Idaho keeps making it to the top of the list.

— The Rankings —

Jump to any accolade.

Nine rankings and accolades, plus a look at everyday life here — each with the real numbers and a link to the original source. Tap any one to jump straight to it.

• No. 3Best State Overall — U.S. News & World Report
• No. 1Best State to Live In — WalletHub
• No. 5Best State to Retire — Bankrate
• No. 3Economic Performance & Outlook — Rich States, Poor States
• No. 9State Tax Competitiveness — Tax Foundation
• No. 5Quality of Life — World Population Review
• No. 4Happiest States in America — WalletHub
• No. 4Safest States in America — WalletHub
• No. 10Best City to Raise a Family: Boise — WalletHub & Elevate
• —Things to Do in Idaho — Visit Idaho

No. 3

— U.S. News & World Report —

Best State Overall, 2025.

In the 2025 Best States rankings, Idaho placed third in the nation overall, climbing two spots from fifth the year before and trailing only Utah and New Hampshire. The ranking is built on more than 70 metrics across eight categories, including the economy, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, health care, education, infrastructure, opportunity, and the natural environment.

Idaho's rise was driven by strong showings in its natural environment and low crime rates, alongside steady fiscal health. It finished ahead of every other state in the Pacific Northwest, with Washington at 10th and Oregon at 35th.

Idaho rose to No. 3 from No. 5, switching places with Nebraska.

For anyone weighing a move to the Treasure Valley, that overall standing is a useful baseline: it reflects how the state performs across the full range of things that shape daily life, not a single category.

No. 1

— WalletHub —

Best State to Live In, 2026.

WalletHub's 2026 Best States to Live In study weighed all 50 states across 51 indicators of livability, grouped into five pillars: affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. Idaho ranked first in the nation — the best state to live in — finishing ahead of New Jersey, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

The numbers behind the ranking matter to anyone thinking about housing. Idaho has one of the lowest median real estate tax rates in the country at roughly 0.5 percent, the 8th-highest homeownership rate, and the strongest median household income growth of any state. It ranks 3rd for safety with the lowest property crime rate in the nation, and pairs it all with some of the shortest average commute times in the country.

Idaho is the best state to live in.

Low property taxes, high homeownership, and strong income growth are exactly the kind of fundamentals that make buying here make sense over time — part of why so many of our clients are relocating from higher-cost states.

No. 5

— Bankrate —

Best State to Retire.

Bankrate's Best and Worst States to Retire study ranked Idaho fifth in the country, trailing only New Hampshire, Maine, Wyoming, and Vermont — one of just three Western states to crack the top ten. The study weighs affordability, safety, health care, taxes, and weather.

Idaho earned its place on the strength of safety, affordability, and recreation. It posts the lowest property crime rate in the nation, doesn't tax Social Security benefits, and pairs balanced living costs with the kind of outdoor access that draws retirees west — the factors Bankrate found retirees prioritize, often above warm weather.

Idaho scored high marks for safety, affordability, and low taxes.

WalletHub's 2026 retirement ranking lands Idaho in similar territory, around 16th nationally. Downsizing and retirement moves are a core part of what our team does, and Idaho's mix of low carrying costs and strong safety is a big reason retirees keep choosing the Treasure Valley.

No. 3

— Rich States, Poor States —

Economic performance and outlook.

The ALEC-Laffer Rich States, Poor States Economic Competitiveness Index, now in its 19th edition, ranks Idaho third in the nation for both economic performance and economic outlook. Performance is a backward-looking measure built on state GDP, domestic migration, and non-farm payroll employment; outlook is a forward-looking forecast across 15 policy variables.

Idaho trails only Utah and Tennessee on outlook, a position the report ties to low tax burdens, a flat income tax, and pro-growth fiscal policy. The index frames migration as the clearest signal of competitiveness, and Idaho has been a consistent destination.

Idaho is currently ranked 3rd for its economic performance.

A growing economy supports a healthy housing market, which is part of why demand across Eagle, Boise, Meridian, and Star has stayed strong.

No. 9

— Tax Foundation —

State Tax Competitiveness Index.

