Parma Idaho City Information

Parma is located on the Snake River basin plain that crosses, from east to west, the south end of the State of Idaho. Parma is on the west end of the valley at an average elevation of about 2,231 feet above sea level and is near the confluence of the Boise and Snake Rivers to the southwest. This is considered a high desert area with most of the moisture occurring and collecting in the surrounding mountains and then being transferred into the valley by creeks, streams and rivers. These waterways provide the irrigation water used by farmers across the whole south end of the state. The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the Parma area in 1805 on their way to the west coast. In 1811, the Wilson Price Hunt party passed through exploring portions of the then future Oregon Trail. In 1836, the very first "white" settlement in southwest Idaho was established near Parma by the Hudson Bay fur trading company. This settlement was a small fort, called Fort Boise and was located about four miles southwest of present day Parma at the confluence of the Boise and Snake Rivers.

In 1843, the first settlers started passing through this location on the Oregon Trail with a few staying. The 1850's brought the start of the Indian Wars that lasted until about 1880. From the beginning of Fort Boise in 1836, small canals had been developed around Parma to provide food supplies first for trappers, then miners and then for settlers. In 1882 the first major canal system was finished south of Parma allowing large tracts of land to come on line made possible by irrigation water coming from the Boise River. In 1883, a railroad siding was put in near present day Parma as the Oregon Short line was being brought into the Boise Valley that was completed in 1884. That same year Frank Fouch opened a general store near the siding and was responsible for naming the location Parma.

In 1890, the community of Parma was finally platted the same year Idaho became the 43rd state of the Union. Though Parma played a roll, from the very beginning, in Idaho's history it has always remained a small community based on agriculture. Today it has most services, still acts as a service supply center for local farms, has farm related manufacturing within the community and supports a K-12 school system. An Old Fort Boise replica commemorative building is now located on the east end of the city park with Fort Boise Day being celebrated yearly in Parma. This celebrates Parma's early roots and contribution to the settlement of the Boise Valley.

Parma is part of the greater Boise economic region of Southwest Idaho, referred to as the "Treasure Valley" due to its agriculturally based wealth made possible by irrigation and mild climate. Boise is the economic and political hub of this region being the capital of the state, the largest city in the state and the primary source of non-agriculturally based jobs for the region. To a lesser extent, Parma has become a satellite or bedroom community location for the Boise market. It has been limited by its location but more by its lack of infrastructure, i.e. sewer system, that hinders large-scale changes in population. Most of the recent development pressure has been taken up by lands and communities closer to Boise such as Caldwell, Nampa and Middleton. The recent rapid growth in the east county area came primarily through the introduction of clean industries, such as Hewlett Packard and Micron Technologies, in the last 20 years. Boise and the surrounding areaÂÂ?s have also become a hub for transportation and storage, higher education, communication call centers, medical services and most other major demographic factors that allow clean and sustained growth.

Parma is located in Canyon County. It has a population of about 1,831 within the city limits as of 2008 and has experienced a less than 1% per year growth rate in the last 20 years. Most of the population lives outside the city limits on farmlands near Parma. Parma is on the outer edge of the Boise Metro area that now has the greatest number of people between Salt Lake City Utah and Portland Oregon at about 588,000. Parma has a diverse history and rich heritage that has always played large in Southwest Idaho's story. In recent years Parma has become a favorite location for upper end, small acreage, residential properties, located in the unincorporated areas around Parma. If you are looking for the small town feel, with acreage lots available, with low student to teacher ratios, lower cost of real estate but within good striking distance of all of the best southwest Idaho has to offer, Parma is a good choice.

Whatever your reasons for coming to Parma, it can be considered a good choice and one of the positive puzzle pieces that make up the "Treasure Valley" whose real treasure has always been its people. Trust the experts at Stewart Realty, LLC to help you find your own piece of Parma Idaho real estate.

Still unsure about where you want to move? Keep reading about Parma Idaho or check out other city pages to find the area of the Treasure Valley that best fits your needs. This site also has up to date information from the Boise MLS on available homes in the area so you can find the perfect home.