ADA COUNTY

County Offices
200 W. Front Street
Boise 208-287-7130
Information 208-577-4111
https://adacounty.id.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
250 South 5th Street
Boise 208-472-5200
www.boisechamber.org

Anchored by Idaho’s leading city of Boise, Ada County is nationally recognized for its outstanding quality of life, growing economy, and premier recreational amenities. Ambitious and adventurous pioneers founded the county, and today’s entrepreneurial “pioneers” drive the regional economy. Low taxes, a dynamic business climate, an enviable cost of living, lovely residential communities, and natural beauty are all important factors in the area’s growth and development.

Ada County claims agricultural roots, fed by a system of canals that irrigated orchards, farms, and ranches. Today, technology and urbanization is changing the face and the direction of Ada County. The rich traditions of farming and ranching are preserved in sites throughout the state, and food brokerage firms and wholesalers continue to have strong roots in the Ada County economy. The leading city of Boise is well-known for many public and private partnerships that keep the economy at the leading edge, and the metropolitan area has become a magnet for employers.

Services
In a state where approximately half of the general fund is allocated to education, quality resources can be found on every academic level. Outstanding public-school districts include the Boise School District, ranking as one of the most successful in the nation for its achievements. Impressive private education choices are also available to interested parents, including parochial and independent schools. Unique resources like alternative high schools, an evening high school, and the Treasure Valley Mathematics & Science Center—a dynamic partnership between the Boise and Meridian school districts—meet a wide range of individual and community needs. The Dennis Technical Education Center is also under the direction of these cooperating districts and provides Ada County students with workforce skill development. Within the Boise-Nampa Metropolitan Statistical Area, the selection of institutions of higher education is impressive. Public institutions include Boise State University as well as Boise extensions for Idaho State University and the University of Idaho. Private institutions include Albertson College of Idaho, George Fox University, ITT Technical Institute, Northwest Nazarene University, Stevens-Henager College, Apollo College, Brigham Young University Boise, and the University of Phoenix. Several specialized career and vocational colleges and institutes range from a bible college to an institute of health technology.

State-of-the-art healthcare facilities and services are anchored by exceptional medical centers that provide comprehensive services and continue to garner awards and recognition for excellence. With a rich history dating back to 1894, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical center is a medical facility that serves as a center for advanced medicine and provides an integrated network of healthcare delivery resources. The Saint Alphonsus Medical Group offers more than 70 primary care physicians who ensure easy access to family-focused health and wellness care for children, adults, and seniors. The medical center has forged innovations like Virtual Monitoring & Care initiatives that rely on telemedicine to reach homebound or rural patients. Saint Luke’s Regional Medical Center is designated as Idaho’s only Magnet hospital, placing the medical center in the company of some of the nation’s most distinguished hospitals including Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and Mayo-Rochester in Minnesota. Throughout the region, exceptional surgeons, specialists, family physicians, dentists, chiropractors, counselors, ophthalmologists, and optometrists are available to meet every need close to home.

Lifestyle
Newcomers to Ada County will discover a rare quality of life that seems to grow richer and more endearing with every passing year. Whether you prefer to cheer on professional athletes and collegiate teams or challenge yourself in extreme sports from jet boating to snowboarding, Ada County has the ideal setting for every imaginable activity. Highly rated golf courses, tennis courts, lush parks, miles of multi-purpose trails, river and lakefront water sports, and a world of winter sports are just a few of the first-class recreational attractions. Idaho has more groomed snowmobile trails than any state in the nation, and boasts some of the most breathtaking natural beauty. Special events dot the calendar, including an unusual line up that includes rodeos, cross-country ski races, certified marathons, horse races, and dog sled races. Youngsters of all ages enjoy participating in leagues for a wide range of sports. Boise State University is the proud home of the Boise State Broncos, selling out every game at the spectacular Bronco Stadium. The Taco Bell Arena is another Boise State gem, seating as many as 12,000 for sports and entertainment events.

Those who appreciate culture and the arts will delight in the array of attractions, headlined by jazz and theatre. Boise is home to several popular theatre groups, while the Nampa Civic Center hosts a lively variety of performances and special events around the calendar year. Wonderful museums showcase everything from fine art to priceless artifacts in venues like the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho Historical Museum, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, the Discover Center of Idaho. The housing selection in Ada County is diverse, attractive, and affordable. From downtown Boise with its charming collection of renovated older neighborhoods to homes near the Boise River, the county is filled with desirable settings. Custom builds on generous acreage, country manors, view properties, vibrant subdivisions, golf-course and resort communities, and urban neighborhoods shaded by a canopy of mature greenery are a few of the possibilities. Condominiums and townhomes offer a low-maintenance lifestyle and sometimes adjoin premier recreational amenities. The leading city of Boise is the largest metropolitan area in Idaho and the most remote in the nation, which fosters a unique sense of community and a truly peerless place to call home.

 

COMMUNITY PROFILES

Boise

Municipal Offices
208-384-3710
www.cityofboise.org

Chamber of Commerce
208-472-5200
www.boisechamber.org

Nestled in the Treasure Valley against majestic foothills where the high desert meets the western edge of the Rocky Mountains, Boise is the heart of Idaho’s largest metropolitan area. The city also serves as a gateway to some of Idaho’s premier recreational opportunities including white-water rafting, winter sports, backpacking, camping, hiking, biking, off-roading, and horseback riding. Boise serves as a regional hub of government, commerce, culture, and entertainment for southwestern Idaho as well as eastern Oregon. Downtown Boise is a thriving district where more than 50,000 people find employment, and the city is home to three respected universities that help to set a high benchmark for quality education on all levels. Healthcare services and facilities are nationally recognized with award-winning medical centers. The cultural community is highly developed, including several of Idaho’s most elaborate museums. Venues from intimate to elegant showcase a full calendar of performance and events, while festivals and celebrations draw throngs of visitors to the metropolitan scene. Quiet residential neighborhoods blend with contemporary condominiums, vibrant new subdivisions, and exclusive enclaves for a pleasing blend of housing in every imaginable style and setting.

