This has been done already but Twin Falls has exploded. Unrecognizable today. (Boise: fit in, sales)

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Mister Torgue

I actually talk to these people on the ground here in ID and no, the primary reason isn't housing which is what was commenting on with your statement. Cost of living is part of it but not all of it. The majority tell me it's the deterioration of all of it. Quality of life, crime, safety, politics and cost of living are the combined factors. Just some anecdotal info.

Yes it is a combination of all of the above, from traffic congestion to restrictive laws getting worse in some places where people are losing their freedoms, pay more for less and deteriorating public roads. Business cannot thrive in places that have too many restrictions by government and out of control crime that puts business out so those owners close shop and go elsewhere because they cannot afford to stay because of personal safety, insurance and escalating rents.

[Mister Torgue]

Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors

So, sample bias. Conservatives are more likely to come to deep red Idaho, especially outside blue areas like Boise and Ketchum/Sun Valley. Liberals from CA are more likely to end up in Portland or Seattle or Phoenix or Tucson. Big picture, it's all part of the tribal sorting of America. Political refugees coming to ID is a thing for sure, but it's rarely as simple as "I didn't like the politics."

Everything is linked in the market, and the high cost of CA housing has a ripple effect elsewhere in the US. E.g.: a liberal in the Bay Area straining under the high COL sells their $800k home and uses the proceeds to buy a house in Sacramento (at an inflated price) from a conservative, and then that person moves to ID. If CA had built more housing there'd be a lot less pressure in less expensive markets.

Not sure where you got conservatives as who I spoke to in my comment. In fact it's about a 50/50 split ideologically. But I digress, offtopic.

[alliance]

Originally Posted by Mister Torgue

I actually talk to these people on the ground here in ID and no, the primary reason isn't housing which is what was commenting on with your statement. Cost of living is part of it but not all of it. The majority tell me it's the deterioration of all of it. Quality of life, crime, safety, politics and cost of living are the combined factors. Just some anecdotal info.

That’s the case with every former Californian living in Boise who I’ve met here as well, including myself. Most flee the culture to come to Idaho, and to a lesser extent cost of living. (Personally, I could’ve afforded to live almost anywhere in California, and the col wasn’t even one of the reasons I left). And ironically, Boise is almost as expensive as large parts of California now.

I know of many more still living in California considering relocating here. None are because of housing costs. Higher cost of living is a symptom, a result of the cesspool that’s been created over there, so it’s only one aspect of the problems created by the downward spiral currently happening out west.

[AnythingOutdoors]

I cited actual data showing COL is a major factor in the CA exodus. If folks have other studies, please post them, I'd love to see other sources.

But if we're talking anecdotes, I can add to this. We were part of the CA exodus, though our journey somewhat predates the pandemic. IMO, the trend was already underway in 2018-2019.

The primary reason for our relocation was housing, or lack thereof in CA. We owned our property outright in CA, so it wasn't an immediate issue for us. Instead, we were looking to the future for our kids and the implications of launching into adulthood in an area that intentionally resists building housing. I get that people don't like seeing cities grow and change. But refusing to adapt as people move to an area? That produces grotesque outcomes that are far worse. We're mostly apolitical, especially when it comes to partisanship and left vs. right tribalism, but that doesn't mean we have no political views. Idaho, and Boise, is governed quite well in terms of stuff actually getting done and funds mostly being used efficiently. Besides COL and governance, we also just prefer mountains and a four season climate, and having a vibrate, clean and safe city within easy reach of skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, hunting, backpacking, camping... it was a no brainier for us.

We have quite a few friends and family that also were part of the exodus. Several moved to the Treasure Valley. Some to North Idaho. Others: Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Bend, western Montana, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Denver, Kansas City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Reno, Tulsa, and probably missing some. Of course, among this cohort the conversation often turned to relocation and the motivations for it. By far, the dominate motivation was cost of housing. Even things like quality of life were often really about cost of housing. A two income family making a modest living was barely making it in CA, struggling just to make ends meet because the mortgage, taxes, and insurance were so high, and services like childcare were also extremely expensive. Moving to Tulsa allowed them to go to one income, which also saved on childcare, less commute so more time with family, and enough surplus to afford things like vacations and a boat. That's a higher quality of life, but a function of much lower housing costs.

