9 Best Places To Call Home In Idaho In 2025

Choosing to settle in a small town is just as big a decision as moving into the big city is, but not in the way that you'd expect. While small towns won't have as many of the conveniences that a big city would have, they have plenty to offer in other areas.

One particular example of that is considering the small towns of Idaho. While towns like Boise or Meridian will draw in big crowds, the multitude of small towns in Idaho pull you in with wide open spaces, amazing natural beauty, easy access to outdoor activities, and a tight-knit community.

If you're dead set on moving somewhere in Idaho or you're considering your options, keep in mind these particular Idaho towns to settle in.

Lewiston

A stone's throw away from Clarkston, Washington State, and also called Lewis Clark Valley, the town of Lewiston is a town rich with adventure, culture, and award-winning wines. Lewiston's biggest draw is the famed Hells Canyon, which happens to be North America's deepest river gorge. But what would keep you there is both the below-average housing costs and the bevy of options that Lewiston offers beyond Hells Canyon.

For starters, housing only costs $425K on average, with the sold price even lower. All year round, Lewiston and its neighbour, Clarkston, offer unique and specialized tours in the region, so there is no shortage of things to do. Some of the most iconic are the Bronze Sculpture at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center and the Listening Circle at Chief Timothy. Lewiston Civic Theatre also features many musicals, plays, and workshops that the public can participate in.

Ammon

Locked in at the 15th largest city in Idaho, Ammon still has a small-town feel with a population of roughly 19,617. The uptick in population is attributed to housing affordability, which makes sense given houses are sold at $411.5K on average. However, one other distinct advantage is the great number of outdoor activities Ammon offers.

For starters, the western side of Ammon touches the City of Idaho Falls, where you can explore to your heart's content. You also have trails to explore in Caribou National Forest, specifically the Blackfoot Mountain Range and the more rugged Caribou Mountain Range. If that isn't enough, the city also boasts nine different parks that total over 62 acres throughout town. The most iconic is the 18-acre McCowin Park, complete with a swimming pool, splash pad, picnic areas, a playground, and various sports fields.

Emmett

Sitting in a broad and beautiful valley, the town of Emmett is another naturally abundant place to be, in which the town leans into that theme hard. The biggest draw to the town is the four-day-long Emmett Cherry Festival that takes place over the summer. Combined with the average cost of housing at $448K, Emmett could be a vibrant and agriculturally rich place to live.

With the regional fruits being apples, peaches, and, naturally, cherries, some of the draws are the ranches themselves, such as Williams Fruit Ranch. But aside from the sprawling fields, the Black Canyon Reservoir is a great spot for picnicking, fishing, boating, and hiking. There's even the Black Canyon Park in the area for recreational use. Lastly, the town's Fairgrounds hosts all kinds of events and activities for the community, including a newly revived annual rodeo event. Its closeness to the Boise-Nampa metropolitan area is also particularly appealing.

Sandpoint

For affordable places to live in Idaho, Sandpoint tends to make it to these lists, and this one is no exception. Resting in the northern area of Idaho, Sandpoint is a gorgeous place to live, as it's near the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and is surrounded by the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains. It's another outdoor adventurer's paradise, especially when the average sold price for homes is $393.8K.

A lot of this town is propped up by its recreational prospects, with Lake Pend Oreille being ideal for fishing and boating, the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains for hiking and climbing, and the surrounding forests being perfect for hiking and biking. For bikers, the MTB Schwitzer Mountain is perfect with a trail system for mountain bikers, and it's growing. In town, local restaurants are plentiful, with more emerging. The Crow's Bench is a new addition with excellent lunch and dinner options. And if you're a foodie, the Gourmandie would be perfect, as it's a specialty store offering a mixture of artisanal meats, cheeses, snacks, beer, and wine.

Wallace

Towering mountains, thick pines, and local micro-breweries, the city of Wallace has a lot of historical feel and charm to it. History is one of Wallace's great prides, as it's one of the four cities in the United States to have the entire town listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And if that isn't impressive enough, Wallace is also very affordable, with the average listed home price set to $359K.

