Moving to Idaho from North Carolina

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What to Expect

Considering a move from North Carolina to Idaho? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from North Carolina to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 5.1% cheaper than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly $70,289 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between North Carolina and Idaho.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $70,289

To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.5% more

Groceries

pay 14.3% less

Transportation

pay 7.4% less

Housing

pay 9.4% less

Childcare

pay 16.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 9.9% 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

The numbers behind daily life in Idaho compared to North Carolina.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NC
379
ID
226
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NC
1998
ID
784

Idaho performs significantly better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

NC
9.6%
ID
8.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NC
33.6%
ID
33.5%

Idaho performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

NC
$259,400
ID
$376,000
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NC
$1,162
ID
$1,150

Idaho generally does better on what about housing?, though North Carolina leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NC
88.7%
ID
91.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NC
25 min
ID
22 min

Idaho performs significantly better than North Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NC
3.4%
ID
3.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NC
$59,308
ID
$49,054

North Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though Idaho leads in median household income.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

NC
76.1 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

NC
22%
ID
19%

North Carolina generally does better on family life, though Idaho leads in life expectancy.

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.

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asheville Boise
Jan–Mar 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 87°/57°F (30°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) 50°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Asheville Boise
Jan 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C)
Feb 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C)
Mar 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C)
Apr 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C)
Jun 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C)
Jul 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Sep 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C)
Nov 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C)
Dec 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°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 North Carolina?

On average Idaho is about 6% less expensive than North Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Idaho?

Budget about $17,572 for 3 months in Idaho (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Idaho safe?

Idaho performs significantly better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Idaho compared to North Carolina?

Idaho performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Idaho compared to North Carolina?

The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.

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