The Tax Foundation's State Tax Competitiveness Index evaluates how well each state structures its tax system across more than 150 variables in five areas: corporate, individual income, sales and excise, property, and unemployment insurance taxes. On the most recent index, Idaho ranks 9th overall, up from 11th the prior year.

The improvement came from real reform. Idaho moved to a flat individual and corporate income tax and reduced the rate to 5.3 percent in 2025, lifting it into the national top ten. The state also offers a generous exemption on business personal property that lowers compliance costs for smaller businesses.

Idaho moved into the top 10, going from 11th to ninth.

For buyers comparing Idaho to higher-tax states they're leaving, the tax structure is often one of the first things they ask about, and it's a meaningful piece of the long-term cost of ownership.

No. 5

— World Population Review —

Quality of life, 2025.

World Population Review's quality-of-life ranking places Idaho fifth in the nation. The measure blends affordability, economy, education and health, safety, and broader quality-of-life indicators to gauge how comfortable and secure daily life is for residents.

Idaho's climb has been dramatic, up from 32nd as recently as 2017. The review credits the state's economic boom, noting Idaho has had one of the fastest-growing economies in the country, low unemployment, high homeownership, and some of the best air quality in the nation.

Idaho's recent economic boom has rocketed the state to the fifth-highest quality of life.

High homeownership rates aren't an accident; they reflect a market where owning is attainable for a wide range of buyers, which is exactly the conversation we have with families moving here.

No. 4

— WalletHub —

One of the happiest states, 2026.

WalletHub's 2026 Happiest States in America study ranked Idaho the 4th-happiest state in the country, behind only Hawaii, New Jersey, and Utah. The study scored all 50 states across 30 metrics grouped into three areas: emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment.

Idaho's placement is driven by the things that make daily life feel manageable. It ranks 1st in the nation for income growth, 3rd for the fewest average work hours, and 5th for safety — a combination of a healthy economy and time to actually enjoy it.

Idaho is the 4th-happiest state in America.

Shorter commutes, strong incomes, and a genuine work-life balance are a big part of what people are really moving here for, well beyond the house itself.

No. 4

— WalletHub Safest States —

Among the safest states in America.

Idaho ranks 4th in WalletHub's 2026 Safest States in America study, and the figure behind that standing is the one that matters most to families and retirees: Idaho has the lowest property crime rate in the country. It also posts the 13th-lowest violent crime rate, with both numbers sitting well below the national average.

Safety isn't a side note in the other rankings either — it's one of the reasons Idaho climbs them. The same low-crime numbers turn up in the Best States to Live and Best States to Retire studies, where Idaho's safety scores do a lot of the lifting.

Idaho has the lowest property crime rate in the nation.

For buyers leaving denser metros, this is often the first thing they notice and the last thing they're willing to compromise on, and it's a real part of why the Treasure Valley keeps drawing people in.

— City of Boise —

A capital city built for families.

The state rankings tell you Idaho is a smart move; Boise tells you what daily life looks like once you're here. WalletHub's 2026 Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family study compared 182 U.S. cities across housing, health and safety, education, affordability, and recreation, and ranked Boise 10th in the country. It's one of the more affordable cities in the top tier, with strong job growth and easy access to the outdoors.

The year before, Elevate Leadership named Boise the No. 1 Best City for Working Families in its 2025 study, pointing to a short average commute of about 19 minutes, a low crime rate, and a genuine work-life balance.

Boise: 10th-best city in the nation to raise a family.

Most of our clients aren't moving to a state, they're moving to a neighborhood in Eagle, Boise, Meridian, or Star. That's the part the rankings can't do for you, and it's exactly where our team comes in.

— Visit Idaho —

There's always something to do.

Rankings tell one story; the way you actually spend a weekend tells another. Idaho's official tourism guide organizes the state's recreation into six broad categories: outdoor activities, leisure, history and culture, water activities, winter sports, and food and drink. The range is genuinely four-season.

Within an easy drive of the Treasure Valley you can hike and mountain bike the Boise foothills, ski Bogus Basin just 16 miles from downtown Boise, float the rivers, soak in natural hot springs, and explore the Sawtooths. The capital region alone sees more than 200 sunny days a year.

The list of things to do in Idaho crosses all four seasons.

When clients ask what life here actually feels like, this is the part that closes the deal: the access to the outdoors is right out the back door.