Moving to Canyon County, Idaho: 8 Things to Know [2021 Guide]
Living in Canyon County, ID
Located in western Idaho, Canyon County is a beautiful area with flat landscape and rolling hills. Originally home to the popular equestrian tribe of Northern Shoshone Indians, the county was created March 7, 1891. Presently, with a population of more than 229,000 residents, Canyon County is the second most populated county in Idaho.
Today, Canyon County, ID, is home to the city of Nampa with a population just over 105,400, Caldwell (the county seat) with a population over 62,480 and other smaller cities. Located only 28 miles west of downtown Boise, Canyon County has become an attractive choice for both Idaho natives as well as people moving in from other states. There are several explanations why Canyon County is growing such as the stable employment trend, lots of nearby things to do, and standard of living. However prior to choosing to live in Idaho, continue reading about things you should know about moving to Canyon County.
Table of Contents
• Cost of Living in Canyon County, ID
• Job Market in Canyon County, ID
• Popular Industries in the Area
• Things To Do in Canyon County, ID
• Canyon County, ID Public Transportation
• Thinking About Moving to Canyon County, ID?
Cost of Living in Canyon County, ID
While Canyon County, ID, has been an appealing place to live for many years, many people have discovered this and moved in. In fact, Canyon County has become the third fastest-growing county in the gem state, and the cost of living displays this. In comparison to other places, living in Canyon County is around 5% less expensive than the national average. One of the main factors for the lower cost of living is housing.
Homebuyers can expect to pay anywhere from $210,000 to $5,200,000, according to the livable square feet and style of the home. The housing price increase in Canyon County lines up with the new people moving to the Boise and Nampa area since downtown Boise is only a 30 mile driven on Interstate 84.
In 2021, the median home price is $380,000 and the median income is $43,108 depending on the source you use.
| Cities | Median Sales Price | Mortgage Payment | Average Rent |
| Caldwell | $400,000 | $1,518 | $1,750 |
| Nampa | $388,000 | $1,472 | $1,773 |
Source: Rental data is from Zumper and median sale price data is from Redfin. Mortgage monthly payments assumed a 10 percent down payment and 3.00% fixed interest rate for 30 year, and 720 middle credit score. Not all borrower will qualify. Information is for illustrative purposes only.
Notice the rents are based on apartments, not single family detached homes which are more desirable due to privacy and no shared common walls or exterior.
Caldwell – The city is also home to one of the oldest education institutions in the whole state, the College of Idaho, founded in 1891. Caldwell has ten city parks, a public golf course, and also a city pool.
While housing costs are lower in both Nampa and Caldwell than the national average, other costs are 5% less as well which include:
• Groceries
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Utilities
More information about cost of living in Canyon County, Idaho, cities:
• Cost of Living in Nampa, Idaho – Livability.com
• Cost of Living Calculator Nampa, Idaho – Salary.com
• Nampa, Idaho Cost of Living – AreaVibes.com
Job Market in Canyon County, Idaho
With a 4.3% unemployment rate, lower than the national average of 5.2%, the area’s great employment rate has numerous positions for work candidates. Home to over 25% of Idaho’s Inc. 5000 companies, over 40 major companies have national and international headquarters in Canyon County, including Mitsubishi and Nissan North America.
While the agricultural industry plays a huge role in Idaho, Canyon County’s largest employers are in the education and medical fields. In fact, the Canyon County School District is the largest employer in the county, with over 6,300 residents working for them. Other major employers are in the healthcare system, include St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Northwest Marketing Concepts, American National Insurance, Amalgamated Sugar, the Caldwell School District, among others.
Many companies based in Canyon County have 1,000+ employees, including the following top five major employers in Canyon County:
• Nampa & Caldwell Public School Districts
• J.R. Simplot
• Great American Snacks
• College of Western Idaho
• Vallivue School District,
• West Valley Medical Center.
Popular Industries in the Area
While Canyon County has many employment opportunities, four main industries dominate the county’s job market: manufacturing, healthcare, educational services, and agribusiness. Smaller growing industries include technology, administrative support services, management, science and technical, and more.