For a small town, Wallace packs a lot of everything into it. Naturally, being close to the Bitterroot Mountains, Wallace takes advantage of the natural beauty with its tunnels and outdoor activities like the Hiawatha—arguably one of the most gorgeous stretches of rails-to-trails around. You can also enjoy zipline tours through the mountainous terrain with Silver Streak Zipline Tours. And after a day of adventure, you can settle at the 1313 Club, which has some of the best food options in Wallace.

Garden City

Idaho has a lot of towns where natural beauty mixes very well with the small towns. But if there is one in particular that does this extraordinarily well, it'd be Garden City. With affordable homes being sold for an average of $632,000, Garden City is a good opportunity to experience beautiful scenery all year round as well as a strong neighborhood spirit.

Garden City takes the natural beauty and blends it with great innovation to create outdoor experiences that are unlike others. This is captured in the Boise Whitewater Park, where the town created its own man-made wave that shifts based on the water level of the river that fuels it—the Boise River. Garden City also has a robust art and cultural community, with the Visual Arts Collective showcasing a variety of artists and performers and offering arts and cultural programs. And if you're looking for fun for the whole family, Westy's Garden Lanes is a staple in Boise, not far from town, and has provided bowling experiences for decades.

Moscow

Called by the locals Fest City, Moscow is recognized for its lively celebrations and the charming hometown vibe. With the average affordable homes selling for $432K, Moscow is rich with so many things to see and do. It's even perfect for families whose kids are planning to go to university as the University of Idaho is located here.

You can get a sense of Moscow being a lot when you consider the numerous local parks scattered throughout. There are plenty of local parks that appeal to hikers and bikers. Similarly, there are parks that are big and large for canines, too. The Almon Asbury Lieuallen Park would be a good pick as it's not far from the downtown area. The local wine and food scene is also packed with Lindsay Creek Vineyards, which is packed with wine events and fantastic wine in general. You can also see the quality of the cooking craft in restaurants like the Forty Two Bar Kitchen, which delivers authentic southern barbecue for the family. Regardless, the experiences in Moscow are truly endless.

Preston

If you've seen the film Napoleon Dynamite then you might be able to recognize some of the areas in Preston, after all, it is the town where several locations were filmed in. Aside from that bit of history Preston is a jam-packed town with recreation, entertainment, local sports, and iconic community events. And with affordable homes being sold on average at $519,000, it's an opportunity you don't want to pass up.

Many of the town's events bring the community together year after year, with the Festival of Lights being one of the larger ones during the festive season. It's there where the downtown area is transformed into a winter wonderland experience for everyone. Beyond those events, you can visit the multiple spots where the Napoleon Dynamite film shot with the Map of Napoleon Dynamite Sites, including Napoleon Dynamite's House. All of this can be topped off with one of the local burger joints Big J Burgers.

Blackfoot

A careful mixture of adventure and relaxation, Blackfoot is the final spot on our list of places to call home for a wide variety of reasons. For one, the housing market is highly affordable, with the average home valued at roughly $366K. Beyond that, Blackfoot has a variety of activities, and community events to create unforgettable memories.

The Idaho Potato Museum is one of the ways to catch a glimpse into Idaho's history, with a unique twist to the typical museum. Alternatively, hiking through the Lava Field Trails is a similar, unique experience for those wanting to enjoy the great outdoors. The Jensen Grove Park is one of Blackfoot's most popular parks with it being a good mixture of relaxation and family fun. And all of this can be rounded up by the Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds, which is always bustling whenever events take place there.

From the small rural towns of Preston to the town with so many things to do, like Moscow, Idaho, there is a diverse range of living experiences. However, there are several things that are consistent: the natural beauty and the connectivity of the communities that live in those spaces. Where you settle is entirely up to you, but between the natural beauty and the choice between slow and relaxed and adventurous and lively, Idaho's small towns are certainly ones to consider more. You'll be sure to find a gem or more in any of these towns.