Top Cities in Idaho

Idaho at a Glance

You may not be able to pronounce it at first, but Lake Couer d'Alene and the city on its shore with the same name have to be home to some of the prettiest real estate in the entire nation. Boise, the state's capital, is located in the southwestern part of the state. It is also the state's largest city, followed by Couer d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Lewiston. Once a land known primarily for its vacation attractions, Idaho has become an extremely popular place to call home. Since 1990, the population has increased by a whopping 55 percent, and it is at present the sixth fastest-growing state in the union.

Located between Washington and Oregon to its west and Montana and Wyoming to the east, and north of Nevada and Utah, Idaho shares a short land border with British Columbia to the north, just 45 miles. The state is full of surprises -- natural beauty and innovation not the least of them. Known equally for its potatoes, its gems, and the inland seaport of Lewiston, Idaho is unique because of its natural wonders. The Snake River runs through Hell's Canyon, the deepest gorge in the country; and Shoshone Falls sends water crashing over cliffs that are higher than Niagara.

With more than four million acres of wilderness, the state is an outdoor enthusiast's dream, with natural lakes, mountains, hiking trails, rivers with rapids as well as fish, and plenty of opportunity for big game and trophy hunting in addition to lush corn fields where pheasant hunters routinely bag their limits. 

Top Cities in Idaho

• Bern  
• Boise
• Buhl
• Caldwell
• Donnelly
• Eagle
• Emmett
• Fish Haven
• Fruitland
• Garden City
• Garden Valley
• Gooding
• Hagerman
• Huston
• Jerome

What You'll Love About Living in Idaho

Boise is the third most populated area in the Pacific Northwest, behind only Seattle and Portland, but the rest of the state is filled primarily with smaller towns and far-reaching open land. It is a major employment center and home to several large corporations, including Albertsons, Boise Cascade, JR Simplot Co., Micron Technology, and American Ecology Corp. It is also a major regional technology center, and local call centers for major companies employ many thousands of people.

Most of Idaho’s residents appreciate -- and are proud of -- the natural beauty outside their doorsteps and want to immerse themselves in nature and active pursuits. Although you could move to Boise and rarely set foot outside its sprawling, modern expanse, it’s unlikely the stunning mountain views, clear air, nearby rivers, and “call of the wild" wouldn’t pull you in eventually.

Few people can resist it’s beauty. And, as we noted, Couer d'Alene is one of the most naturally beautiful places around. It is a resort town inhabited by down-to-earth people, and is known for its annual Christmas lighting ceremony, one of the largest in the nation.

Idaho -- decades ago -- was known for its rustic, woodsy character, its mining towns like Kellogg; folksy Ketchum which put Sun Valley Ski Area on the map; and tiny Moscow, a kind of sister city to Pullman, Wash., and the site of the University of Idaho.

No longer! Idaho is now known as a progressive, gorgeous, desirable destination state, equally impressive in both summer and winter. It's a great place to live, work and enjoy over the span of an entire lifetime.