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Overall Rating: 84/100 · 113,210 veterans (8.2% of population)
Reviewed 2026. Programs and exemptions verified against Idaho veterans-affairs and tax-authority sources.
Benefit details verified January 2025. Tax exemptions, caps, and eligibility change and can vary by county — always confirm current figures with your county assessor and your Idaho Department of Veterans Affairs before you rely on them.
Military retirement pay is 100% exempt from state income tax (as of 2025)
0.63% average effective rate
Up to $1,500 tax reduction
100%/TDIU only: reduces tax (not value) by up to $1,500 on home + 1 acre, no income limit. Nothing below 100%.
Source ↗No veteran-specific exemptions
$85,000
VA Medical Center
500 West Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702
(208) 422-1000
Primary care, Mental health, Surgery, Specialty care
Free tuition
ID resident veterans with 10%+ service-connected disability - free tuition at state universities
4-year value: $32,000
Median Home
$450,000
1BR Rent
$1,200/mo
COL Index
105
Unemployment
2.8%
Major employers: Micron Technology, St. Luke's Health System, Boise State University, state government
Pros: Best job market in ID, VA medical center, outdoor recreation, growing economy
Cons: Rising housing costs, rapid growth, summer heat
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Buying a home
$0 down, no PMI. Funding fee waived for service-connected veterans.
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Honorably discharged veterans (and unmarried surviving spouses of preference-eligible veterans) receive 5 preference points; veterans with a 10%+ service-connected disability or Purple Heart recipients receive 10 points. Veterans with a 30%+ rating who rank in the top 25 qualified applicants are guaranteed an interview.
Official source ↗Idaho-resident veterans with a 40% or greater service-connected disability qualify for a $5 Disabled American Veteran (DAV) combination license with all hunting and fishing privileges, plus reduced-fee big-game tags. Requires a VA disability rating letter.
Official source ↗Idaho-resident veterans with a 100% permanent and total service-connected VA rating qualify for a free lifetime pass waiving the day-use motor-vehicle entrance fee and one individual campsite fee (14-night limit per 30 days; excludes cabins/yurts/group sites; reservation fees still apply).
Official source ↗Veterans with a 100% permanent service-connected disability (or loss/loss of use of hands/feet, or blindness) are exempt from the registration fee on one vehicle and receive free Disabled Veteran license plates, which authorize accessible parking. Requires an ITD eligibility letter from the VA Regional Office.
Official source ↗Honorably discharged veterans can add a 'veteran' designation to an Idaho driver license or ID card by presenting proof of honorable service such as a DD-214.
Official source ↗The Idaho Division of Veterans Services operates four skilled-nursing veterans homes. Eligibility: minimum 90 days active service, discharge under honorable conditions, Idaho resident at time of application, and medically qualified for nursing-home-level care. Spouses/widows/widowers of eligible veterans may also be admitted; wartime veterans receive priority.
Official source ↗The property tax reduction (up to $1,500, for veterans with a 100% service-connected/IU rating, no income limit) continues for the surviving spouse in the year of death and subsequent years until they remarry, die, or no longer have property tax levied on the homestead. It is not transferable to a new property.
Official source ↗Sourced from official state agencies; programs and eligibility change — confirm with your Idaho Department of Veterans Affairs before applying.