Moving to Idaho from Louisiana

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Louisiana to Idaho — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Louisiana to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 8.7% more expensive than Louisiana. A $75,000 salary in Louisiana would need to be roughly $78,182 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boise averages 64°F vs 79°F in Baton Rouge, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Louisiana to Idaho.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $78,182

To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.3% more

Groceries

pay 3.7% less

Transportation

pay 10.2% more

Housing

pay 2.8% more

Childcare

pay 31.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Louisiana to Idaho.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

LA
543
ID
226
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

LA
2605
ID
784

Idaho performs significantly better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

LA
7.9%
ID
8.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

LA
40.6%
ID
33.5%

Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

LA
$208,700
ID
$376,000
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

LA
$1,038
ID
$1,150

Louisiana generally does better on what about housing?, though Idaho leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

LA
84.9%
ID
91.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

LA
26 min
ID
22 min

Idaho performs significantly better than Louisiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

LA
3.9%
ID
3.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

LA
$55,662
ID
$49,054

Idaho generally does better on employment & economy, though Louisiana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

LA
73.1 yrs
ID
78.4 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

LA
18%
ID
19%

Idaho performs significantly better than Louisiana across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Baton Rouge Rain: 60.6 in/yr (1540 mm)
79° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Boise Rain: 11.7 in/yr (298 mm)
64° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baton Rouge Boise
Jan–Mar 67°/45°F (19°/7°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) 87°/57°F (30°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 50°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Baton Rouge Boise
Jan 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C)
Feb 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C) 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C)
Mar 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C) 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C)
Apr 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C) 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C)
May 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C) 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C)
Jun 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C) 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C)
Jul 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C) 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C)
Aug 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Sep 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C) 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C)
Nov 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C)
Dec 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C) 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than Louisiana?

No — Idaho is on average about 4% more expensive than Louisiana. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Idaho?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,546 in Idaho on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Idaho safe?

Idaho performs significantly better than Louisiana across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Idaho compared to Louisiana?

Idaho generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Louisiana leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Idaho compared to Louisiana?

The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 79°F in Baton Rouge. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Baton Rouge gets 60.6 in.

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