The 2025 Idaho Public Policy Survey, conducted and released by Boise State University’s Idaho Policy Institute, has been released as public information. The survey, conducted Nov. 9-14, 2024, examined the attitudes of a representative sample of 1,000 adults who currently live in Idaho. Each year, the survey measures Idaho citizen’s attitudes toward a number of relevant topics in the state, including the economy, taxes, elections, education, growth, housing and land management. The survey is referenced widely by organizations across the state, notably the Idaho Legislature. It helps inform policy decisions at the state, local and regional levels.
Key findings from the survey include:
- Idahoans believe the state is headed in the right direction, showing an increase for the first time in six years.
- More Idahoans expect Idaho’s economy to get better for the first time since 2020.
- For the second consecutive year, workforce and affordable housing is Idahoans’ top overall legislative budget priority.
- Increased teacher pay is Idahoans’ top education budget priority.
- A majority of Idahoans say they oppose (53%) the use of tax dollars to pay for a private or religious school.
- Nearly half of Idahoans (49%) say access to health care is difficult in the state.
- 39% of Idahoans say increasing the number of immigrants helps Idaho’s economy, but that proportion grows to 46% when discussing legal immigrants specifically.
- A majority of Idahoans (55%) believe that abortion should be permitted in Idaho through at least the first trimester. A majority (64%) also believe that exceptions for abortion access should be expanded.
- A majority of Idahoans (51%) have concerns about the security of elections in the United States, but less than a quarter (22%) have concerns about the security in Idaho itself.
- A majority of Idahoans are concerned about campaign spending by independent groups in Idaho.
“Our objective each year is to put policy questions before the residents of Idaho in clear, unbiased language and allow them to weigh in. Our mission is to present what they think on the matter, whatever that matter may be,” said Survey Research Director Matthew May. “From there, policy makers can draw their own conclusions and fold the public’s opinion into their decision-making calculus.”
On Jan. 22, Boise State will host an event to showcase and discuss the results of the survey. Details can be found on the event webpage.
View the survey results dashboard on the Boise State website.