I'm Bob, your ApartmentHomeLiving.com Local Expert for Boise, Idaho. During my college years in eastern Oregon, Boise was a weekend getaway spot where we could party and enjoy world-class concerts. After college, my wife and I raised our kids for several years in Boise, so it holds a special place in our hearts. We came to know the city very well and have many family members and friends in the area. Despite being a populated metro area, Boise still manages to feel like a smaller town with many opportunities for outdoor adventures.
Boise has a thriving Downtown area and a solid economy. Major employers include Micron, HP, and St. Luke's Medical Center. Boise started to feel a housing pinch during the pandemic, when work-from-home became more of a standard, and people from out-of-state realized the great quality of life that the "City of Trees" offers. (Pro tip: Buy a rake. You'll need it in the fall.) That tight housing market has started to ease once again, so new rental opportunities are opening up--both cheap apartments and single-family homes in Boise.
In this guide, we'll explore the top 10 Boise neighborhoods where you can enjoy everything that the city has to offer, without breaking the bank.
Northwest Garden City
The Northwest Garden City neighborhood is bordered on the north by the Boise River. It's a quick 5 miles from Downtown Boise along Chinden Boulevard. You can find single-family homes scattered throughout the neighborhood, as well as multiple apartment communities. There are even some newer apartment complexes in the north part of the neighborhood, offering close access to the river for walking, biking, or kayaking. One thing to keep in mind is that Northwest Garden City is a busy neighborhood, despite being outside of the Downtown core. On a typical Saturday in the summer, you can take in an antique car show at the Idaho Expo, catch a Boise Hawks (MLB Partner League) baseball game in the afternoon, and then take a walk along the river to cool off in the evening.
Morris Hill
Morris Hill is a great choice for young working professionals in Boise. This neighborhood has many apartment complexes and offers easy access to the Boise Connector. A favorite spot for a date night is Emerald Lanes, a bowling and pizza joint that also has an arcade. Kids will enjoy this neighborhood's proximity to Ann Morrison Park, which is just a few blocks east of Morris Hill. The park offers playgrounds, a duck pond, the Treasure Valley Dog Island, an outdoor gym, and many other fun things to do.
Central Bench
The Central Bench neighborhood offers a little bit of everything. It's mainly a residential neighborhood, centrally located between the Boise Connector and the Boise Airport/I-84. It's easy to get to anywhere in the Boise Metro area from Central Bench. The neighborhood has a couple of shopping centers, making errands and grocery runs accessible. You'll find lots of eateries and shopping along Franklin Road and Overland Road. The Green Room is a great spot to catch a live comedy show on Friday nights. Cassia Park offers outdoor activities that include baseball/softball fields and tennis courts.
Southwest Boise
Southwest Boise has been one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the area in recent years. A lot of new subdivisions, restaurants, craft breweries, and retail stores have sprung up here. The neighborhood is conveniently located south of I-84 and just west of the airport. It also blends into the city of Meridian, located directly to the west. We enjoyed taking summertime drives south of the neighborhood. You don't have to travel far to encounter ranches, open countryside, and roadside farm stands with fresh produce. You'll also find some of the best public/private golf courses in the Boise area.
West Bench
West Bench is a small residential neighborhood located between West Boise and Winstead Park. Apartments from 1 to 3 bedrooms and single-family homes are relatively easy to find in this neighborhood and will stretch your dollars a little further. West Bench offers easy access to the Boise River Greenbelt and the downtown corridor. You'll find plentiful shopping and places to eat in the southern part of the neighborhood. There are also lots of family-friendly activities, such as a trampoline park and the Pojos Family Fun Center, which has bumper cars, a carousel, and an arcade.
Franklin-Randolph
Franklin-Randolph is a surprisingly quiet residential neighborhood, even though it's located right at the junction of I-84 and the Boise Connector on the west side of town. Summers can get hot in Boise, so we used to take the kids to Borah Park to cool off at the splash pad and public pool. You don't find many drive-in restaurants left in America these days, but there's one in Franklin-Randolph. The family-owned Big Bun Drive-In offers burgers and ice cream cones in a little slice of 1950s American history.
Eagle
Eagle is a small area located about 10 miles northwest of Downtown Boise. It offers a slower pace of life, easy access to outdoor adventures, and a more rural setting. However, you're still just minutes away from all the action in Boise. Head north out of Eagle on Highway 55 and you'll find wilderness areas, lakes, and plenty of opportunities for fishing, hunting, and camping.
Sunset
The Sunset neighborhood puts you on the north side of the Boise River, a couple of miles northwest of Downtown Boise. You can find a few apartments here, but most of the rentals are going to be single-family homes. It's an older neighborhood centered around Sunset Park, hence the name. We spent many an afternoon at this park letting our American bulldogs run around in the off-leash zone. The north side of Sunset is bordered by the Hillside to Hollow Reserve, which is a 260-acre outdoor space to hike, go for a bike ride, or view wildlife.
Veterans Park
The Veterans Park neighborhood is directly northwest of Downtown Boise. This active and outdoorsy neighborhood gives you direct access to some of the most beautiful riverside parks in Boise. Veterans Park is on the north side of the river, which feeds into the Boise Cascade Lake and several large ponds. Paved walking and biking paths are abundant along this section of the river. You'll also find plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the view along the trails. I prefer fishing outside of the Boise urban zone, but you'll still see a few die-hard anglers dropping a line in the water here, especially in the early mornings. The local neighborhood association is very active, so expect to hear from them if you rent a home in Veterans Park.
Southeast Boise
Everything east of Broadway Avenue and south of the river is considered part of Southeast Boise. This neighborhood is another one of the most rapidly growing parts of Boise, so there are good opportunities to snag a new apartment rental here. Micron's complex, which provides around 5,000 jobs in the city, is located directly south of the neighborhood. You'll find lots of outdoor activities in Southeast Boise, including several parks and the Simplot Sports Complex. The Boise Greenbelt Trail follows the river on the north side of the neighborhood. There are many access points for kayaking and rafting during the summer months.
