Moving to Star, Idaho · Treasure Valley
Star, Idaho homes. New construction, honestly.
Moving to Star from out of state? Start here. Prices from two sources, the two county question, the roads under construction, and what to check on the land before you tour.
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Last verified November 10, 2026 · Sourced from Redfin, Boise Regional REALTORS (Intermountain MLS), U.S. Census Bureau, Idaho Transportation Department, City of Star
Star, Idaho is a city of 20,874 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimate) on State Highway 44 between Eagle and Middleton. Most of the city is in Ada County and part of it is in Canyon County. The 2020 Census counted 11,117 people, so the city has nearly doubled in five years.
Median sale price: $594,486 for all home types over the three months ending October 2026, per Redfin, and roughly $627,500 for single-family homes in September 2026, per Boise Regional REALTORS. Both sit above the Ada County single-family median of $575,000.
Star fits a buyer who wants a newer house and can live with a longer drive: the mean commute is 27.5 minutes (Census ACS 2020 to 2024), and two highway projects run through 2027.
| Market | Median sale | YoY change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star, all home types | $594,486 | +4.3% | Redfin, 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
| Star, single-family homes | ~$627,500 | Not published | BRR / IMLS, Sept 2026 |
| Ada County, single-family homes | $575,000 | +2.9% | BRR / IMLS, Sept 2026 |
| Meridian, all home types | $566,506 | +6.7% | Redfin, 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
| Eagle, all home types | $899,274 | +12.4% | Redfin, 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
Sources: Redfin, all home types, three months ending October 2026 · Boise Regional REALTORS / Intermountain MLS, September 2026 Ada County single-family stat sheet, data as of October 8, 2026 · The two Star figures cover different home types and different periods, so we show both · Checked November 10, 2026
Why Star
Why buyers look at Star.
Star sits on State Highway 44 in the northwest corner of Ada County. Eagle is the next city east, Middleton is the next city west, and the Boise River runs along the south side of town. Part of the city has grown across the county line into Canyon County, which matters more than it sounds. We get to that under taxes and schools.
The reason most buyers end up looking here is the housing stock. The 2010 Census counted 5,793 people in Star. The 2020 Census counted 11,117. The Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimate is 20,874, up 84.6% from the April 2020 base. A city that has grown that fast is, by arithmetic, mostly houses built in the last fifteen years. If you want a newer floor plan or a lot at the edge of farmland, the listings in Star look different from the listings in Boise.
Price is the other reason. Star costs more than Meridian and far less than Eagle, per Redfin's figures for the three months ending October 2026. Buyers who like Eagle's side of the valley and cannot make Eagle's prices work often tour Star next.
Moving to Star from out of state
Where you are coming from.
Redfin's migration page for Star lists Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco as the top three outside metros searching for homes there in April to June 2026, with Portland fourth. Redfin builds that from search activity across metro areas, and it says plainly that the data does not reflect actual moves.
If you are in one of those metros, the first comparison is state against state. Here is the statewide picture, with the places where Idaho costs more left in.
| State | Median sale price | State income tax | Avg. sales tax | Price level (U.S. = 100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $493,582 | 5.3% flat | 6.03% | 95.5 |
| California | $752,837 | 1% to 13.3% | 8.99% | 110.7 |
| Washington | $590,204 | None on wages | 9.51% | 107.0 |
| Oregon | $504,949 | 4.75% to 9.9% | 0% | 103.4 |
Statewide figures, not Star. Price: Redfin median sale price, all home types, September 2026. Income tax: 2026 rates, Tax Foundation and each state revenue department. Washington taxes capital gains at 7% to 9.9%. Sales tax: Tax Foundation average combined state and local rate, January 1, 2026. Price level: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. Checked November 5, 2026.
The honest part. Star is not the cheap end of Idaho. Its Redfin median of $594,486 (three months ending October 2026) is about $100,000 above the Idaho statewide median in the table, and it is higher than the statewide medians for Washington and Oregon. A seller leaving the Seattle or Portland suburbs should not assume a price cut. The savings, where they exist, come from the tax columns and from what the money buys in lot and square footage. Washington has no income tax on wages, so a move to Idaho adds one. Oregon has no sales tax, so a move to Idaho adds that.
