Meridian, Idaho Area Guide: Parks, Schools, Costs, and Getting Around

TL;DR: Meridian sits between Boise and Nampa and has grown fast, from about 117,600 people in 2020 to about 143,000 in 2025. It has two 58 acre regional parks, a library district with several branches, a big public school district, and a summer festival with deep farm roots. Most people get around by car, and recent home prices sit close to the Ada County median.

Meridian is the Treasure Valley’s second biggest city and one of the fastest growing. If you are new to the area, start with our Moving to Boise guide for the valley-wide basics, then come back here for the Meridian details.

Meridian at a glance

All of these come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts for Meridian. Population is the Vintage 2025 estimate (July 1, 2025). The other rows are American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 estimates, so they run behind today.

Measure	Meridian	Boise, for comparison
Population, 2025 estimate	142,988	238,429
Population, 2020 Census	117,635	235,684
Median value, owner occupied homes	$531,600	$484,800
Median gross rent	$1,805	$1,446
Median household income	$100,795	$83,904
Mean travel time to work	22.4 minutes	18.9 minutes

Meridian added about 25,000 people in five years, a gain of roughly 21%. You can see that growth in new subdivisions, new schools, and new roads.

Where Meridian is

Meridian is in Ada County, west of Boise and east of Nampa, with Interstate 84 running through it. Eagle is to the north and Kuna to the south. City hall is downtown at 33 E. Broadway Ave., per the City of Meridian.

The original downtown is the older core of the city. Much of the newer growth, both homes and shopping, has spread out in every direction from there. If you are comparing addresses, drive from each one to the places you will go most often. In a city this spread out, two homes with the same “Meridian” address can mean very different trips.

Housing costs

Here are the most recent public numbers we could verify:

• Ada County, September 2026: Boise Regional REALTORS reported a single family median sale price of $575,000, up 2.9% from a year earlier, in its September 2026 market report (Intermountain MLS data). Meridian is part of that county total.
• Meridian, longer view: The Census ACS 2020 to 2024 median value of owner occupied homes was $531,600, and the median gross rent was $1,805 (QuickFacts).

New construction is a big part of the Ada County market right now. In September 2026, new builds made up just over half of single family inventory in the county, per the same Boise Regional REALTORS report. For more on prices, inventory, and mortgage rates, see our fall 2026 housing market snapshot.

Parks and the outdoors

The City of Meridian lists 25 parks on its current parks page. Two of the largest:

Settlers Park

A 58 acre regional park at Meridian and Ustick roads, built in phases from 2003 to 2014. It has:

• A universally accessible playground and a splash pad
• A stocked fishing pond
• Tennis and pickleball courts
• Multi-use athletic fields and youth baseball and softball fields
• Horseshoe pits and cornhole courts
• A seasonal disc golf course from November to February
• Three picnic shelters you can rent, which are free first come, first served when not reserved

Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park

A 58 acre regional park established in 2012 on land once farmed by Julius Kleiner and given to the city in his honor. Highlights include:

• A bandshell and amphitheater
• Stocked fishing ponds with an accessible fishing dock
• A splash pad and playgrounds
• Pickleball, sand volleyball, and bocce
• Community and pollinator gardens and a tree arboretum
• The Rock of Honor Veterans Memorial
• The Meridian Senior Center (Center at the Park)

Other city parks on the list include Discovery Park, Storey Park, Heroes Park, Fuller Park, and Storey Bark Park for dogs. The full list, with amenities, is on the city’s parks page.

For bigger outdoor trips, the Boise foothills, the Boise River Greenbelt, and Bogus Basin are all within reach. Bogus Basin’s winter weekend bus includes a Meridian pickup.

Fun close to home

• Roaring Springs and Wahooz: Roaring Springs bills itself as the Northwest’s largest waterpark, with more than 20 water attractions, and Wahooz Family Fun Zone sits next door with go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, and more, per Visit Idaho and Visit Boise.
• Meridian Dairy Days: An annual early summer festival that nods to Meridian’s dairy farming past. The Dairy Days site lists the schedule, which has included a parade, a carnival, live music, and 4-H and dairy shows.

Libraries

The Meridian Library District runs several locations:

• Orchard Park: 1268 W. Orchard Park Drive
• Pinnacle: 1375 E. Phenomenal Street
• unBound: 722 E. 2nd St., downtown
• Tiny Library: 5159 S. Hillsdale Ave.
• History Center: 33 E. Broadway Ave.
• Cherry Lane: 1326 W. Cherry Lane, closed for renovations with a planned reopening in winter 2026 to 2027

Hours vary by branch, so check the site before you go. The district also posts upcoming events, which is an easy way to meet people when you are new.

Schools

Most of Meridian is served by the West Ada School District, the largest district in Idaho. It had 37,659 students in fall 2025, per Idaho Education News. Attendance areas follow addresses, and boundaries can shift as new schools open. Confirm the schools for a specific address with the district.

Idaho also has public charter schools and a state tax credit program for private school tuition and home schooling costs, according to the same Idaho Education News report. To look up state reported results for any district or school, use the Idaho Report Card. Our family resources guide explains how to read it.

Getting around

Meridian is car-centered. The Census puts the mean travel time to work at 22.4 minutes for Meridian residents (ACS 2020 to 2024). Interstate 84 is the main east-west route toward Boise and Nampa.

Valley Regional Transit runs bus routes in Ada and Canyon counties. Check its trip planner to see what serves your address and workplace. If you work at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Military OneSource lists an ACHD Commuteride vanpool for people living in Meridian and other valley towns. Our Mountain Home AFB guide has the details.

Practical next steps

1. Pick your address first, then check services. Schools, trash pickup, and utilities follow the address.
2. Look at the city’s parks list to see what is within walking distance.
3. Get a library card. See the Meridian Library District’s Get a Card page. Library events are an easy way to plug in.
4. Apply for the homeowner’s exemption if you buy. See the property tax section of our Moving to Boise guide.

More Meridian coverage lives on the Meridian hub. If you are weighing a move and want to talk through homes in Meridian, send a note to a local agent.