Home / Neighborhoods / Boise Bench
The Bench: Boise’s quiet value.
Mid-century homes on real lots, wide views over the valley, and a front-row seat to downtown, for a good deal less than the neighborhoods everyone already knows about.
Source: Redfin & Zillow, refreshed monthly. Live IMLS numbers arrive with the feed.
What it’s actually like to live on the Bench.
The Bench is the plateau that rises just south of downtown, and that little bit of elevation is the whole point. From the Boise Depot lawn you look straight down Capitol Boulevard to the city and the foothills behind it, a view most Boise neighborhoods pay a fortune for.
The homes tell the story of Boise’s post-war boom: solid mid-century ranches and split-levels from the 1950s through the 1970s, on lots that are wider and greener than anything built today. Dollar for dollar, the Bench is where much of Boise’s remaining value lives: the same square footage costs less here than in the historic core.
It’s also one of the most connected corners of the valley: Vista Avenue runs the neighborhood from the airport up toward downtown, lined with old-school diners, taquerias and coffee. Central, established, and still underrated.
The Bench, in three dimensions.
Tilt, spin and fly over the plateau. Downtown drops away right where the streets end.
Interactive 3D map: drag to rotate, scroll to zoom. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · tiles by OpenFreeMap · terrain by Mapzen/AWS.
Who lives on the Bench?
Source: U.S. Census ACS (5-year), census tracts aggregated to the neighborhood boundary; tracts and boundaries don’t align perfectly, so treat these as close estimates, refreshed yearly.
Where Boise Bench goes to school.
Borah Senior High School
Grades 9–12 · 1,308 studentsSouth Junior High School
Grades 7–9 · 533 studentsWhitney Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 469 studentsHillcrest Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 299 studentsHawthorne Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 264 studentsJefferson Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 228 studentsMonroe Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 206 studentsOwyhee Elementary School
Grades PK–6 · 167 studentsBoundaries shift, so we verify current attendance areas for every home we show you. Enrollment figures via NCES. District: Boise School District (Independent School District No. 1).
How far is everything?
Downtown Boise sits about 5 minutes away by car, with the Boise Airport roughly 13 minutes out and Micron on Federal Way around 18 minutes.
Drive times via OpenStreetMap routing (off-peak); actual times vary with traffic.
The neighborhoods within.
The Bench is really a collection of 350 smaller pockets, from Sunrise Rim and Norcrest to Columbus Park, Palmer, and Green Meadows.
Boise Bench questions, answered.
Is the Boise Bench a good place to live?
Yes, the Bench is one of Boise’s most central, established neighborhoods. You get mid-century homes on bigger lots, wide views over the city and foothills, and a more attainable entry point than Boise’s historic core, all minutes from downtown and the airport.
How much does a home on the Boise Bench cost?
Bench homes are typically more attainable than Boise’s historic North End or downtown core. You’re often paying for mid-century square footage and lot size rather than a location premium. Ask us for this month’s exact median price and days-on-market from the Intermountain MLS.
Which schools serve the Boise Bench?
The Bench is served by the Boise School District, including Borah High School. The Bench is large, so attendance boundaries vary block to block. We verify the exact school assignment for every home we show you.
How’s the commute from the Bench?
The Bench is one of Boise’s most central locations. Downtown, Boise Airport and the I-84 connector are all just minutes away, and Vista Avenue links the neighborhood straight into the city.
What should I know before buying on the Bench?
Look past the surface and inspect the systems. Many Bench homes date to the 1950s to 1970s, so budget for wiring, sewer lines and roofs, but that mid-century stock is also where much of Boise’s remaining value lives. We help sellers tell that value story and buyers find the sound ones.
How fast do homes sell on the Boise Bench?
Homes here move quickly, going under contract in about 15.5 days on average. One hundred homes sold in the last 90 days, so well-priced listings tend not to sit for long.
Who lives on the Boise Bench?
It’s a settled, mixed-age community of about 22,467 residents with a median age of 36.7. Around 54.7% of homes are owner-occupied, roughly 22% of households include kids, and the median household income is about $67,945.
How big are the schools serving the Boise Bench?
The Bench has several school sizes to choose from, anchored by Borah Senior High School with 1,308 students. South Junior High School serves 533 students at the middle level, while Monroe Elementary (206 students) and Whitney Elementary (469 students) cover the younger grades.
Homes for sale on the Bench.
The median Boise Bench home recently sold around $460,167, spending about 15.5 days on the market. The live listing feed straight from the Intermountain MLS lands here once the IDX feed is authorized. Until then, call us: we often know what’s coming before it hits the market.
See what’s available now →Full details2710 Augusta St (under contract) · 3012 W Clark Street (under contract)
Market figures: Redfin & Zillow, refreshed monthly.
Buying or selling on the Bench? You want a local.
— Alyssa & Shannon, Keller Williams Realty Boise
Thinking about the Bench? Talk to us.
Estates and character homes: start with Alyssa. Investment and multifamily: start with Shannon. Not sure? Either. One team, one conversation.