I'm from this area (like 20+ years lol) so feel free to ask me any questions you might have if you're unfamiliar.
For me, I think we are going to live in Boise. It's a 15-20 min commute to the school from downtown Boise, but it's worth it to us to live there. I went to BSU and living downtown is a lot of fun. That said, Meridian is where I grew up, and there's a ton more to do there than there used to be (i.e. The Village in Meridian has a lot to do), it is super super safe, and if you can live near campus, it will be nice for you in terms of getting to and from school. Boise is definitely more walkable than Meridian depending on where you live, but both are fairly bike friendly.
I think housing is getting expensive enough (although cost of living is still relatively low) that it is worth considering getting a roomie if you can tolerate it or want it. That said, some people don't do well living with others and the potential for distraction etc. So I think it's doable either way, but obviously less expensive with a roommate.
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