City comparison
No. Boise's crime index is 73 versus 165 in St Petersburg, and its violent crime index is 85 versus 167, using 2023 FBI data for St Petersburg and 2024-2025 FBI data for Boise.
Boise is cheaper. Median rent is $1,446 a month versus $1,663 in St Petersburg.
Safety is where St Petersburg and Boise split most clearly. Boise scores 92 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,663 in St Petersburg and $1,446 in Boise.
Boise is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. St Petersburg makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Boise is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Boise has rougher pockets and St Petersburg has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
St Petersburg and Boise are 2,149 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,663 a month in St Petersburg to $1,446 a month in Boise, down $217 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $75,192 in St Petersburg to $83,904 in Boise, up $8,712 (12%).
The crime index goes from 165 in St Petersburg to 73 in Boise, down 92 points (56%).
The move
Boise and St Petersburg are 2,149 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,446 a month in Boise to $1,663 a month in St Petersburg, up $217 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $83,904 in Boise to $75,192 in St Petersburg, down $8,712 (10%).
The crime index goes from 73 in Boise to 165 in St Petersburg, up 92 points (126%).
St Petersburg, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Boise, ID
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing St Petersburg and Boise? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
Boise rent is 13% cheaper than St Petersburg
St Petersburg
$1,663/mo
Boise
Winner$1,446/mo
Typical rent runs $1,446 a month in Boise versus $1,663 in St Petersburg, so Boise is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,604, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Boise still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in St Petersburg.
Planning to buy in Boise? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
12% higher
Boise's median income is 12% higher than St Petersburg
St Petersburg
$75,192
Boise
Winner$83,904
Median household income is $83,904 in Boise versus $75,192 in St Petersburg, so typical pay runs 12% higher in Boise (about $8,712 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Boise is the stronger labor market on paper. St Petersburg can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
56% lower crime
Boise's crime index is 56% lower than St Petersburg
St Petersburg
165 (100 = avg)
Boise
Winner73 (100 = avg)
Boise's crime index is 73 versus 165 in St Petersburg (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 56% lower in Boise. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Boise is the easier city. St Petersburg can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
12% more comfortable
St Petersburg weather is 12% more comfortable than Boise
St Petersburg
Winner77°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Boise
61°F avg · 70°F highs · comfort 89/100
St Petersburg averages about 77°F (82°F highs); Boise averages about 61°F (70°F highs). St Petersburg sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Boise averages around 61°F. St Petersburg scores 12% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Boise if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick St Petersburg if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (77°F) beat Boise on this page's weather index by 12%. Boise may pay more or cost less, but St Petersburg is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Boise is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,446 a month. Choose Boise if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Boise is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 12% higher here ($83,904). Start with Boise if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Boise is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 56% lower than St Petersburg (73 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Boise leads on safety (70/100 vs 45/100 in St Petersburg). Typical rent is $1,446 in Boise and $1,663 in St Petersburg; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (70/100 in Boise vs 45/100 in St Petersburg), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Typical rent stays $1,446 in Boise and $1,663 in St Petersburg.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Boise; St Petersburg only makes sense when you have walked the St Petersburg ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,663 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for St Petersburg and Boise, plus other cities in FL and ID.
