EP is correct in that the City of Sun Valley is small (as in population, 1016) but amongst the 2nd/3rd or 4th mcmansions there exists plenty of less expensive rental options. I know, i've lived in one for almost 20 years! If you look at the entire Wood River Valley - including Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, the unincorporated county land (of which there is quite a bit) and S.V - any argument about being too expensive goes out the window. Of course you'll probably have to live in Hailey but if you have a family Hailey is a hard place to beat. If you think ALL the jobs in this area are service oriented then you clearly have not lived here (high-tech, manufacturing & design, St. Lukes, Smith Optics, Scott -for only a little while longer, unfortunately relocating HQ to UT- just to name a few.) However, if you don't have a 'whatever it takes' attitude, it'll be hard to get good work but that can be said of most places.
That's great, you say, but gimme some facts. Okay...
Yesterday: rode my cruiser bike 1.5 miles to fish the Big Wood. Caught 5 beautiful, likely wild, bows in 1 hours. On one side of the river, perched above the cottonwoods, willow and pine was Ernest Hemingway's house.
Wednesday: rode my mtn bike, from my door, to a trail-head .5 miles away where it interconnects with literally hundreds of miles of, mostly, ST! I'm pretty sure you can ride to Boise if you really wanted to but once you got there, i'm sorry to say, you'll probably want to get outta there ASAP.
Now here's the crux of this argument against Boise and for the Wood River Valley: there is no comparison. Lots of people, cars, noise - you know, city stuff. Not only that but Boise is HOT in the summer (102 today, 106 next Tuesday!), crappy/gray in the winter and okay for 2-3 months of the year if there's not an inversion creating a smog problem. Yes, smog. Sure, you can ride to the mountains via the treeless foothills to escape but you'll probably just be heading to the Wood River or McCall (which is a cool little mountain town too.) You either LOVE Boise or hate it.
This weekend: Ride Sun Valley bike event with a weeks worth of events, rides, concerts and usa cycling marathon mountain bike national championships.
I will be, however, driving 1 hour to Redfish Lake which is, hands-down, one of the prettiest alpine lakes you'll ever see! AND, the Redfish Lake Loop is one of the most fun rides in the Stanley area.
What's the Stanley area? Oh boy, one place in Idaho needs to be kept a "secret" (unlike Rebecca's Private Idaho -- go ahead, Google it and then start training. Then make your plans to come visit this September.)
Two weeks ago: Drove 8 hours to Moab where the early June temps literally melted helmet but, as we know, the riding IS epic. I don't like melting though...
On the LONG way home, I fished a favorite, unamed river and caught, in 13 years of fishing was arguably the most beautiful wild cutthroat and I've caught my share in Yellowstone.
Darnit, Yellowstone - another unbelievable place a mere 4 hours away! And getting there you'll be an hour away from Grand Targhee or 1.5 from Jackson. 4 hours to Snowbasin (uh-oh, another area to look at) and 5+ to Brighton/Alta/Bird/Solitude.
As for the skiing in Sun valley, even though it's average would barely be enough to open Jhole or Alta, if we have 150" per year, you can still ski 3000' of uninterrupted sweet corduroy. Steeps/chutes/cliffs not so much but when Baldy get's over 200", it's unbeatable. I've skied it for near 20 years now and it's amazing.
Maybe you a rafter? 2 hours to the mother lode.
Snowmobiler? 2 hours north or northwest and you're in heaven.
Cross-country skier? You too, have found heaven
Backcountry's more your thang? Pioneers, Sawtooths, Boulders, Smokeys - all right out your door. For real.
Beer? Yep, finally one brewery in Ketchum.
I think that's all you need for now.