Boise recorded 3 murders in 2024. In a city of approximately 235,000 people, that is a homicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 — 75% below the national average of 5.1. The Boise Police Department's 2024 annual report describes combined violent and property crime at a 24-year low. The city's violent crime rate of 293.8 per 100,000 is 21% below the national benchmark. Property crime at 1,110 per 100,000 is 40% below the national average.
Boise's safety data is not marketing copy. It is primary-source law enforcement data confirmed by two independent sources: the FBI UCR and the Boise PD's own annual report. Among all US cities with high inbound migration rates in 2024 and 2025, Boise is the only one where the crime data consistently comes in below national averages across every major category. That distinction is real and matters for anyone making a relocation decision.
The catch: adjacent Garden City, Idaho — a separate municipality that shares infrastructure, zip codes, and perception with Boise — has a violent crime rate of 664 per 100,000. That is 79% above the national average. Movers searching "Boise area crime" or signing leases in addresses they believe are Boise may be landing in a jurisdiction with a violent crime rate more than double the city they think they're moving to.
The Data: Boise 2024 by the Numbers
The table below draws from two primary sources: the FBI Uniform Crime Report 2024 (via PlainCrime) and the Boise Police Department's 2024 Annual Report to Our Community. The BPD report expresses rates per 1,000 residents — converted below to per 100,000 for national comparison. Both sources yield the same directional picture and closely matching absolute numbers.
| Metric | Boise 2024 | National Avg 2024 | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100k) | 293.8 | 370.8 | −21% |
| Murder Rate (per 100k) | 1.3 | 5.1 | −75% |
| Property Crime Rate (per 100k) | 1,110 | 1,835.1 | −40% |
| Total Violent Incidents | 691 | — | — |
| Total Murders | 3 | — | — |
| Total Property Incidents | 2,611 | — | — |
| Annual Violent Crime Risk | 1 in 340 | 1 in 270 | Better |
| Annual Property Crime Risk | 1 in 90 | 1 in 54 | Better |
| Year-over-Year Crime Change | −7.1% | −4 to −6% | Outpacing |
| Combined Crime Rate (24-year status) | 24-year low | — | — |
Sources: FBI UCR 2024 via plaincrime.com · Boise PD 2024 Annual Report (cityofboise.org) · BJS CKLE24 (national benchmarks)
Three murders in a city of 235,000 is a data point that carries weight in context. For comparison: Austin recorded 65 murders in 2024 (population ~984,000), Los Angeles recorded 268 (population 3.82 million), and the national average translates to approximately 12 murders per 235,000 residents. Boise's 3 is 75% below what would be expected at the national rate. This is not a favorable trend in an otherwise elevated city — it is a genuinely low absolute number.
Why People Are Moving to Boise
MoveBuddha's Q1 2026 analysis ranked Boise as the most magnetic metro in the United States, with an inbound-to-outbound move ratio of 1.92. Idaho ranked 6th among all states for inbound migration in the United Van Lines 2025 National Movers Study. Allied Van Lines included Boise in its top 10 move-to cities for 2024. Among all cities with sustained high inbound migration in 2024–2026, Boise is the only non-Southern city in the top 10.
The draw is a combination of factors that align closely with what migration data shows people prioritizing: affordability relative to the Pacific Northwest and California, outdoor access (skiing, hiking, river sports in immediate proximity), a growing tech sector anchored by Micron Technology and HP, and — explicitly — safety. Idaho consistently ranks among the safest states in the country. Boise's "safe city" reputation is cited in United Van Lines data as a direct draw for families relocating from California and Oregon. In 2024, unlike most other migration destinations, that reputation is backed by primary-source crime data.
The Garden City Problem
Garden City is an incorporated city of approximately 12,500 residents located entirely within Ada County, sharing borders with northwest Boise. It has its own city government, its own police department, and its own crime statistics — which are separate from Boise's. Its violent crime rate in 2024 was 664 per 100,000. That is 79% above the national average and more than double Boise's rate of 293.8.
