The Town FilesGarden City, Idaho
City in Ada County · population 12,316 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $449,500
- Household income
- $70,124
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 42.3
Garden City is a city of 12,316 people in Ada County, Idaho. The median home is worth $449,500, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Idaho towns, better for cycling than 98% of Idaho towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Idaho towns.
How Garden City ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Garden City is worth $449,500, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $70,124, which is more affordable than 12% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,323 a month. 63.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garden City | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $449,500 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $1,323 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $70,124 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 63.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Garden City
| People | Garden City | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.8% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 91.2% |
Weather in Garden City
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.3 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garden City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 26, 1984 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 26, 2015.
Severe weather in Ada County since 1996
Ada County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2017 | Flood | DR-4342: Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
| September 1, 2000 | Fire | DR-1341: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Ada County
Ada County had 288,010 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,588 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Garden City itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Garden City
23 public schools with 10,947 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,770 | 20.8 |
| CAPITAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,162 | 16.1 |
| LOWELL SCOTT MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 794 | 20.4 |
| PIONEER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | PK-5 | 644 | 19.5 |
| HILLSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-9 | 595 | 16.1 |
| ANSER CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | PK-8 | 551 | 15.3 |
| RIVERGLEN JR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-9 | 520 | 13.7 |
| SHADOW HILLS ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 447 | 18.6 |
| MORLEY NELSON ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 429 | 17.9 |
| CECIL D ANDRUS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 407 | 15.7 |
| CYNTHIA MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 392 | 17.0 |
| FUTURE PUBLIC SCHOOL (charter) | K-6 | 384 | 20.2 |
Towns near Garden City
- Hidden Springs, ID3.8 mi · 3,076 people · home $773,500
- Boise City, ID5.8 mi · 235,684 people · home $484,800
- Eagle, ID6.1 mi · 30,346 people · home $772,900
- Meridian, ID6.6 mi · 117,635 people · home $531,600
- Star, ID10.2 mi · 11,117 people · home $564,300
- Kuna, ID11.3 mi · 24,011 people · home $423,900
- Nampa, ID14.6 mi · 100,200 people · home $370,800
- Middleton, ID16.3 mi · 9,425 people · home $403,100
Garden City questions
Is Garden City, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garden City scores better for retirees than 58% of Idaho towns and quieter than 15%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Garden City?
The median owner-occupied home in Garden City is valued at $449,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,124, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,323 a month.
What is the weather like in Garden City?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 18.3 inches of snow.
Does Garden City get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garden City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 26, 1984. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)