More information about finding a job in Canyon County, Idaho:
• Top Workplaces in Nampa – Zippia.com
• Top Workplaces in Caldwell – Zippia.com
• Search for Jobs in Canyon County, ID – Indeed.com
Things To Do in Canyon County, Idaho
Residents and visitors will find loads of fun things to do in Canyon County. Begin with the museums and parks. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include the Warhawk Air Museum in a large hangar at the Nampa Municipal airport, Canyon County Historical Nampa Train Depot Museum, Lake Lowell, sports and entertainment at the Ford Idaho Center, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and The Vizcaya Winery, just to name a few. Additional places that deserve exploring are the Nampa Dog Park, Babby Farms, Indian Creek Park and the Sawtooth Winery.
Canyon County, Idaho Climate
The weather in Canyon County varies throughout the year. With highs in the summer reaching above 90 degrees F in the summer and average lows reaching 22 degrees F in the winter. Canyon County has a less temperate climate than other areas of the country. The Franklin area receives 208 sunny days a year, which is just above the national average.
Canyon County, Idaho, does experience quite a bit of precipitation throughout the year. On average, the Franklin area receives 11 inches of rain annually, which is less than one-third the U.S. average, and around 9 inches of snow annually. The coldest months are in December, January, and February where temps can come down to single digits.
However, overall Canyon County has very nice weather through-out the year, especially during the late spring and first month of fall, with a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy overall.
More information about the climate in Canyon County, Idaho:
• 10-day Weather Forecast – Weather.com
• Average Weather in Nampa, ID – WeatherSpark.com
• List of Major Weather Events near Canyon County – Weather.gov
Canyon County, ID Traffic
As Canyon County continues to grow, so will the number of commuters driving back and forth every day. Canyon County, Idaho, is just west of Ada County, which is where Boise is situated. Due to the number of companies based in either Boise or Canyon County, over 5,000 commuters drive daily from Canyon County into Ada County or vice versa. Consequently, traffic is worst in the morning rush hour and late afternoon to early evening.
On average from Caldwell, commuters spend two hours each day on the highway going back and forth to their jobs in Boise. This is a bit higher than the national average, which is approximately 27.6 minutes when commuting one way. Interestingly, this is close to the same for the Los Angeles metropolitan area at 31.84 minutes in 2019.
Traffic Solution
The Idaho Transportation Department will begin reconstructing and widening the shoulders of I-84 between the Karcher and Franklin Boulevard interchanges on Wednesday, Sept. 26. This is the first step of widening I-84 through Nampa. (source: https://itd.idaho.gov/tag/expansion/)
Canyon County, ID Public Transportation
People who want to move to Canyon County aren’t restricted to owning a car to get from point A to point B or multiple places. There are public transportation options from the Valley Regional Transit, connecting numerous parts of Canyon County to Ada County.
Canyon County, Idaho Schools
In terms of education, students in Canyon County have several options. There are seven school districts in Canyon County: Caldwell, Melba, Middleton, Nampa, Notus, Parma, and Vallivue School District. The Nampa School District is the largest of all as it should be due to the larger population.
As of 2021, there were approximately 15,699 students enrolled in 26 schools in the Nampa School District: 22 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 4 high schools. The best rated schools are Lake Ridge Elementary School, Willow Creek Elementary School and Treasure Valley Leadership Academy.
Thinking About Moving to Canyon County, Idaho?
Canyon County has so much to offer with its closeness to Boise, and lots of things to do to satisfy almost every one. Because of Canyon County’s upward population projections, cities like Caldwell and Nampa will likely experience an increase in additional amenities and more business, providing even further job and leisure options for residents.
Scott is a Business Development Manager at 1stNWM. He blogs about home loans, personal finance and lives in Orange County, CA. He feels good about sharing his expertise and real world stories of successful real estate transactions. when he’s not at work, he is with his bestie, a four-legged furry and often sloberring Saint Bernard, Wyatt.