The practical risk for movers is real and specific. Garden City addresses often appear in Boise-area housing searches. The city's location within Boise's geographic footprint means it is frequently perceived as part of Boise by people conducting research from out of state. A renter or buyer who targets "Boise" as their destination and ends up in Garden City has moved into a jurisdiction where the violent crime risk is 1 in 151 annually — versus the 1 in 340 they would face in Boise proper. The difference is not marginal.
294/100k versus 664/100k. A 2x difference in violent crime risk separated by a city boundary that most out-of-state movers don't know exists. SafeScore shows you the specific address picture before you commit.
How Boise Compares to Other Migration Targets
Among the cities receiving the highest volumes of inbound migration in 2024–2026, Boise stands out as the only one where crime data comes in below national averages across all three major metrics — violent crime, murder, and property crime. The comparison is significant for people choosing between migration destinations.
| City | Violent Crime/100k | vs. National | Murder/100k | Property Crime/100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, ID | 293.8 | −21% | 1.3 | 1,110 |
| Austin, TX | 466.9 | +26% | 6.6 | 3,241.9 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 732.6 | +97% | 7.0 | 2,664 |
| National Average | 370.8 | — | 5.1 | 1,835.1 |
| Garden City, ID (adjacent) | 664 | +79% | — | — |
Sources: FBI UCR 2024 · BJS CKLE24 · Idaho State Police Ada County Report 2024
For movers arriving from California — the dominant source state for Boise inbound migration — the crime comparison is particularly relevant. A person leaving Los Angeles (732.6/100k violent crime) for Boise (293.8/100k) is reducing their annual violent crime victimization risk by approximately 60%. That improvement is real, measurable, and reflects the difference between a city running nearly double the national average and one running meaningfully below it. The property crime comparison is even more pronounced: 2,664/100k to 1,110/100k represents a 58% reduction in property crime risk.
The Safety Reputation vs. Reality Check
Boise's safety reputation is one of the explicit draws cited in migration surveys. The question SafeScore research asks is whether that reputation is backed by data or merely by the city's "hidden gem" branding. In 2024, the data supports the reputation. The 24-year crime low documented in the Boise PD annual report, confirmed by FBI UCR, is a genuine result — not marketing language.
The caveat is the pace of change. Boise's population has grown rapidly, and crime data always lags demographic shifts. A city absorbing significant population increases from urban environments — particularly car-dependent Bay Area and Pacific Northwest metros — may see property crime patterns shift as the density and target concentration of the arriving population changes. The Boise PD's data through 2024 shows no sign of this yet. It is a watch-item, not a current problem.
Where the Risk Concentrations Are
Within Boise proper, the 293.8/100k city average reflects an internally varied geography. Downtown Boise and the commercial corridors near State Street carry higher incident densities than low-density residential areas in the bench neighborhoods or east Boise. The city's overall low crime rate does not mean all Boise neighborhoods are equivalent. Block-level data from the Boise PD portal shows the variation. For movers choosing between specific addresses — particularly those coming from dense urban environments with a different crime profile than suburban Idaho — address-level verification remains the right approach even in a low-crime city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boise Idaho safe to live in 2025?
Yes, by the primary-source data. Boise's violent crime rate of 293.8 per 100,000 is 21% below the national average. The murder rate of 1.3/100k is 75% below national — only 3 murders in the entire city in 2024. Property crime at 1,110/100k is 40% below national. Combined violent and property crime hit a 24-year low per the Boise PD 2024 annual report.
The main caveat is adjacent Garden City, which has a violent crime rate of 664/100k — 79% above national. Movers should confirm their specific address is within Boise city limits, not Garden City, before assuming Boise's safety profile applies.
What is Boise's crime rate vs. the national average?
Violent crime: 293.8/100k vs. the national 370.8/100k — 21% below average. Murder: 1.3/100k vs. the national 5.1/100k — 75% below average. Property crime: 1,110/100k vs. the national 1,835.1/100k — 40% below average. All figures from FBI UCR 2024 and BJS Crime Known to Law Enforcement 2024. Annual violent crime risk: 1 in 340, compared to the national 1 in 270.
