Quick Facts About Meridian
Surrounded by pristine wilderness but bursting at the seams with big-city fun, Meridian was once thought of as Treasure Valley’s best-kept secret. But now, this popular suburb has grown to be the second-largest city in Idaho, and it’s by far the state’s densest and fastest-growing. Meridian’s population has nearly doubled over the last 15 years, leaping from 75,092 in 2010 to 134,801 in 2023. As growth in the state capital tapers off, new residents are now looking increasingly to other areas of Ada County — where 525,000 people already reside in cities like Meridian and Boise (pop. 235,000) — and Canyon County, where popular suburbs like Nampa and Caldwell have driven the population above the 250,000 mark.
Meridian offers easy access to camping in the Boise National Forest, boating at Lake Lowell within the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and hiking at Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. But the Snake River is the local star — now’s your chance to pick up fly fishing, if you’ve always wanted to learn. Though the Treasure Valley is shielded from the bitterest cold and deep snows that other cities in the Mountain West face, Meridian residents can still enjoy cold-weather activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing.
Just 15-20 minutes to Boise, it’s easy to take advantage of other urban offerings, like the Boise Art Museum, dining out on the Basque Block and Broncos games at Boise State University. The Boise Airport offers nonstop flights to 26 cities from San Diego to Orlando, so it’s not hard to get away for a family visit or a beach vacation when you want to. But staycations in Meridian can be just as fun, with Christmas traditions like the Scentsy Holiday Lights and sledding at Bogus Basin, and summer favorites like surfing at Whitewater Park and sailing at Lake Cascade. And, no year would feel complete without the fun of Dairy Days, which is now nearly 100 years old!
If you are looking for a city in the Mountain West that’s only getting better as it gets bigger, Meridian, Idaho, may be the best spot for your family. Learn more about the city below, including the weather, the cost of living, educational opportunities, and the best local attractions and activities.
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Living in Meridian
Meridian’s Weather
A city with four true seasons, Meridian has a high desert climate, which can be something of a wild ride, particularly in the springtime. In May, it’s not unusual for Treasure Valley to see highs in the low 90s F one day and lows in the 40s the next. Summertime temperatures can top the 100-degree F mark, but even then, the mercury usually plummets after nightfall.
This precipitous drop after hours often generates precipitation, though not in the amounts that other regions of the country are used to. Meridian residents should only ever expect to see 11-12 inches of rain a year, most of which will fall during the cooler months.
While summer days bring extreme heat, winter days in Meridian don’t often bring intense cold. The position of the valley safeguards it from the extreme cold inflicted on higher elevations in the West, so the average winter low is in the mid-20s F— not below zero, as some might fear. The greater Boise area doesn’t receive a lot of snow, either — only around 17 inches on average per year — but flakes usually begin falling in October and the threat of them won’t fully pass until sometime in May.
Fall is probably our favorite season in the Treasure Valley, and that’s because it arrives early and lingers late — you can expect summer’s scorching days to end by mid-September, but frosty temps to be held at bay until they’re seasonally appropriate.
Cost of Living in Meridian
Once a budget-friendly alternative to Boise, Meridian can no longer claim to be the real estate bargain it once was. With the influx of new residents, housing prices have soared $100K above the statewide average and $180K above the U.S. average, leaving Meridian residents with a high home median value of $485,000 — more expensive than residences in Boise or any other major city in the state.
Renters in Meridian will feel even more of a strain than their counterparts in the Treasure Valley. The median gross rent in Meridian now exceeds $1,700/month — hundreds higher than anywhere else.
However, earnings are also far higher in Meridian than in other Idaho cities. Households here earn an average of nearly $100,000/year, compared to $81,000 in Boise and the U.S. average of $79,000. So, how far will those dollars go? Well, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, two working adults supporting one child in Ada County, Idaho, should budget $11,441 annually on food, $11,830 for childcare, $8,530 for medical expenses, $23,477 for housing, $15,246 for transportation, $6,971 for civic expenses, $2,129 for internet/mobile services, $10,121 for miscellaneous expenses and $14,536 for taxes. This means that a couple must earn $104,280 before taxes to comfortably afford these typical expenditures.
