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Hey everyone, I'm a 26 year old guy here in Florida looking to relocate to Eastern Idaho. I have a lot of questions pertaining to relocation there. My target area's are Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and/or Chubbuck or Ammon.
Affordability; I'm curious to know why is it so CHEAP to live there? I mean, I've found hundreds of studios and 1 bedrooms from the $300-$400 price range with all utilities included via craigslist. I'm mind-blown. The crime rate is basically unheard of there compared to this area. I work from home, I have a decent income, certainly not the best, but I can easily live comfortable there especially if my rent is in this price range. I'm paying $750 in Florida and I'm living.
Walkability; I do not know how to drive a car, I've never learned, so I'm walking no matter where I live. I tried living in the bigger cities over the years, and while their train/light rail systems were awesome, the local people using public transit were not the best of quality of people which later forced me to relocate to a safer area in Florida. Which of these places would be the best bet for me? I know some of these cities in East Idaho have bus systems which I would use. But I also enjoy running/walking. Also this might sound ignorant, but, are wild animals roaming around these areas? I'm not making a joke of it, but I don't wish to be attacked by bears or wolves or chased down by a moose. Believe it or not, we have bears in Florida too so I watch my back here.
Diversity; I speak 3 languages and I'm learning my 4th which is Russian. I know Boise and Twin Falls have more Eastern Europeans, but do these area's also have unique people too? Its not a necessity nor a deciding factor, however I'm just curious to know what kind of people are in these areas?
Climate; I'm in love with snow and winter, I lived in Germany, and Eastern Europe and I miss the harsh blizzards. I am also a HUGE fan of Chicago winters too. I strongly dislike this awful, sweaty, nasty humid heat in Florida. What is the weather comparable to in Eastern Idaho?
If there are other, better cities/towns in Idaho, whether it be North, South, East, Central, or West, please fill me in.
Hi, Pixiebob…
housing is cheep here due to several factors: wages here are also very low, which tends to depress property values and home prices. Employment, however, can be very high, and Idaho is a state with low population and towns that are mostly small in comparison to other states. This makes a lot of people handymen who learn how to frame, plumb, and know construction work.
Many of these folks are farmers, or came from farming families. For a very long time, idaho's building codes were almost nonexistent, and still are in some counties, so it's common, especially out in the country, to find houses that were farmer-built. Those places can be anything from flimsy to as strong as a fortress as it all depended on the farmer, his expertise, his bank account, and how many of his neighbors he could hire to help him out. The folks who became good home builders could always find a job around here.
This is also true to a lesser degree in towns here. Old homes in a town are usually more predictably sound than in the country, but unlike other states, old houses aren't torn down and replaced as quickly as other places.
A lot of Idaho is boom and bust. In a good agricultural year, Idaho's industry also has good times, so contractors will build like crazy and often over-build. The busts always follow, so dwellings of all kinds that were built on speculation will sell cheap. During the housing craze that caused the Great Recession, Idaho was very vulnerable to the slice and dice bankers who would write mortgages for anyone who wanted one. Most of southern Idaho's larger cities, like Boise, Pocatello and Idaho Falls, became overbuilt. the result has been a buyer's market for a long time.
Chubbuck is essentially an extension of Pocatello, as Ammon is to Idaho Falls. Both have retained their own incorporation because they could rely on the larger city to provide most services, which made their own taxes much less, which made both attractive to home builders who could sell homes cheaper in them.
This is recently changing as both are now growing larger and the former support they once got from the cities and county are becoming increasingly costly.
There is a lot of diversity in Idaho FAlls and Pocatello. I.F. is home to the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation's leading experimental energy lab, so there are a lot of folks here from all over the world who have nuclear and other alternate energy expertise. The INL has spawned a lot of small specialist industries here, which attract highly skilled workers. i know guys here who came from India, a lot from Chicago, several Japanese, and from other states and nations. We also have a lot of Hispanics, who mostly are still ag workers, but are entering business of all kinds in increasing numbers.
