Considering a move to Idaho?? (Boise, Pocatello: homes, employment, contractors)

[ashlee_irene]

We are a young couple considering to move to Idaho. We have never been to the state or know what is around the state. What city would you recommend for a young couple to live in for their first time living in Idaho to start them off?

[DESERTRYDER]

Go where ever you can find employment.
Make sure you have a real job lined up first.

[banjomike]

idaho is essentially 2 different states, cut in half by impassible mountains. The northern half is much different than the southern, but both are hell for scenic in different ways.

There aren't many metro areas, or extended metroplex areas. The major cities are: Coeur d'Alene in the north, Boise in the center, Twin Falls in S.W. Idaho, and Idaho Falls and Pocatello in S.E. Idaho. The southern part of Idaho is divided by the great Arco desert, which runs south to north.

I suggest you look over these areas separately before you come for a visit- the State website is a good place to start.

Then plan on a visit after you've decided what appeals to you most. Some folks make several trips out here before moving, as Idaho takes over 12 hours to drive from one end to the other (in good weather), and about 8 hours to travel east to west in the southern half.

It's almost impossible to see it all in 2 weeks- go 30 miles outside of any Idaho city and you will be in wilderness, and it's all very different. The people are also different too.

[ashlee_irene]

Thank you both.
But just a few questions for you both
first for DESERTRYDER
is employment hard to find out there?

banjomike
What do you mean the people are different?

Thank you both

[enigmadsm]

Boise...probably be your best shot at finding a job, the university is here as well, so there are plenty of young people. and imo the least boring city of Idaho

[ejay]

Up north we have a lot of retirees. Down south you get the the city life...

[GSC1]

You haven't said about what you're trained to do. That's going to depend on what sort of employment is available for you. It's hard to imagine a better place to start for a young couple than Boise unless you have certain skill sets that are useful anywhere (like you're doctors or pharmacists). While we picked Twin a a good compromise, we also brought our own work. Twin is better located as the center of a hub from which we wished to travel than pretty much any other town. We needed to stay somewhat close to California for aging family as well as a desire to travel to different outdoor regions that appeal to us.

Desert, mountain, shopping, future family, LDS, etc. are all things you need to think about as well as employment before getting too focused on one community. Idaho Falls is a great area but heavily LDS and has real winters. Boise and Twin, not so much. Pokey also has a big university and is another good hub city IMO.

[aelwero]

Originally Posted by ashlee_irene

Thank you both.
But just a few questions for you both
first for DESERTRYDER
is employment hard to find out there?

banjomike
What do you mean the people are different?

Thank you both

(general) employment is CRAZY hard to find in rural areas!


"normal" folks (SID) vs. "I'm gonna go live in a log cabin and grow my own food" folks (NID)

SID is a LOT more similar to the rest of the country... (my term of choice is "rat race", much more of that in SID)

NID is quiet, sleepy, "country folk" type of place.

Keep in mind, this is "for the most part"... there are exceptions, and it's also just my opinon

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by aelwero

(general) employment is CRAZY hard to find in rural areas!


"normal" folks (SID) vs. "I'm gonna go live in a log cabin and grow my own food" folks (NID)

SID is a LOT more similar to the rest of the country... (my term of choice is "rat race", much more of that in SID)

NID is quiet, sleepy, "country folk" type of place.

Keep in mind, this is "for the most part"... there are exceptions, and it's also just my opinon

Rat race in SID?? Guessing you're meaning Boise are rather than SE Idaho?

[banjomike]

Hi, Ashlee...
The folks in N. Idaho were mostly loggers and miners in the beginning, and were farmers and ranchers in S. Idaho. This created two different cultures, each based on occupation. While logging and mining are not as big as they once were, farming is still a major enterprise in the south.

N. Idaho has had an very large influx of newcomers from other states during the past 20 years or so, especially in the Coeur d'Alene area. A lot of the first to move came from California, but they came from all over. As a result the area is much less homogenous than in the south- the various cultures came along with the new folks.

S. Idaho was widely populated by the Mormons while Idaho was still a territory. While members of all faiths immigrated to the south, largely due to the good farm and range ground that was open to homesteading, the LDS were close, as Utah lies on Idaho's southern border, and were a large pioneering group.

They remain the largest single group in the south, and their influence and culture is much more prevalent. While there are LDS in the north, they are in a minority there, but in many of the smaller towns in the south, they are in a wide majority.

Boise is in the middle, between both cultures, and is cosmopolitan in nature. It has immigrants from everywhere.

The south has some other distinct cultures- the Basques are a presence, and most of the south has a lot of old cowboy culture remaining. It also has all the high-tech stuff going on, including the computer company Hewelet-Packard in Boise and the Idaho National Labratory 60 miles west of Idaho Falls. I.F. has the company offices of the companies and contractors who do work at the Lab, which is called 'The Site' locally.

All of S.W. Idaho is mostly agriculture; there are a lot of spuds grown there, and the dairy business is also very large.

All the areas have quite a lot of tourism, but the S.East side gets more than the S.West side, due to it's proximity to Yellowstone Park, Teton Park, and the National forests that surround both. North Idaho has several very scenic lakes surrounded by pine forests, including Lake Coeur d'Alene, Lake Ponderay, and others. There is a lot of white water rafting in Central Idaho, skiing everywhere in the winters, and lots of hunting and fishing. All are tourist draws.