Stewart House, 1979
Parma’s story
142 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1979.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1884Parma is settled
ParmaID
Fort Boise and Riverside Ferry Sites · Photo: Sketch by William H. Tappan · Public domain
Population
2,203
2025 Census estimate · +5.2% since 2020
Typical home
$511K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
35.9
years
Jobs based here
523
A commuter town
Is Parma a good place to live?
The best of Parma’s subject grades are a B+ for cost of living and a B for schools; the weakest is a D for incomes. On incomes, just 9 of Idaho’s 94 towns do worse. Parma has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Fort Boise and Riverside Ferry Sites and A. H. Stewart House. Parma has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Parma stand out
Where Parma beats most towns.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Parma for work
Where Parma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
523jobs based in Parma
11%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Parma grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Idaho), ordered by how far Parma is from typical.
Jobs & income523 jobs based hereDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthWest Valley Medical Center 15.4 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →SafetyC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 3.3% of households have no car; 5.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landB−Open →History2 places on the National Register; 3 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life1.8 library visits per resident; 2.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 93° summer afternoons, 12″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.9; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Parma: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Parma, and how to reach them.
PowerIdaho Power11.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Parma water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Parma’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Idaho you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCanyon County ClerkCanyon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code8366083660 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Parma.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of Parma’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Parma for work: only 11% work in town. 21% of residents live below the poverty line in Parma, where Idaho’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The median household income in Parma is $49,000.
11%work in town
| Parma | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Parma11%
Caldwell13%
Nampa13%
Boise City13%
Meridian6%
18 mi
median commute distance
523
jobs based in Parma
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 58% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Parma’s public schools outperform 62% of Idaho districts
Its public schools are run by the Parma District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Parma High School, with 305 students.
62%of ID districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxine Johnson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 377 | A− |
| Parma High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 305 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ID on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Parma
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities.
22risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Parma, expect four seasons and hot summers
Parma has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Parma’s July high is 93°F, above both Idaho’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring38–66°
Summer55–89°
Fall37–66°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Residents of Parma are less healthy than 63% of U.S. towns
Parma beats the Idaho average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 16% of Parma adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Among 60 Idaho towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Parma.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Parma | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 8.1% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Idaho
0 better16 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Parma | ID |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 16% | 10.7% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 17.5% | 12.8% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 8.9% | 6.6% |
West Valley Medical Center
15.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC+
Parma sees more crime per resident than 58% of U.S. towns
Parma’s violent crime rate is 4 per 1,000 residents.
42%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Parma | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.4 per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Parma4
Idaho2.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Parma5.4
Idaho6.2
U.S.15.5
42nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
12
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Parma are worth about $511K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Parma home is worth about $511,000, up 4.8% in a year, 7% above the Idaho typical home.
$511KZillow home value
| Parma | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 66% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $980 a month | $1,117 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Parma$511K
Idaho$477K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsB−
Parma has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
1.3%conserved
| Parma | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
1.3%
conserved · 9 of 706 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Old Fort Boise Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Parma
20pages on Parma
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 62% of ID districts · 3 schoolsSafetyC+4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than ID on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$511K typical home · up 4.8% in a yearWork & commuteD$49K median household income · 523 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Parma; the nearest are
The College of IdahoUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Caldwell16.1 mi$37,845 tuitionTreasure Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ontario, OR16.3 mi$6,345 in-state tuitionBoise State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Boise39 mi$9,048 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Parma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
Famous people from Parma
3 notable people were born in Parma.
About Parma
City in Canyon County, Idaho, United States
Parma is a city in Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,096 at the 2020 census, up from 1,983 in 2010. It is the fourth largest city in the county (behind Middleton, Caldwell, and Nampa all in the county's eastern portion) and the largest in the rural western portion. It is part of the Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after Parma, Italy.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,165 ft
- ZIP code
- 83660
- Area code
- 208
Questions about Parma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Parma, ID expensive?
Not for the area. That is 5.9 years of the area's median household income ($85,987 across the Boise City, ID metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Parma, ID known for?
3 notable people were born here, including C. Ben Ross and Jim Johnston.