Garden City, ID vs Shelley, ID

Shelley is moderately more affordable than Garden City, with a 14.2% lower cost of living index. Garden City scores 103 compared to 90 for Shelley, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Garden City can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Garden City is $1,206/month compared to $1,212/month in Shelley — a 1% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Garden City has cheaper rent, Shelley actually has lower median home values ($267,200 vs $411,400).

Median household income in Garden City is $66,859 compared to $63,864 in Shelley (+4.7%). Garden City does offer higher incomes, but the salary premium barely offsets the higher cost of living, leaving residents with a tighter budget. Looking at affordability, residents of Garden City spend roughly 21.6% of their income on rent, less than the 22.8% in Shelley.