Eagle

Municipal Offices
208-939-6813
www.cityofeagle.org

Chamber of Commerce
208-939-4222
www.eaglechamber.com

The proud residents of the attractive community of Eagle often refer to their home as “rurban” to reflect the delightful blend of rural and urban environments. Eagle has managed to preserve its country charm and small-town intimacy within the context of the increasing urbanized environment of southwestern Idaho. The city is dedicated to its “urban forestry” program that continues to add new trees each year. New developments by law must be abundantly landscaped, as the city rapidly transforms farmland into commercial and residential developments. Cultural enrichment is anchored by an active arts commission, and the city proudly displays its past at the Eagle Historical Museum. Natural preservation is embodied by Arboretum Park, where various plantings range from roses to ground covers and native plants. Other recreational amenities include golf courses, lush parks, tennis courts, a romantic gazebo, play areas, sports fields and courts, and picnic areas. Nestled between the Boise foothills and the Boise River, Eagle provides a wide range of housing from well-kept older homes to luxurious new construction and family subdivisions.

 

Garden City

Municipal Offices
208-472-2900
www.gardencityidaho.org

Chamber of Commerce
208-472-5200
www.gcidahochamber.com

A city on the move, Garden City was named for gardens raised by the Chinese immigrants who once called this area home. The city’s main street, Chinden Boulevard, is also named for these gardens. Relatively modest in population, Garden City is uniquely located within the major urban center of Boise and is completed surrounded by Idaho’s capital city. This “community within a city” is truly the heart of the Treasure Valley and easily accessible from Boise, Meridian, Eagle, and outlying communities. Garden City nestles along nearly six miles of the beautiful Boise River shoreline and claims a rich history. The city is experiencing a renaissance of improvements, upgrades, and new assets that are driving a vibrant new identity. These exciting changes promise to propel Garden City into an entirely new level of quality living where the community can make its mark as an attractive and enviable hometown in its own right. Recreational opportunities are some of the finest in the nation, supporting every imaginable sport and activity in a peerless natural environment. Boise is just beyond the city limits for world-class cultural and entertainment attractions.

 

Kuna

Municipal Offices
208-922-5546
https://kunacity.id.gov

Chamber of Commerce
208-922-9254
www.kunachamber.com

The small but growing community of Kuna is the gateway city to the Birds of Prey National Habitat Area and is situated along the front lines of the Western Heritage Byways Project. Less than 20 miles from Idaho’s capital city of Boise, Kuna began as an agricultural center. Like much of Ada County, the city is transforming into a progressive community with a growing population and expanding amenities and services. Farms still dot the picturesque landscape at the periphery of the town, but many vibrant new subdivisions now cover yesterday’s fields. Many who have settled in Kuna are commuters to Boise employment centers who were drawn by the friendly small-town atmosphere, quiet neighborhoods, and slower pace of life. Good schools, a strong sense of individual involvement, an active chamber of commerce that promotes economic development, and responsive businesses ensure that Kuna will remain at the top of Idaho growth lists for decades to come.

 

Meridian

Municipal Offices
208-888-4433
www.meridiancity.org

Chamber of Commerce
208-888-2817
www.meridianchamber.org

The growing community of Meridian is proud of its identity as a premier place to live, work, and raise a family. Located approximately 10 miles from Boise, the city offers a number of advantages based on its centralized valley location and close proximity to Boise’s expanded attractions and amenities. This former agricultural center has seen dramatic change over the past two decades, with new subdivisions springing up over yesterday’s farm fields. The entire Treasure Valley has seen explosive growth with an influx of newcomers who work in government, finance, business, professional, and technical fields. Several corporate headquarters make their home in Meridian, along with many other small and mid-sized companies. Drawing newcomers to a family-oriented lifestyle, Meridian offers many youth-oriented activities and organizations from sports leagues to the Boys and Girls Club. Good schools, both public and private, are complemented by easy access to institutions of higher education. The recreational opportunities close to home are unrivaled and span all four seasons. Bogus Basin is a popular destination for day trips.

 

Star

Municipal Offices
208-286-7247
www.staridaho.org

Chamber of Commerce
208-286-9110
www.staridahochamber.com

Newcomers are drawn to the welcoming community of Star for the combination of a down-to-earth atmosphere and the expanding services and amenities of a growing city. Preserving much of its original rural charm in the face of change, Star has seen consistent growth rate over several years and continues that trend today. Civic leaders are committed to fostering quality development that is aligned with the city’s comprehensive plan. Because Star began as a close-knit community, local residents are encouraged to keep a strong voice in this process. The addition of new residential neighborhoods and subdivisions, parks filled with sports facilities and amenities, and commercial conveniences is sure to continue for years and even decades. Just south of downtown, the Boise River offers swimming, fishing, and scenic areas for quiet walks. Cycling is extremely popular in Star, where the city limits fringe some of the finest foothills for biking in the state. Scores of historic buildings add a quaint ambiance and grand architecture to this wonderful community that blends the best of the past with a bright future.