City: Boise
State: Idaho
Best Cities Overall Rank: 17
About Boise: The city's zoo has over 200 animals representing over 80 species from around the world.
Boise boasts 4,218.54 acres of parkland, including The Greenbelt, a 25-mile riverfront pathway. It is also home to St. Luke's Children's Hospital.
County: Ada
Population: 205,314
Official website for city visitors' bureau/city: Visitor's bureau website www.boise.org
Newspaper with the largest circulation: Idaho Statesman
Boise blogs:
Boise's Twitter page: Follow Boise on Twitter
Education rank: 50
High School graduation rate 2008: 90.59%
Blue Ribbon Schools, 2003-2009: 1
Blue Ribbon Schools per 100,000 people: 0.49
NEAYC-accredited preschools: 6
NAEYC schools per 100,000 people: 2.92
NAEP State proficiency reading, grade 8: 265
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 17.3
Total Expenditures Per Student: $9,037
Health rank: 18
Quality children's hospitals: 1
Hospitals per 100,000 people: 0.49
Quality Pediatricians: 0
Quality Pediatricians per 100,000: 0
Average number of Unhealthy Air Quality days between 2006-2008, by county: 0
Safety rank: 39
Violent Crimes, 2008: 551
Violent Crime Rate per 100,000: 268.37
Sex Offenders: 576
Sex Offenders per 100,000: 280.55
Economy rank: 27
Travel time to work, 2006-2008, in minutes: 17.5
Percent of labor force unemployed, January 2010: 10.9
Best Performing Cities Job Index: 1,037.71
Median Home List Price: $414,000
Recreation Rank: 26
Parkland acreage, 2008 (includes pools and playgrounds): 4,218.54
Parkland per 100,000: 2,054.68