I.F. is also the hub city for a 200 mile radius that includes parts of W. Wyoming, and it has become a leading medical and professional center as a result.
Pocatello is a university town, home to Idaho State, so it has a lot of professionals as well. Poky was a long-time railroad center and a heavy manufacturing town, and still has some heavy industry going on there. Many of the things that are common to I.F. are shared by Pocatello. Poky is also a hub city for the area south and westward,
Blackfoot is very agriculturally oriented. It's smaller than either of the above, and serves a smaller area.
Yes- there are occasional wild animals roaming through any town here. While it's unlikely you will be attacked, I've seen every critter you mentioned within Idaho Falls' city limits except for the wolves at one time or another. Wilderness is only 40 miles away from any town you live in here.
Our climate is very dry statewide. Winters are cold, but very seldom humid. I don't think there is anywhere here that is as windy as Chicago. Our summers are dry and spectacular.
You will find walking to be difficult anywhere here. Distances in Idaho are measured in hours, not miles. Since most of our towns are small, very few have much accommodation for those who don't drive, and you will probably need a bike at least to get around. Idaho Falls does have public transportation, and so does Pocatello, I think, but neither is typical of what you probably expect it to be. City to city public transport is almost non-existent. Idaho's a big state with a lot of room, so most towns are more spread out than they are in the east. Running is popular here, and there is a lot of good countryside everywhere to run in. Biking is also popular for the same reason, and all winter sports are very popular, both motorized or not.
Speaking several foreign languages would land you an instant job here in I.F. The Melaleuca corporation's headquarters are here, and they are global. Anyone who can speak an E. European language is assured of getting work there, and the INL also hires multi-lingual folks. We don't have much of an eastern European population in the state, but for some reason, there are quite a few Czechs who live in Boise. We have a lot of Basques here, and quite a few Peruvians, as both nationalities have always been good sheepherders and stockmen. Boise is a real national center for the Basques in particular, but they have settled all over here.
There's too much to answer in one reply. Hope this helps a little.
Hi, Pixiebob…
housing is cheep here due to several factors: wages here are also very low, which tends to depress property values and home prices. Employment, however, can be very high, and Idaho is a state with low population and towns that are mostly small in comparison to other states. This makes a lot of people handymen who learn how to frame, plumb, and know construction work.
Many of these folks are farmers, or came from farming families. For a very long time, idaho's building codes were almost nonexistent, and still are in some counties, so it's common, especially out in the country, to find houses that were farmer-built. Those places can be anything from flimsy to as strong as a fortress as it all depended on the farmer, his expertise, his bank account, and how many of his neighbors he could hire to help him out. The folks who became good home builders could always find a job around here.
This is also true to a lesser degree in towns here. Old homes in a town are usually more predictably sound than in the country, but unlike other states, old houses aren't torn down and replaced as quickly as other places.
A lot of Idaho is boom and bust. In a good agricultural year, Idaho's industry also has good times, so contractors will build like crazy and often over-build. The busts always follow, so dwellings of all kinds that were built on speculation will sell cheap. During the housing craze that caused the Great Recession, Idaho was very vulnerable to the slice and dice bankers who would write mortgages for anyone who wanted one. Most of southern Idaho's larger cities, like Boise, Pocatello and Idaho Falls, became overbuilt. the result has been a buyer's market for a long time.
Chubbuck is essentially an extension of Pocatello, as Ammon is to Idaho Falls. Both have retained their own incorporation because they could rely on the larger city to provide most services, which made their own taxes much less, which made both attractive to home builders who could sell homes cheaper in them.
This is recently changing as both are now growing larger and the former support they once got from the cities and county are becoming increasingly costly.
There is a lot of diversity in Idaho FAlls and Pocatello. I.F. is home to the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation's leading experimental energy lab, so there are a lot of folks here from all over the world who have nuclear and other alternate energy expertise. The INL has spawned a lot of small specialist industries here, which attract highly skilled workers. i know guys here who came from India, a lot from Chicago, several Japanese, and from other states and nations. We also have a lot of Hispanics, who mostly are still ag workers, but are entering business of all kinds in increasing numbers.
