Boise, Idaho — an attractive tourist destination as well as a favorable city to call home. Boise offers everything from a stable economy and affordable housing to outdoor activities, art, culture and tasty cuisine. The city stood out to moneycrashers.com for five attributes that make the city number four on their "Top Cities in the U.S. to Call Home" list. The idea of living in a quickly growing community in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is drawing more people to Boise each year.

The places on the "Top Cities" list were judged on population (2011 U.S. Census reports over 200,000 in Boise), median wages, real estate pricing, weather (four seasons) and tax rates (lower than the national average). With Boise State University, a solid high-tech industry, along with strong government and business sectors, diversity and affordability go hand-in-hand in this capital city.

Renting

In 2011, Idaho boasted the best cost of living index in the United States, according to Boiseidaho.gov. That means low rental costs for apartment hunters. It's no wonder Forbes.com named Boise the No. 2 best city to raise a family. Young professionals have plenty of options in its growing city center. Boise conjures up images of mountains and fields for many outsiders, but it's vibrant downtown district has an undeniable big city vibe. Forrent.com reports current listings for downtown Boise show many apartments for rent cost less than $1000 per month. Save your preconceived notions. Boise might be the city for you.

It's Not All Potatoes

• Food — The food options are plentiful and diverse. Step into the downtown area and you can find everything from French to Mexican to Vietnamese fare.
• Weather — The Old Farmer's Almanac ranked Boise #3 on their "Seasonal Weather Champions Five Best Summer Locations in the U.S." list. They mention the long days and clear skies with a slight breeze to cool off the evenings. Boisians are not burdened by too much rain in the summer months. Winters are cold and average 30 degrees bringing snow; but it's not necessarily cold enough to freeze your pants off.

Top Guns

Forbes names Boise, ID one of the best places for a start-up business. Companies like Inovus Solar, Tsheets (started 2006) and Sky Detective, Inc. (started 2006) chose Boise the place to plant their roots. While at the same time, the city is home to some companies that span decades of longevity like Micron, Albertsons LLC, Idaho Timber and WinCo Foods, to name a few.

Adventure

Mixing urban with the outdoors, Boise summers enable adventurists to whitewater raft and kayak down miles of natural rivers. Fish your way to peace and quiet on the legendary Silver Creek and watch all your concerns float away with the bobber. Flyfishing is a popular sport in Boise, as well. Not a fisherman? That's okay, there are a variety of sports to play along with golf and biking. The Boise River Greenbelt parallels The Boise River and is a happy home to bicycle commuters.

Winter brings snow, opening the doors to what visitidaho.org calls its back country skiing "died and gone to heaven" powder at the Bogus Basin ski area.

Quality Living

• Family-friendly — The city has a low crime rate, reports Forbes.
• Good education — About 89 percent graduate high school.
• Diverse culture — Basque Block, historical museums, jazz, film and the Shakespeare Festival are just a few sources of entertainment in Boise. There are diverse religious communities with the Ahavath Beth Israel Temple, The Church of Latter-day Saints Temple and the Boise Hare Krishna Temple, among other places of worship.

Amanda Holmes Amanda has been sharing her advice on finance and real estate with her readers for the past five years.