Is Boise safe compared to other cities people are moving to?
Among major US relocation destinations in 2024–2026, Boise posts the best crime data across all three major metrics. Austin's violent crime rate is 26% above national and its property crime is 77% above national. Los Angeles is 97% above national for violent crime. Nashville, San Antonio, and Greenville all exceed national averages significantly. Boise is the only consistently ranked top-migration destination where crime data comes in below national averages.
The caveat is adjacent Garden City (664/100k violent crime). Movers searching "Boise area" should verify whether specific properties fall within Boise city limits.
What is Garden City Idaho's crime rate?
Garden City's violent crime rate is 664 per 100,000 — 79% above the national average and more than double Boise's rate of 293.8. Garden City is a separate incorporated municipality inside Ada County, adjacent to northwest Boise. It has its own city government and police department. Its crime statistics are tracked separately from Boise by the Idaho State Police.
Movers often don't realize that some addresses marketed as "Boise area" or using Boise-adjacent zip codes may fall within Garden City limits. Checking the specific municipality for any address is essential before assuming Boise's safety profile applies.
Which Boise neighborhoods are safest?
Neighborhoods in the bench areas of east and north Boise, including Barber Valley, Harris Ranch, and areas north of Warm Springs Avenue, tend to post lower crime densities than the city average. Southeast Boise residential areas are generally safer than the commercial corridors near downtown or State Street. Meridian and Eagle — adjacent cities in the Treasure Valley — post their own crime data and are often considered as part of the broader Boise search by movers.
Block-level data from the Boise PD's public portal provides the most accurate picture for specific addresses. The 293.8/100k city average is the starting point — your specific block may run above or below it.
Is Boise safer than other Pacific Northwest alternatives?
Against the most direct Pacific Northwest comparisons: Portland's violent crime rate significantly exceeds Boise's, and Seattle's violent crime rate is also above Boise's 293.8/100k. Both Oregon and Washington post higher statewide violent crime rates than Idaho's statewide benchmark, which runs 36% below the national average per Idaho State Police data.
For movers from California and the Pacific Northwest — the dominant source markets for Boise inbound migration — Boise represents a measurable improvement in crime risk across every major category, not just a perception shift. The data confirms the reputation in this case.
Boise Is Safer — But Your Specific Address Still Matters
Boise's 293.8/100k violent crime rate is the best among major US migration destinations. But the 2x gap between Boise and adjacent Garden City means your specific address — not the city brand — determines your actual risk. SafeScore gives you the block-level picture from primary Idaho law enforcement data.
Run My Address Score See How It Works 294/100k is Boise. 664/100k is Garden City. Make sure you know which side of the line your address is on.Sources
- Boise PD 2024 Annual Report to Our Community — violent crime rate 293.8/100k; combined violent + property crime at 24-year low; 3 murders; 691 violent incidents; 2,611 property crimes; crime down 7.1% YoY · cityofboise.org
- PlainCrime — FBI UCR 2024 data for Boise, ID: violent 293.8/100k; murder 1.3/100k; property 1,110/100k · plaincrime.com/city/boise-id
- Idaho State Police Ada County Crime Report 2024 — Ada County murder count 5; Boise PD murders 3; Garden City violent crime rate 664/100k · nibrs.isp.idaho.gov
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, Crime Known to Law Enforcement 2024 — national violent crime rate 370.8/100k; murder 5.1/100k; property crime 1,835.1/100k · bjs.ojp.gov
- moveBuddha Q1 2026 — Boise ranked #1 most magnetic US metro; inbound-to-outbound ratio 1.92 · idahostatesman.com
- United Van Lines 2025 National Movers Study — Idaho ranked #6 inbound state; 57.8% of Idaho moves inbound · idahobusinessreview.com
- Allied Van Lines 2024 Magnet States Report — Boise in top 10 move-to cities nationally · allied.com