Education and Schools in Meridian
Thanks to the influx of new residents, the West Ada School District is now the largest in the state of Idaho. With a total enrollment of 38,670, West Ada Schools maintains a student-to-teacher ratio of 18:1, higher than Boise’s, with fewer dollars spent per student per year. The West Ada School District also offers a Schools of Choice program, where students can apply to institutions that focus on arts, STEM programs or accelerated academics.
But what are the opportunities following secondary education? Well, Idaho State University keeps a campus in the city — ISU-Meridian — where students have 30 programs to choose from, from associate’s degrees to doctoral programs. This campus focuses heavily on the sciences and healthcare, so students interested in the liberal arts may want to consider ISU’s flagship campus in Pocatello, which is an easy 3.5-hour drive east, or Boise State University for their next educational step. More than 27,000 students are enrolled at this NCAA Div-I institution in the capital, a part of the Mountain West Conference, where students have 200+ majors to choose from.
Unique Experiences in and Near Meridian
The Treasure Valley truly lives up to its name when it comes to the great outdoors, so if you’re moving to Meridian, you’ll soon have a long list of favorite places to explore.
Within this ever-growing city, new greenspaces keep cropping up, from Bear Creek Park to Settlers Park, which has horseshoe pits, a 9-hole disc golf course, courts for tennis and pickleball, as well as room for cornhole. Every summer, Settlers Park hosts Sparklight Movie Nights, so bring your lawn chairs and blankets for an evening of free, family-friendly films. We’re also partial to J.M. Kleiner Memorial Park, which has stocked ponds for fishing, a fun labyrinth and community gardens to wander through, and a bandshell, where you can hear free local music on alternating Fridays throughout the summer.
Meridian knows how to host a festival, and there are great events, large and small, to enjoy with and without the kiddos all year long. Since 1929, the Meridian Dairy Days have celebrated one of Idaho’s most important industries. Although Meridian is no longer the dairy hub it once was, that doesn’t stop the city from hosting this fun fair, which brings three days of excitement to the Boise area each year, with carnival rides, 4-H presentations, a pancake breakfast, parade and, of course, the annual crowning of the Dairy Princess.
When the temperatures drop, you’ll know it’s time for the Scentsy Holiday Lights to go up. At this annual Christmas tradition, spectators will be dazzled with nearly 1 million lights decorating the Village at Meridian, creating an illuminated wonderland for ice skating and holiday cheer.
But you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to have fun here. Scheels opened its 33rd location in Meridian in 2024, and those who know know this is anything but just another sporting goods store. This is a retail paradise, with a Ferris wheel, an arcade, a café and an aquarium.
When you need higher-octane action, drive over to the Meridian Speedway and watch the pros burn up the tracks. During the Dairy Days, the Speedway hosts a special Demolition Derby — a summer smash-up you won’t want to miss.
But don’t forget the world beyond Meridian, either. Just over the state line in Oregon, Lake Owyhee State Park makes for a fantastic weekend of fishing, where you can reel in largemouth bass and rainbow trout from the reservoir while taking in the vibrant volcanic rock surrounding the water. Keep your eyes peeled for critters big and small in this popular campground, from pronghorns to golden eagles to rattlers. Other spots within a couple of hours’ drive we want to visit again and again: Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (45 min.), where you can see hundreds of mating pairs of raptors, and Lake Cascade State Park, where windsurfers and sailors can get their maritime fix.
Get Ready to Move to Meridian
If you’re ready to move to Meridian, the professional movers at United Van Lines can help you relocate, no matter where you’re moving from in the U.S. Get a moving quote right now for Meridian, Idaho.
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If you’re moving cross-country to Meridian, ID, working with United’s professional, long-distance movers can help make your move hassle-free. What does a full-service moving package from United offer? Good question!
- Loading, transporting and unloading of household belongings
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Planning a local move? If you’re looking for a local mover in Idaho, United Van Lines’ interstate agents in Idaho provide local moving services in the greater Meridian/Boise area independently under their own businesses and brands.
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