Living in Meridian Idaho - Complete Overview of Meridain Idaho [2024 UPDATE]

You're looking at moving to Boise, Idaho, and Meridian, Idaho keeps popping up as one of the top areas that you should be checking out. Well, in this video, we're going to be covering all things Meridian, Idaho.

Living in Meridian

I love living here in the Boise, Idaho area, and Meridian is my top spot for where I like to spend my time. We spend a ton of time here. My daughter goes to a homeschool hybrid program here in Meridian. We go to church in Meridian. We have a ton of friends that live here as well. We do a lot of our shopping also in Meridian. So if you're looking for somewhere that is very central, Meridian is certainly going to be the top spot for you. 

We're going to be covering the types of homes that you can get in Meridian, the types of shopping that are here, how centrally located it is, and some of the top communities and builders if you're looking for new construction that you're going to find here in Meridian, Idaho.

My name is Curtis Chism, and I help people just like you make the move here to Idaho, and I absolutely love it. If you're looking to make the move to Idaho, just give me a phone call, text, or email, and I'll help you make that smooth move here to Idaho.

Location and Accessibility

Meridian, Idaho is so centrally located. It actually means "the center," and it's located just to the west of Boise, Idaho. If we pull up the map here, you can see here's Boise, and then of course you have Meridian. As you can see, it's really kind of right in the heart of everything. You've got Eagle just to the north of it, Kuna to the south, and then as you head west, you've got Nampa, Caldwell, and Star.

If you're trying to get to any of these communities, you're going to generally be between 15 to 25 minutes, let's call it 20 minutes on average. But if you're looking to just stay in Meridian, a lot of folks that live in Meridian tend not to leave it too much because everything is right there for you. Again, you've got the shopping, schools, churches, great parks, recreational activities, and it's so close to so much of the outdoor nature that we all love when we're looking to move here to Idaho. It's a big reason why I moved here.

Understanding Meridian: The Three Distinct Areas

I want to give you a quick lay of the land of Meridian so you understand the different parts. There really are three distinct areas of Meridian: Central Meridian, North Meridian, and South Meridian.

-Central Meridian: North of I-84 up to Ustick Road.
-North Meridian: North of Ustick, essentially up to Chinden. Beyond Chinden, you get into Eagle.
-South Meridian: South of I-84 before you hit Kuna.

Shopping and Entertainment in Meridian

Some of the top shopping that you've got here in Meridian is The Village. The Village is probably the number one most talked about shopping mall here in the Boise, Idaho area. I really love spending time at The Village. There's a great theater, a water fountain timed to music with cool lights, and during the wintertime, there's Santa and ice rinks, which are great for the kids.

There's a local celebrity named Corbin Maxey with billions of viewers on YouTube. He lives here and does shows at The Village with his rescue reptiles or reindeer in the winter. There are also great restaurants like Sid's Garage, a taco place, a good coffee shop, and numerous high-end boutique stores like Lululemon, Anthropologie, GAP Factory Outlet, Buckle, Lush, and Sephora. 

In-N-Out finally came to Idaho and chose The Village, causing quite a buzz when it first opened. Not far from The Village, you've got the Boise Co-op, which is a Whole Foods alternative, and a Trader Joe's just up the street. Costco is also in Meridian, more in the north almost northwest part, convenient for Central and North Meridian residents.

Comparing Meridian to Other Areas

How does Meridian compare to other areas of the Treasure Valley?

-Boise: With 275,000 people, it's an older, more established city with beautiful Craftsman homes in the North End, mid-century homes on the Boise Bench, and high-end areas like Harris Ranch and Warm Springs.
-Meridian: Generally newer homes, mostly in the 20-25 year range up to present day construction, with more established neighborhoods featuring tree-lined streets.
- Eagle: Known for higher price points and more established neighborhoods.
- Nampa and Caldwell: Offer a mix of older homes and new communities.

Schools in Meridian

Meridian has some of the best schools in the Treasure Valley. The West Ada School District features many A-rated schools, including public, charter, and private options. This is a big draw for families and contributes to the higher cost of living compared to Nampa or Caldwell.

Parks and Recreation

Meridian also has numerous great parks like Settlers Park, Kleiner Park, and Discovery Park, offering tons of recreational activities. There are baseball fields, pickleball courts, football fields, wide-open grassy fields, playgrounds, splash pads, and ponds for fishing. The Boise River is nearby for summer cooling off, and the local foothills and mountains are just an hour and a half to two hours away, offering fantastic camping and outdoor activities.

Home Prices and Builders

As of early 2024, the median home price in Meridian ranges from $550,000 to $590,000. Here's a breakdown:

- A 2,400 sq ft home on a 6,500 to 8,000 sq ft lot with four bedrooms averages around $650,000.
- A 2,000 sq ft home on the same size lot averages about $530,000.
- Smaller homes at 1,700 sq ft on a smaller lot with three bedrooms average around $450,000.
- The average price per square foot is about $264.

In comparison, Eagle's median price is nearing a million dollars. Meridian features a mix of builders like Brighton, Pinnacle, Berkeley Homes, Toll Brothers, CBH Homes, and Hubble Homes.

Popular Subdivisions in Meridian

Some top subdivisions in Meridian include:

-Spurwing: A fantastic community with a golf club and social club, offering a mix of large and smaller homes.
-Lochsa Falls: Great community and school district.
-Century Farms: Located in South Meridian.
-Fairbourne: Located in Northwest Meridian.

If you're looking to make the move to Idaho, reach out to me via phone, text, or email. We'll set up a Zoom call to find the right neighborhood and home for you. I absolutely love working with folks moving here. I moved from California, seeking a better life, cost of living, and politics, and I love it here.