State comparison
Washington vs Idaho: which state is better to live in?
Washington and Idaho cost a median household almost the same in state and local taxes, $6,887 a year against $7,085, so the choice comes down to housing, safety and schools.
Washington
Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
Wins 7 categories
Idaho
Moderate tax burden · COL index 96
Wins 9 categories
Taxes: Washington vs Idaho
Washington has no state income tax. Idaho has a flat 5.8% income tax, which works out to 5.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,698 a year. Washington wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.84% of home value a year in Washington and 0.48% in Idaho (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $4,788 against $2,040, so Idaho has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.38% in Washington and 6.02% in Idaho; Idaho is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $6,887 a year in Washington, $7,085 in Idaho. Washington is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Washington's cost of living index is 117 and Idaho's is 96, where 100 is the national average; Idaho is about 22% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $570K in Washington and $425K in Idaho (Zillow, 2024), a $145K gap in Idaho's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,000 a month in Washington and $1,500 in Idaho.
Home insurance averages $900 a year in Washington and $800 in Idaho, so Idaho is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 347 incidents per 100,000 residents in Washington and 228 in Idaho (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Idaho is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 52% lower. Property crime is 3,187 per 100,000 in Washington against 1,535 in Idaho, again favoring Idaho.
Health
Life expectancy is 79.3 years in Washington and 77.7 in Idaho (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.6-year edge for Washington. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Washington's health system 10th of 50 and Idaho's 32nd, so Washington scores better on care.
6.5% of Washington residents have no health insurance against 9.0% in Idaho, which favors Washington. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Washington's K-12 schools 7th in the country and Idaho's 30th, 23 places apart in Washington's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Washington went to Harris by 16 points and Idaho went to Trump by 30 points.
Washington has shall-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Idaho has permitless carry and a grade of F, so Washington regulates guns more tightly and Idaho is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is protected by state law in Washington and banned with narrow exceptions in Idaho, and marijuana is legal for adults in Washington and illegal in Idaho as of 2026. The minimum wage is $16.28 an hour in Washington and $7.25 in Idaho.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is high in Washington (wildfire, earthquake, flood) and moderate in Idaho (wildfire, earthquake), so Idaho is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 40 in Washington and 48 in Idaho (under 50 is good), favoring Washington.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
7
Washington
9
Idaho
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Washington or Idaho better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Washington on taxes ($6,887 a year for a median household against $7,085); Idaho on everyday costs (index 96 against 117); Idaho on safety (228 violent crimes per 100,000 against 347); Washington on schools (ranked 7th against 30th).
Which is cheaper, Washington or Idaho?
Idaho is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 96 against 117. The median home is $570K in Washington and $425K in Idaho (2024). On state and local taxes Washington saves a median household about $200 a year.
Does Washington or Idaho have lower taxes?
Washington. A household earning $74,580 pays about $6,887 a year in Washington ($0 income tax, $4,788 property tax on the median home and $2,099 in sales tax) and $7,085 in Idaho ($3,698 income tax, $2,040 property tax on the median home and $1,347 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Washington or Idaho?
Idaho, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 347 per 100,000 residents in Washington and 228 in Idaho; property crime is 3,187 against 1,535.
Which has better schools, Washington or Idaho?
Washington. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Washington 7th of 50 for K-12 and Idaho 30th.
Is Washington or Idaho better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Washington does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; Idaho does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,788 a year in Washington and $2,040 in Idaho.