Boise, Idaho, is the state capital, and one
of two metropolitan areas in Idaho. Approximately 403,817 people live in the Boise
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which includes Ada and Canyon Counties. Nampa and
Caldwell are the major cities located within Canyon County. The below figures are for the
Boise Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) unless otherwise noted. For further information
about subjects such as employment, education, etc, please click on the links provided
below.
Today, Boise is still the largest metropolitan community in the
state. Numerous world, national, regional and state corporations have their headquarters
in Boise. These headquarters include Hewlett-Packard, Boise Cascade, Simplot Corporation,
Albertsons, Micron Technology, and Morrison-Knudsen. Boise is the hub of commerce, banking
and government for the state and is located mid-way between Salt Lake City, Utah and
Portland, Oregon.
Because of its location and elevation (2,842 ft. above sea
level), Boise's moderate climate adds to its quality. During the winter snow storms may
blanket the nearby mountains but bring only rain to the valley. Snow does enter the valley
but the typical winter day is cold with blue skies. Summer raises the temperature into the
mid 90's. The average summer temperature is 90.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter
temperatures average 29.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
The city has grown to an approximate population of 168,300. Boise
has 34 elementary schools, nine junior high/middle schools and five high schools. It is
also home to the state's largest university, Boise State University. The university, with
enrollment over 15,000, became a part of the State System of Higher Education in 1969 and
offers six schools of instruction.
Meridian is a city in Ada County, Idaho. As of the 2000
census, Meridian population was 34,919 (2003 estimate: 41,127).
The most recent United States Census estimates place Meridian as the
fifth largest city in Idaho behind Boise, Nampa, Idaho Falls and
Pocatello. However, as of June 2006 Meridian is the fastest-growing city
in Idaho, with a 14.5 percent increase in population between 2004 and
2005. Local planning agencies estimate the city's current population to
be in excess of 60,000.
Meridian is in the Boise metropolitan area.
[
Geography
Meridian is located at
43°36′51″N,
116°23′56″W (43.614229,
-116.398963)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 30.5 km² (11.8 mi²), all land.
ZIP codes: 83642, 83646 (As of July 1, 2006)
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were
34,919 people, 11,829 households, and 9,510 families residing in the
city. The population density was 1,143.5/km² (2,962.1/mi²). There were
12,293 housing units at an average density of 402.6/km² (1,042.8/mi²).
The racial makeup of the city was 94.30% White, 0.47% African American,
0.48% Native American, 1.26% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.25% from
other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any
race were 3.70% of the population.
There were 11,829 households out of which 49.0% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were married couples living
together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and
19.6% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of
individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size
was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.7% under the age of
18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and
6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For
every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18
and over, there were 93.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $53,276, and the
median income for a family was $57,077. Males had a median income of
$40,360 versus $27,174 for females. The per capita income for the city
was $20,150. About 4.6% of families and 5.6% of the population were
below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of
those age 65 or over.
Nampa (IPA:
[nĉm
pə]) is the largest city in Canyon
County, Idaho, and the second largest in the
state. Only the capital city Boise is larger. As
of the 2005 census, the Nampa population was
around 78,000. Nampa's population has grown very
quickly in recent years, being one of the
fastest-growing cities in Idaho.
Nampa is located 26
miles west of Boise along Interstate 84. The
city is considered part of the Boise
metropolitan area.
Nobody knows for sure
where Nampa got its name. The belief is that it
came from a Native American word for moccasin.
Native Americans stuffed their moccasins with
sagebrush to keep warm, making a larger
footprint. There is also a Nampa in Canada.
Visitors to Nampa may
notice a certain odor about the city, especially
on foggy days. This is a by-product of the
Amalgamated Sugar Factory, a sugar beet
processing plant. When the beets are cooked,
they emit an odor.
History
Nampa began its life as
a small railroad town in the early 1880s. More
railroad lines sprung up running through Nampa,
making it a very important railroad town.
Nampa was founded in
1886, and a year later had grown from 15 homes
to 50. As new amenities were added to the town,
Nampa continued to grow. It was incorporated in
1891.
Unlike most towns with
streets running true north and south, Nampa's
roads run perpendicular to the railroad tracks
that travel northwest to southeast through the
town. Thus, the northside is really the
northeast side of the tracks, and the southside
is really the southwest side of the railroad
tracks. Founder Alexander Duffes laid out
Nampa's streets this way to prevent an accident
like one that occurred earlier in a town he had
platted near Toronto, Canada. In that town, a
woman and her two children were killed by a
train when they started across the railroad
tracks in a buggy and the wheel got stuck. Nampa
has the fanciest of many Oregon Short Line
Railroad depots built in the area.
