Garden City is a city in Ada County, Idaho. The population was 12,316 at the time of the 2020 census. Garden City is nearly surrounded by Boise but retains a separate municipal government. Garden City was named for gardens raised by Chinese immigrants who lived in the area. The name of the city's only main street, Chinden Boulevard, is a portmanteau of the words "China" and "garden." In the second decade of the 21st century, it became a haven for artists' studios. Garden City is part of the Boise metropolitan area. Geography Garden City is located at (43.645561, -116.266132), at an elevation of 2674 feet (815 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Demographics 2010 census At the 2010 census there were 10,972 people, 4,878 households, and 2,849 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 5,429 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.2% White, 1.0% African American, 1.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.1% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.8%. Of the 4,878 households 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 34.0% of households were one person and 14.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 43.2 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.3% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female. 2000 census At the 2000 census there were 10,624 people, 4,331 households, and 2,784 families living in the city. The population density was 2,559.9 per square mile. There were 4,590 housing units at an average density of 1,106.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 89.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.9% from other races, and 2.9% from