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Boise-Nampa area named most secure in United States
It’s the Boise area’s distinct four seasons that keep Scott Tagg, his wife Kelly and their small daughter, in their West Downtown neighborhood.
Other than the remote chance of earthquake and the occasional bank robbery, Tagg said he feels secure.
“We don’t worry about hurricanes, tsunamis or volcanoes,” Tagg said. “We have four seasons and low humidity. We have a good working relationship with the Boise City Police Department, and we haven’t had any major crime in our neighborhood.”
Tagg’s assessment is right on, according to a study released Tuesday.
The southwestern Idaho region of Boise and Nampa is the most secure place to live in the United States among large metropolitan areas, according to the third annual Farmers Insurance Group of Companies study.
Boise City also made Farmers’ 2005 list of most secure places to live.
The rankings considered factors such as crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorist threats and job loss numbers for 114 U.S. metro areas with populations of 500,000 or more.
The relatively mild year-round weather is a factor in feeling secure, said Josh Smith, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Boise.
Besides a yearly inversion, spring floods and fire season, the Boise-Nampa area is safe from extremes, he said.
“Our mountains actually protect us in a lot of ways,” Smith said. “They are the big thing that keeps some of the weather out.”
Although Boise has a low crime rate, the Police Department also focuses on whether residents actually feel safe, said Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson.
“We appreciate the national attention, but what we focus on is what we hear from the citizens of Boise,” Masterson said. “Overwhelmingly, citizens tell our officers and myself that they feel safe in Boise. That’s where we focus our attention, and that’s what is most gratifying to hear.”
The Boise-Nampa area beat out cities like Portland, Maine, and Las Vegas.
“Everyone looks for a safe, secure place to live,” said Jeff Beyer, senior vice-president and chief communications officer for Farmers. “Whether you are single or raising a family, a secure environment is important.”
Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is the nation’s third-largest Personal Lines Property & Casualty insurance group and is headquartered in Los Angeles.
Do any of these folks live there. Easy to work data in a computer. But from what I hear on this website. What this article says is a bunch of fluff. Aimed at those who don't know any better. It is you locals who post here that have given us the real scoop.
Do any of these folks live there. Easy to work data in a computer. But from what I hear on this website. What this article says is a bunch of fluff. Aimed at those who don't know any better. It is you locals who post here that have given us the real scoop.
Izzy
I don't consider it fluff. I live in Boise and am not surprised by this ranking at all. Taking into consideration on how they ranked the cities it actually holds water. Boise is a safe city. I live near downtown and feel perfectly safe walking or riding my mountain bike anywhere downtown at night. Sure Nampa and Caldwell have their issues but they are not anything like other cities and their problems.
The bad news in Boise is so boring that when anybody does get robbed, or a fight breaks out at a night club, it makes news because there is hardly anything else regarding crime going on.
I know someone here a director of a company. She came from Nampa. As a young person she belonged to a gang there. She advised against us moving to Nampa or Caldwell. Also we were advised to avoid Garden City. But Nampa and Caldwell were the ones we were repeatedly warned against. It would be wrong to give outsiders the impression that this article is completely on target. When your locals have warned against certain areas. Folks from other states look at the prices in Caldwell and Nampa for homes and read the article and think...Wow! nice area to live in and cheap.
Where I live now in CA the nearest big city has a really cheap side of town. But you wouldn't want to raise your kids there. Locals know which neighborhoods and which side of town to buy on. So it is really important to stir outsiders to the areas that fit their needs. I would feel really bad if I told someone that the south side of Stockton, CA was a good place to buy a home. Serious gang issues.
I understand that boise has great areas to live in. I've bean researching them both on the MLS and through this site. We are seriously considering the boise bench area, kuna, star, emmett, and maybe eagle (if prices come down.)
I'm grateful to those on this site for being so helpful and directing us to safe areas to raise a family.
I know someone here a director of a company. She came from Nampa. As a young person she belonged to a gang there. She advised against us moving to Nampa or Caldwell. Also we were advised to avoid Garden City. But Nampa and Caldwell were the ones we were repeatedly warned against. It would be wrong to give outsiders the impression that this article is completely on target. When your locals have warned against certain areas. Folks from other states look at the prices in Caldwell and Nampa for homes and read the article and think...Wow! nice area to live in and cheap.