Buying from out of state. You do not need to fly in first. Start with a 30 minute call, narrow the search to two or three areas, then tour. Our relocation team works this way, and the free relocation audit walks through payment math and a bills comparison before you book a flight.
Numbers
What Star costs.
Two sources, two different answers, about $33,000 apart. Here is why, and which one to use.
Star sale data
| Measure | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale, all home types (Redfin) | $594,486 | 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
| Change from a year earlier (Redfin) | +4.3% | 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
| Median sale, single-family (BRR) | ~$627,500 | Sept 2026 |
| Median price per square foot (Redfin) | $276 | 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
| Sale price vs list price (Redfin) | 99.9% | Sept 2026 |
| Days on market (Redfin) | 115 | 3 mo. ending Oct 2026 |
Sources: Redfin Star housing market page, read November 10, 2026. Boise Regional REALTORS September 2026 Ada County stat sheet, Intermountain MLS data as of October 8, 2026.
Ada County context
| Ada County homes, Sept 2026 | Median sale | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| All homes | $575,000 | +2.9% |
| Resale homes | $561,065 | +2.0% |
| New construction | $622,704 | +10.4% |
Source: Boise Regional REALTORS September 2026 Ada County stat sheet, Intermountain MLS data as of October 8, 2026. Covers Ada County only. We have not verified a Canyon County figure for this page.
Why the two Star numbers differ. Redfin's $594,486 counts every home type and averages three months of sales. The Boise Regional REALTORS figure of roughly $627,500 is single-family homes only, for the single month of September 2026, and the stat sheet rounds it. Neither is wrong. For a detached house, the higher number is the closer guide. Neither source publishes a Star median split by resale and new construction, so we do not quote one.
We could not read Zillow's Star page on November 10, 2026, so no Zillow figure appears here.
New construction is the market here. Across Ada County in September 2026, new homes made up 1,051 of the 2,006 single-family homes for sale, just over half, according to Boise Regional REALTORS. The county median for a new home was $622,704, about 11% above the resale median. Star's single-family median lands right next to that new construction figure.
About the 115 days. Redfin shows Star homes selling after 115 days on market over the three months ending October 2026. Boise Regional REALTORS put Ada County single-family homes at 39 days in September 2026. The two sources count days differently and we have not reconciled them. Sellers in Star still got 99.9% of list price in September 2026, per Redfin.
Property taxes
Star property taxes. Two counties.
The Idaho rules are the same everywhere. Which county collects, and which districts levy, depends on the parcel.
The homeowner's exemption
Idaho exempts 50% of the assessed value of your primary home, up to $125,000, from property tax, per the Idaho State Tax Commission. It is not automatic for a new owner. You apply with the county assessor after you move in.
Which county
A Star address can be in Ada County or Canyon County. File the exemption with the assessor for the county the home is in: Ada County at (208) 287-7200 or Canyon County at (208) 454-7431. The listing and the title commitment both state the county.
Your rate
Idaho property tax is the sum of levies from every district that covers the parcel: county, city, school district, fire, highway, and others. Two Star homes at the same price can carry different bills. We do not print a Star rate because we have not verified one from two sources.
- Ask for last year's bill. The seller's most recent tax bill and the parcel's tax code area tell you more than any citywide average. On new construction the prior bill may be for bare land, so ask the builder or the assessor for an estimate on the finished home.
- State income tax. Idaho's individual income tax is a flat 5.3%, and the grocery tax credit is $155 per person per year (Idaho State Tax Commission, verified August 12, 2026).
Schools
Schools in Star. By address.
Two public school districts serve Star addresses. The West Ada School District covers all of Star that lies in Ada County. In the Canyon County part of the city, most addresses are in Middleton School District #134 and some are in West Ada.
Attendance is assigned by address, and the lines move. West Ada opened Independence Elementary in Star in August 2026 and redrew attendance boundaries around it. A boundary that was true for a listing last year may not be true now.
