source is California; the largest destination is Washington.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $11,891 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#26 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $26,637 surplus; a retiree couple at a $30,814 surplus. Infant childcare runs $10,887 a year, 30% below the national average.
Idaho sits 2nd among its 7-state neighborhood
1 of Idaho's 6 bordering states ranks above its #4; the closest match on the composite is Wyoming. Median income among them runs from $75,340 in Montana to $99,389 in Washington; Idaho is at $81,166.
Frequently asked questions about living in Idaho
Is Idaho a good place to live?
Idaho ranks #4 of 50 with an A+ grade, #2 of 13 in the West. It is top 10 in growth, environment, safety, outdoor access, fiscal health, and transportation. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 5 of 6 (income, cost of living, violent crime, unemployment, and tax burden) and trails on home prices. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Idaho rank among US states?
Idaho ranks #4 of 50 overall with a composite score of 78.4 (grade A+), and #2 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #1 (growth) and its worst #32 (education). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so A+ means rank 1–5.
Is it expensive to live in Idaho?
At #23 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Idaho is 5% below the national average: its index is 95.5 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $478,744 (30% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $118,073 against a median household income of $81,166. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $11,891 shortfall after all costs, #26 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Idaho have a state income tax?
Yes. Idaho's top state income tax rate is 5.7% (#27 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 7.54% of income, 1.2 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.56% of home value and combined sales tax 6.03%.
What is the crime rate in Idaho?
Idaho reports 217 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 34% below the national average and #11 of 50 (1 = safest), and 605 property crimes per 100,000, 61% below the national average (#1). Its safety score is 86.6 out of 100, #5 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Idaho have good schools?
Idaho is #32 of 50 for education (score 55.2 out of 100). Its public school students average 278 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#14) and 261 in eighth-grade reading (#9), and the high school graduation rate is 79.9%, 5.7 points below the national average (#47). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Coeur d'Alene has the highest graduation rate at 92%.
Why are people moving to Idaho?
Idaho gained a net 5,811 households in the latest IRS release: 35,831 moved in and 30,020 moved out, +2.9 per 1,000 residents (#5 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is California (7,907 households) and the most common destination is Washington (5,146). Arriving households report an average income of $81,248 against $64,061 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Idaho a red or blue state?
Idaho is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+20, meaning it votes about 20 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
Why is housing so expensive in Idaho?
A small state got a big state's migration, and most of it wanted the same valley. Net migration is +9.9 per thousand, #2, and arrivals report $81,248 against $64,061 for leavers; many sold a California or Washington house and paid cash. Public land is 62.5% of the state, so buildable land near Boise and Coeur d'Alene is scarce. Pocatello and Lewiston skipped most of it.
Is Idaho a good place to raise a family?
Depends on what you weigh. The safety case is strong: violent crime 34% below the national average, childcare at $10,887, #7 cheapest, and a family of four on $75,000 comes out at a $11,891 shortfall, near the national median. The school case is weaker: education ranks #32, though families still rank #7. In the Treasure Valley, pick the district and expect a levy vote.
Do I need a car in Idaho?
Yes, everywhere. 0.5% of commuters use transit; Boise's buses cover the core and little of Meridian, Nampa or Kuna, where the growth went. The mean commute is 22.2 minutes, but that averages the college towns with Kuna's long drive into Boise. Gasoline is $3.35 per gallon, #39 cheapest, which is the tax on living in a cheaper suburb.
What should I know about Idaho's culture before moving?
Two things newcomers notice. First, the state is not one culture: the Panhandle runs on Pacific time and looks to Spokane, the Treasure Valley changes fastest, and eastern Idaho around Rexburg and Idaho Falls has a large Latter-day Saint population. Second, growth itself is the argument; longtime residents watched price to income reach 5.9x, and a newcomer with California plates will hear about it.
How is the air quality in Idaho?
Good most of the year, with an index of 34, #6 cleanest, and bad for a few weeks. Wildfire smoke from Idaho, Oregon and Washington settles into the Treasure Valley and Panhandle in late summer. Boise gets winter inversions that trap pollution under a lid for days, and the Magic Valley adds dust and dairy odor. Smoke-sensitive households should plan on an air purifier.
Is Idaho tax-friendly for retirees?
Middling, and the housing matters more than the tax code. Social Security is not taxed, most pension income is at a flat 5.7%, and property tax at 0.56% is #10 lowest, with a homeowner's exemption and a reduction program for lower-income seniors. A retiree couple on $75,000 comes out at a $30,814 surplus, #36, because the house costs so much; the state still ranks #2 for retirees.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Idaho's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.