Median rent is 2% lower in Boise City ($1,446/mo vs $1,472/mo). Buying is cheaper in Bakersfield, where the median home runs $371,700 versus $484,800. Households earn more in Boise City ($83,904 vs $80,540 a year).
City A
Bakersfield, CA
City B
Boise City, ID
How much would you need to earn in Boise City, ID to maintain your standard of living from Bakersfield, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Bakersfield
California
Boise City
Idaho
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,472/mo in Bakersfield and $1,446/mo in Boise City. Home buyers face a steeper market in Boise City: the median home is $484,800 versus $371,700 in Bakersfield — 23% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Bakersfield
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Boise City
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Boise City has cleaner air on average: 36.0 AQI (Good) compared to 57.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Boise City if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 36.0).
Is Bakersfield cheaper than Boise City?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Bakersfield vs Boise City?
Median rent is $1,472/mo in Bakersfield, CA and $1,446/mo in Boise City, ID. Boise City, ID has the lower rent by about 2%.
Which has higher salaries — Bakersfield or Boise City?
Median household income is $80,540 in Bakersfield, CA and $83,904 in Boise City, ID. Boise City, ID has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Boise City, ID has better air quality on average: 36.0 AQI versus 57.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Bakersfield or Boise City?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Boise City to match my Bakersfield income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
