Business phone system for tax preparation services in Idaho
168 tax preparation services operated in Idaho in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 168CBP 2023
- Employees
- 734mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 8.4U.S. 8.5
- State rank
- 36th of 51by count
How many tax preparation services operate in Idaho
County Business Patterns counts 168 establishments in Idaho classified as Tax Preparation Services (NAICS 541213) for 2023. They employed 734 people in mid-March and reported $15.6 million in annual payroll. That is the 36th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Tax preparation services make up 0.29% of the 58,100 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Idaho has 8.4 tax preparation services, in line with the national rate of 8.5. The average establishment has 4.4 employees against 4.7 nationally. Payroll per employee is $21,192, 14.9% below the U.S. figure of $24,908.
| Measure | Idaho | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 168 | 28,762 |
| Mid-March employees | 734 (moderate noise) | 133,868 (moderate noise) |
| Annual payroll | $15,555,000 | $3,334,416,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| Payroll per employee | $21,192 | $24,908 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 8.4 | 8.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Idaho's largest markets for tax preparation services
Census published tax preparation office counts for 16 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Idaho. The largest is Boise City, ID, with 80 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 90% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise City, ID | 80 | 298 | 9.5 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 17 | 63 | 9.0 |
| Logan, UT-ID | 16 | 54 | 9.9 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 15 | 125 | 8.8 |
| Pocatello, ID | 9 | — | 9.9 |
| Twin Falls, ID | 6 | — | 4.9 |
| Sandpoint, ID | 5 | 6 | 9.3 |
| Mountain Home, ID | 5 | 23 | 16.8 |
| Rexburg, ID | 4 | 28 | 5.7 |
| Brigham City, UT-ID | 4 | — | 5.8 |
| Ontario, OR-ID | 4 | — | 6.7 |
| Jackson, WY-ID | 4 | — | 11.0 |
| Hailey, ID | 4 | — | 12.5 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 3 | 3 | 4.6 |
| Blackfoot, ID | 3 | — | 5.9 |
| Moscow, ID | 3 | 14 | 7.1 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at tax preparation services in Idaho
66.9% of Idaho's tax preparation services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 69.1% nationally. 89.2% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 111 | 66.9% | 69.1% |
| 5–9 employees | 37 | 22.3% | 20.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 18 | 10.8% | 7.3% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 2.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for tax preparation services in Idaho
Tax preparers do much of their year's business in a few months, and a missed call in March is often a lost return. Seasonal staff need to share one business number without giving out personal phones. That holds for tax preparation services in Idaho as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to tax preparation services in Idaho:
- The office calls a client about a missing document.
- A client calls about a letter from the IRS.
- A new client calls to ask what documents to bring.
Calls after closing time
Evening and weekend calls spike in tax season, so a greeting with hours and a way to request an appointment helps.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs a tax preparation office in Idaho
Tax preparation services in Idaho average 4.4 employees, so the comparison uses a 4-person team. Priced per seat, 4 users would run $120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 4 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $252. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $92.00 | $1,104.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $99.80 | $1,197.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $108.00 | $1,296.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $120.00 | $1,440.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Idaho
Idaho has 2 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 208 | 785 | Mountain and Pacific | 1947 | 986 |
| 986 | 187 | Pacific | 2017 | 208 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for tax preparation services in Idaho
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Idaho, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Avoid sending Social Security numbers or full tax documents by text.
Frequently asked questions
How many tax preparation services are in Idaho?
168 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 734 people in mid-March.
Which Idaho metro area has the most tax preparation services?
Boise City, ID, with 80 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 4-person tax preparation office?
$120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Idaho number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.