Side by side

Reno vs Boise

Boise wins on more metrics — 2–4 on the 8 core metrics we track. Detail below.

Metric

Reno

Boise

Cost of living

B vs A: -39%

105

64✓

Rent · 1BR center

B vs A: -21%

$1,700

$1,350✓

Effective tax (remote)

B vs A: +9%

22%✓

24%

Healthcare

B vs A: ≈ same

Safety

B vs A: +15%

78✓

Internet

B vs A: -13%

230✓

200

Climate

B vs A: ≈ same

Freedom

B vs A: +8%

86✓

No state income tax, Tahoe at the doorstep, and a tech corridor catching California overflow without California prices.

Denver-adjacent vibe — outdoors, walkable downtown, growing tech scene — at meaningfully lower rent and tax burden.