I only brought conservative vs. liberal into the discussion because the pattern I observed (albeit anecdotal) is striking. Across the board the thinking was "well, if we're going to make a big move, we may as well pick a place that aligns with our values." That's the political sorting I've seen. Conservative friends mostly moved to Nampa, Emmett, Eagle, North Idaho, Twin Falls. More liberal friends mostly to Denver, Seattle, Portland.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors

I cited actual data showing COL is a major factor in the CA exodus. If folks have other studies, please post them, I'd love to see other sources.

But if we're talking anecdotes, I can add to this. We were part of the CA exodus, though our journey somewhat predates the pandemic. IMO, the trend was already underway in 2018-2019.

The primary reason for our relocation was housing, or lack thereof in CA. We owned our property outright in CA, so it wasn't an immediate issue for us. Instead, we were looking to the future for our kids and the implications of launching into adulthood in an area that intentionally resists building housing. I get that people don't like seeing cities grow and change. But refusing to adapt as people move to an area? That produces grotesque outcomes that are far worse. We're mostly apolitical, especially when it comes to partisanship and left vs. right tribalism, but that doesn't mean we have no political views. Idaho, and Boise, is governed quite well in terms of stuff actually getting done and funds mostly being used efficiently. Besides COL and governance, we also just prefer mountains and a four season climate, and having a vibrate, clean and safe city within easy reach of skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, hunting, backpacking, camping... it was a no brainier for us.

We have quite a few friends and family that also were part of the exodus. Several moved to the Treasure Valley. Some to North Idaho. Others: Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Bend, western Montana, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Denver, Kansas City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Reno, Tulsa, and probably missing some. Of course, among this cohort the conversation often turned to relocation and the motivations for it. By far, the dominate motivation was cost of housing. Even things like quality of life were often really about cost of housing. A two income family making a modest living was barely making it in CA, struggling just to make ends meet because the mortgage, taxes, and insurance were so high, and services like childcare were also extremely expensive. Moving to Tulsa allowed them to go to one income, which also saved on childcare, less commute so more time with family, and enough surplus to afford things like vacations and a boat. That's a higher quality of life, but a function of much lower housing costs.

I only brought conservative vs. liberal into the discussion because the pattern I observed (albeit anecdotal) is striking. Across the board the thinking was "well, if we're going to make a big move, we may as well pick a place that aligns with our values." That's the political sorting I've seen. Conservative friends mostly moved to Nampa, Emmett, Eagle, North Idaho, Twin Falls. More liberal friends mostly to Denver, Seattle, Portland.

You hit the nail on the head with all of the above. Like everything else nothing stays the same and the type of people or quality of people has gone downhill. The attitude of not caring anymore and always in a rush has taken over. The good nature of people helping others is quickly disappearing. People are stressing out and taking it out on others to the extreme not taking the time to stop and smell the roses.

Government agencies don't help but add more regulations, restrictions, red tape to create more taxes to nickle and dime people.

A new generation emerges to protest, cause chaos and wants to change everything for all the wrong reasons. Peaceful living is non existant.

Who wants to live in this kind of environment?
People will leave when they can.

[UniversalTraveler]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

Where are you coming from that it takes over half an hour to get to Twin Falls for major shopping?
Boise is now more crowded and unaffordable.

Hagerman is a half hour West of TF.

[nowhereman427]

oK Hagerman. Hagerman lies more or less in the middle of a bunch of small towns that surround Twin Falls; Wendell, Buhl, Jerome, Gooding, Bliss, Kimberly, and others are all fairly close by, and Rupert and Burley aren't much farther to the east, while Glenn's Ferry and Mtn. Home are about the same distance westward.
Sounds like a nice small town.

[UniversalTraveler]

Yup just the way I like it. Small and quiet.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by UniversalTraveler

Yup just the way I like it. Small and quiet.

Me too.

[NW Crow]

Nowhere, have you ever lived in a place small and quiet or is that just a guess based on not liking the opposite?

If haven't lived small and quiet, have you ever taken a vacation to a small / quiet / normal place to test it for a week or more?