Before you write an offer, call the district with the exact address: West Ada at (208) 855-4500 or Middleton at (208) 585-3027. We do this for every buyer. We do not publish school ratings or test scores on our city pages.
Getting around
The commute from Star.
The number
The mean travel time to work for Star residents is 27.5 minutes, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020 to 2024. That is a mean across every worker in the city who travels to work. A daily drive to downtown Boise or east Boise at rush hour will run longer. Drive it at 7:30 on a weekday before you decide.
The roads
State Highway 44, signed as State Street, is the main road through town and the direct route east to Eagle and Boise. State Highway 16 crosses it at the east edge of Star and runs north toward Emmett. Star has no interstate interchange of its own. The nearest access to Interstate 84 is to the south, in Meridian and Nampa.
The construction
The Idaho Transportation Department is extending Highway 16 south to Interstate 84 as a limited access highway, with interchanges at Highway 44, US 20/26, Ustick Road, Franklin Road, and I-84. ITD says the full corridor is on track to open in 2027. A separate ITD project widens Highway 44 through downtown Star from three lanes to five, and KIVI reported in 2026 that it should finish by the end of 2027.
Both projects are under way now, so expect lane shifts and detours through 2027. Schedules slip. Check the ITD project page for the current date before you count on it.
Daily life
Daily life in Star.
Parks and the river
- Star Riverwalk Park. A 4.76 acre city park that serves as the entry to a walking path along the Boise River, according to the City of Star.
- Hunter's Creek Sports Complex. 18.04 acres of fields at Star Road and Floating Feather Road, according to the City of Star.
- Freedom Park. Listed by the city as a future park as of November 2026. Do not count it as open.
Shopping and medical
- State Street. The commercial strip runs along Highway 44 through the middle of town. Larger retail centers are in Eagle and Meridian.
- Urgent care. Saint Alphonsus Urgent Care Star is at 10717 W State Street. It is an urgent care clinic, not an emergency room.
- Hospitals. Star has no hospital. Hospitals with emergency departments are in Meridian, Nampa, and Boise.
Utilities
- Power, gas, trash. Idaho Power, Intermountain Gas where a home has gas service, and Republic Services.
- Water and sewer. Star Sewer and Water District serves homes inside the district. Homes outside it are usually on a private well and septic system.
- Full list. Every provider and phone number is in our Star utilities setup guide.
Lots and irrigation
- Subdivision lots. Most newer subdivisions water yards from an HOA pressurized irrigation system, billed through HOA dues or a yearly assessment.
- Acreage. Larger parcels at the edges of town may draw from a ditch company or irrigation district. The City of Star lists several, and delivery does not prove a lot has water rights.
The land
Land hazards to check.
- Flood. The Boise River runs along the south side of Star. First Street data shown on Redfin's Star page puts 10% of properties in the city at risk of severe flooding over the next 30 years (read November 10, 2026). The FEMA flood map decides whether a lender requires flood insurance, so check the parcel, not the city.
- Wildfire and heat. The same First Street data rates wildfire risk as major, with 99% of Star properties carrying some wildfire risk over the next 30 years, and puts 59% at major risk from heat. That is a model, not a forecast for one house. Ask your insurance agent for a quote early.
- Road construction. The Highway 16 and Highway 44 interchange at the east edge of Star is an active construction zone. A home near it gets the noise and detours now and a faster trip south later.
- Wells and septic. Outside the sewer and water district, order a well flow test, a water quality test, and a septic inspection as conditions of the offer.
- Smoke. Wildfire smoke settles across the whole Treasure Valley in some late summers. It is not specific to Star. Check current conditions at fire.airnow.gov.
Tradeoffs
Skip Star if.
- Your budget tops out below the county median. Both Star medians sit above Ada County's $575,000 (September 2026, Boise Regional REALTORS). Meridian, Kuna, Nampa, and Caldwell are the places to look first.
- You will drive to downtown Boise five days a week. The citywide mean commute is already 27.5 minutes, and the two highway projects run through 2027. Boise or Meridian cuts that drive.
- You want an older house or a walkable downtown. Star's housing is mostly recent subdivisions reached by car. Boise has the older stock and the sidewalks.
