The short version
- Social Security taxed?
- No
- Income tax
- Flat 5.3%
- Property tax on a $300,000 home
- ≈ $1,500 / yr ($125 / mo)
- Everyday cost index (U.S. = 100)
- 100
- January / July high
- 38°F / 91°F
- Sales tax (state + local avg)
- 6.03%
Retiring in Idaho
Low property taxes, no tax on Social Security, and mountain scenery. Watch out: Boise-area home prices jumped sharply, and winters are real.
How Idaho taxes your retirement income
Social Security: not taxed at all.
Pensions: Deduction for some civil-service and public-safety pensions at 62+.
401(k) and IRA withdrawals: Most 401(k)/IRA withdrawals taxed as regular income.
The setup: Flat 5.3%.
Property tax & senior breaks
The average effective property tax rate is about 0.50% — roughly $1,500 a year ($125 a month) on a $300,000 home. Your county sets the real number.
Help for seniors: Property tax reduction ('circuit breaker') of up to $1,500 for lower-income homeowners 65+.
Try your own home value in the Property Tax Estimator.
Everyday costs & sales tax
Overall cost of living runs about 0% below the U.S. average. The combined state and average local sales tax is 6.03%.
Weather
January days top out around 38°F and July days around 91°F, with roughly 210 sunny days a year. Watch out for: Wildfire smoke in summer; snowy winters in the north.
Healthcare
Boise has good hospital systems; rural areas mean long drives.