Where I live now in CA the nearest big city has a really cheap side of town. But you wouldn't want to raise your kids there. Locals know which neighborhoods and which side of town to buy on. So it is really important to stir outsiders to the areas that fit their needs. I would feel really bad if I told someone that the south side of Stockton, CA was a good place to buy a home. Serious gang issues.
I understand that boise has great areas to live in. I've bean researching them both on the MLS and through this site. We are seriously considering the boise bench area, kuna, star, emmett, and maybe eagle (if prices come down.)
I'm grateful to those on this site for being so helpful and directing us to safe areas to raise a family.
Izzy
Izzy listen to your friend as they are giving you the real scoop. The politicians want to paint Idaho and there cities as a wonderful Place. For a lot of reasons Idaho is a good and a bad state not some were I will ever live again. I to was told about the same places and lets get real comparing Nampa and Boise to Cities that are more the two times there size? Come on that is a give me for screwing the facts if I ever saw one. Vegas compared to Boise not even that same league. I also know you can make any survey or research say almost any thing you want. Talk to the locals that will say the good and the bad, talk to people that have moved away and ask why? talk to ones that are looking to move and also the ones that make is sound like the next best thing to sliced bread get the real whole picture then make up your own mind I say.
I moved to Boise 5 years ago from Portland. I have lived in Seattle, Spokane, and temporarily lived in Salt Lake last year for 4 months because of my job. Boise is the safest city I have lived in. Granted Boise is not as large as some of the other cities in the list, but regardless, it is a safe and secure place to live. Friends and family that visit here are always amazed at just how attractive Boise is. People are well educated, have a deep concern for how the city is growing, and have a very humble pride. The city is neatly manicured and large parks abound that families are always taking advantage of.
I am always amazed at how people here are happy, courteous, and seem to enjoy life. Downtown here is so nice and clean and has an almost resort-ish feel to it compared to downtowns of similar size cities. People are into the outdoors of Idaho and it is very common to see a mother and father riding bikes around town with their young children.
Boise is clean, safe, vibrant, diverse, and evolving. I am proud to call this city home.
i grew up in nampa and while work has taken me away from idaho for the last few years, i go back to visit family several times per year. people who say nampa is dangerous are blowing things waaaaay out of proportion. there is a small area on the north side of nampa where there is occasional gang activity, but we're talking about maybe a 10 to 20 block area. i think it would be a stretch to find any city in the country with 75,000 residents that doesn't have at least a couple questionable blocks. bottomline is that nampa is a relatively safe place to live and a great community for families - there is a reason it has grown from 30,000 to 75,000 residents in just 10 years. that doesn't happen by accident.
i grew up in nampa and while work has taken me away from idaho for the last few years, i go back to visit family several times per year. people who say nampa is dangerous are blowing things waaaaay out of proportion. there is a small area on the north side of nampa where there is occasional gang activity, but we're talking about maybe a 10 to 20 block area. i think it would be a stretch to find any city in the country with 75,000 residents that doesn't have at least a couple questionable blocks. bottomline is that nampa is a relatively safe place to live and a great community for families - there is a reason it has grown from 30,000 to 75,000 residents in just 10 years. that doesn't happen by accident.
I agree with you. There are a lot of issues really blown out of proportion on this forum, and down right lies in my opinion. Nampa a dangerous place, Nampa is experiencing a fabulous renaissance in its historic city center and many new shopping areas area sprouting up all over Nampa and Caldwell so the citizens of those two cities don't always have to drive to Boise to shop. Nampa is one of the cleanest small towns I have ever seen. Just because a fews illegal immigrants cause havoc does not mean there is a gang problem. Gangs in Nampa? Now I am really laughing. I know of towns that are a fraction the size of Nampa that have more crime.
Are people really this gullable? (I think I spelled gullable wrong becasue I am laughing so hard)
It's just an indication of what it's like to live in Idaho. The fact that Nampa is considered a "high crime" area is actually good news. Idahoans just don't know what real crime is. That's a good thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Syringaloid
I know of towns that are a fraction the size of Nampa that have more crime.
Are people really this gullable? (I think I spelled gullable wrong becasue I am laughing so hard)
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Nampa is experiencing a fabulous renaissance in its historic city center and many new shopping areas area sprouting up all over Nampa and Caldwell so the citizens of those two cities don't always have to drive to Boise to shop. Nampa is one of the cleanest small towns I have ever seen. Just because a fews illegal immigrants cause havoc does not mean there is a gang problem. Gangs in Nampa? Now I am really laughing. I know of towns that are a fraction the size of Nampa that have more crime. 