- You need a hospital close by. Star has urgent care. The emergency departments are in Meridian, Nampa, and Boise.
Star vs Eagle and Meridian
Comparing your options.
Buyers who tour Star usually tour Eagle or Meridian the same weekend. Here is how the three differ.
| Measure | Star | Eagle | Meridian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (Census V2025) | 20,874 | 34,658 | 142,988 |
| Median sale, all home types (Redfin, 3 mo. ending Oct 2026) | $594,486 | $899,274 | $566,506 |
| County | Ada, with part in Canyon | Ada | Ada |
| Public school district | West Ada, plus Middleton #134 in part of the Canyon County area | West Ada | West Ada |
| Main highways | Highway 44, Highway 16 | Highway 44, Highway 55 | Interstate 84, Eagle Road |
| Buyer fit | Newer construction, mid $500Ks and up, longer drive | Larger homes and lots at a higher price | Shorter drive to the interstate, widest choice of subdivisions |
The long version of each: Eagle guide → · Meridian guide → · All Treasure Valley cities →
Questions
Questions buyers ask us about Star.
The median sale price in Star was $594,486 for all home types over the three months ending October 2026, up 4.3% from a year earlier, per Redfin. Boise Regional REALTORS put the Star single-family median at roughly $627,500 for September 2026. The two figures cover different home types and periods, so the honest answer is a range of about $594,000 to $627,500. Both are above the Ada County single-family median of $575,000 for September 2026.
Both. Most of Star is in Ada County, and part of the city extends west into Canyon County. The county decides which assessor handles your homeowner's exemption, which treasurer sends the tax bill, and which taxing districts apply. The listing and the title commitment state the county for any address.
The West Ada School District serves all of Star that lies in Ada County. In the Canyon County part of the city, most addresses are in Middleton School District #134 and some are in West Ada. Attendance is assigned by address, and West Ada redrew boundaries around Independence Elementary, which opened in Star in August 2026. Call the district with the exact address before you make an offer.
The mean travel time to work for Star residents is 27.5 minutes, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020 to 2024. That is a mean across all workers, so a rush hour drive to downtown Boise will run longer. State Highway 44 is the main route east. The Idaho Transportation Department is extending Highway 16 south to Interstate 84 and says the full corridor is on track to open in 2027.
Idaho exempts 50% of the assessed value of a primary home, up to $125,000, per the Idaho State Tax Commission. You apply with the assessor for the county the home is in, Ada or Canyon, after you move in. The rest of the bill is the sum of levies from the county, city, school district, fire district, and other districts covering the parcel, so two Star homes at the same price can owe different amounts. Ask for the seller's most recent tax bill.
On price, Star sits between them. Over the three months ending October 2026, Redfin's median sale price was $566,506 in Meridian, $594,486 in Star, and $899,274 in Eagle. Star is the smallest of the three at 20,874 residents per the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimate, and it is the only one that crosses into Canyon County. Meridian has direct access to Interstate 84. Star and Eagle rely on State Highway 44.
Sources & references
Market data
- Redfin: Star, ID housing market, three months ending October 2026, plus migration and First Street risk data
- Boise Regional REALTORS: September 2026 Ada County single-family stat sheet, Intermountain MLS data as of October 8, 2026
- Redfin, Meridian and Redfin, Eagle: three months ending October 2026
Population and commute
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Star city, Idaho. Vintage 2025 population, 2010 and 2020 Census counts, ACS 2020 to 2024 mean travel time to work
Schools
- West Ada School District
- Middleton School District #134
- Idaho News 6: Independence Elementary opens in Star, August 7, 2026
- Wikipedia: Star, Idaho, county and district coverage
Taxes
- Idaho State Tax Commission: homeowner's exemption, income tax rate, grocery credit
- Ada County Assessor
- Canyon County Assessor
Roads
- Idaho Transportation Department: Highway 16 corridor, I-84 to Highway 44
- KIVI Idaho News 6: Highway 44 widening in Star, 2026
City and services
- City of Star: parks and irrigation providers
- Star Sewer and Water District
- Saint Alphonsus Urgent Care Star
- AirNow Fire and Smoke Map
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