The first elementary
school was built in the 1890's. Lakeview school
was located on a hill on 6th Street and 12th
Avenue North, with a view of the Lake. Just
after the school's centennial celebration, it
was condemned as a school and sold to the First
Mennonite Church. The building still stands to
this day.
Lake Ethel in north
Nampa was drained because it caused some
flooding in neighboring homes. The area was
converted to a public park. Lakeview Park is
Nampa's largest park and many community
celebrations are held there.
Colonel William H.
Dewey, a man who made a fortune mining in Silver
City, seeing the advantage of 4 railroad lines,
built the elegant Dewey Palace Hotel in 1902 for
a quarter of a million dollars. Colonel Dewey
died in his hotel in 1903, leaving his son a
million dollars. The hotel survived the great
fire of 1909, which burned several blocks of
downtown Nampa, but was razed in 1963 because no
one wanted to invest in renovating the grand
structure. Relics from the hotel, such as the
chandelier and the hotel safe can be found at
the Canyon County Historical Museum, which is
housed in the old train depot on Front Street
and Nampa City Hall.
A Carnegie library was
built downtown in 1908. It burned down after the
library moved in 1966.
A large reservoir for
irrigation was built in 1909 at Deer Flat.
Called Lake Lowell, it is surrounded by the Deer
Flat National Wildlife Refuge.
Idaho State Collage and
Hospital was built in Nampa in 1910, for the
state's developmentally challenged population.
It opened in 1918. The institution was largely
self sufficient. It had a large farm which was
worked by the residents. The higher functioning
residents also cared for residents who couldn't
do anything for themselves.
Nampa held an annual
harvest festival and farmers' market from about
1908. It was a time of celebration and community
fun. From this festival emerged the Snake River
Stampede Rodeo in 1937, which continues to this
day. It is one of the top twelve rodeos in the
pro rodeo circuits.
A local congregation of
the Church of the Nazarene built a small
elementary school in 1913, later growing to
Northwest Nazarene College in 1915 and finally
to Northwest Nazarene University. The university
currently educates about 2,500 undergraduate and
graduate students.
In 1965, the Karcher Mall was built,
becoming the first indoor shopping mall in the
Treasure Island. Many area residents have
memories of having an Orange Julius, sitting on
Santa's lap (Arthur Yensen), or playing games at
the Red Baron arcade in the mall. Karcher Mall was "the
place to gather" for several decades until the
Boise Towne Square was built in Boise in 1988,
drawing the business and the people away.
Karcher Mall is now struggling to remain in
operation. But relief may come from a new
Karcher Interchange to Interstate 84 that will
be completed by the end of 2006 and provide easy
access to the area for commercial, industrial
and residential development.
Nampa is booming in
2006 with new homes, new shopping centers and
new roads. The Treasure Valley Marketplace north
of the Karcher Interchange will open with
Costco, Target and Kohl's. Three interstate
exits to the east in Nampa, the Nampa Gateway
Center and other large retailers, such as
Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, are opening near the
Idaho Center. Nampa was also rated as one of the
nicest places to raise a family, as opposed to
Meridian and Caldwell.
Geography
Nampa is located at
43°34′29″N,
116°33′49″W
(43.574807, -116.563559)GR1.
According to the United
States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 51.5 km² (19.9 mi²). 51.4 km² (19.9 mi²) of
it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.10%)
is water.
ZIP codes: 83651,
83686, 83687.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2
of 2000, there were 51,867 people, 18,090
households, and 13,024 families residing in the
city. The population density was 1,008.9/km²
(2,612.3/mi²). There were 19,379 housing units
at an average density of 376.9/km² (976.0/mi²).
The racial makeup of the city was 83.45% White,
0.40% African American, 0.94% Native American,
0.93% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 11.25% from
other races, and 2.86% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.90% of
the population.
There were 18,090
households out of which 40.6% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were
married couples living together, 11.4% had a
female householder with no husband present, and
28.0% were non-families. 22.6% of all households
were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone
living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.77 and the
average family size was 3.25.
In the city the
population was spread out with 31.0% under the
age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to
44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65
years of age or older. The median age was 28
years. For every 100 females there were 96.0
males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
there were 93.0 males.
The median income for a
household in the city was $34,758, and the
median income for a family was $39,434. Males
had a median income of $28,580 versus $22,022
for females. The per capita income for the city
was $14,491. About 8.7% of families and 12.4% of
the population were below the poverty line,
including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9%
of those age 65 or over
Homes for sale 