I.F. is also the hub city for a 200 mile radius that includes parts of W. Wyoming, and it has become a leading medical and professional center as a result.
Pocatello is a university town, home to Idaho State, so it has a lot of professionals as well. Poky was a long-time railroad center and a heavy manufacturing town, and still has some heavy industry going on there. Many of the things that are common to I.F. are shared by Pocatello. Poky is also a hub city for the area south and westward,
Blackfoot is very agriculturally oriented. It's smaller than either of the above, and serves a smaller area.
Yes- there are occasional wild animals roaming through any town here. While it's unlikely you will be attacked, I've seen every critter you mentioned within Idaho Falls' city limits except for the wolves at one time or another. Wilderness is only 40 miles away from any town you live in here.
Our climate is very dry statewide. Winters are cold, but very seldom humid. I don't think there is anywhere here that is as windy as Chicago. Our summers are dry and spectacular.
You will find walking to be difficult anywhere here. Distances in Idaho are measured in hours, not miles. Since most of our towns are small, very few have much accommodation for those who don't drive, and you will probably need a bike at least to get around. Idaho Falls does have public transportation, and so does Pocatello, I think, but neither is typical of what you probably expect it to be. City to city public transport is almost non-existent. Idaho's a big state with a lot of room, so most towns are more spread out than they are in the east. Running is popular here, and there is a lot of good countryside everywhere to run in. Biking is also popular for the same reason, and all winter sports are very popular, both motorized or not.
Speaking several foreign languages would land you an instant job here in I.F. The Melaleuca corporation's headquarters are here, and they are global. Anyone who can speak an E. European language is assured of getting work there, and the INL also hires multi-lingual folks. We don't have much of an eastern European population in the state, but for some reason, there are quite a few Czechs who live in Boise. We have a lot of Basques here, and quite a few Peruvians, as both nationalities have always been good sheepherders and stockmen. Boise is a real national center for the Basques in particular, but they have settled all over here.
There's too much to answer in one reply. Hope this helps a little.
Thank you so much for this powerful, meaningful response. I've read some of your posts throughout this forum on different threads and I think its awesome that you give some of your time to helping those of us seeking answers to our questions. Thank you!
For numerous reasons, I've decided on relocating to Idaho and starting a new life. Safety, affordability, and the beautiful mountains and the close proximity to Yellowstone. I'm so excited about moving there.
Okay so you've given me tons of ideas and answers, now can I ask you, from an honest perspective, which out of the three, Idaho Falls, Pocatello or Blackfoot would be the EASIEST in terms of walking around, I know all are difficult on foot as you've mentioned, but which city has the closest urban core? I also will ride bikes, take taxis and ride the public transit bus, but sometimes I will need to walk and bikes cant ride in the snow, I certainly don't want to spent a 3 hour journey on foot to the nearest walmart. I'm highly interested in Pocatello, and my 2nd choice is Idaho Falls. Which would you safely bet would be the best for me? Out of the three?
I also would like to know if these area's have community colleges or are there just state universities? I'd like to get an education and relocating to Idaho definitely means I can afford to pay my future, incredibly cheap rent and be able to pursue some of my educational dreams.
The Czechs in Boise is interesting. I know that Boise has about 10,000 or so Bosnian's, Bosnian-Serbians and Bosnian-Croatians whom arrived as refugees preceding the break up of Former Yugoslavia in the mid 1990s. My mom is from Bosnia originally, and my native language is the language of Former Yugoslavia, and presently I live in Florida in a community of 50,000 Bosnian's. I certainly want to stay FAR AWAY FROM THE EX-YUGO communities, far away from the culture and very far from the people and unfortunately Boise & Twin Falls both have large Ex-Yugo communities. So those two places are a "no-go" zone for me.
I'm moving to Chubbuck in a few months. So I am not an expert on that area, however, it does not look like there is an abundance of mass transit in the Chubbuck area. Except for a small area that extends south of I86, it is what is commonly called a "bedroom community" consisting primarily of subdivisions and small strip mall areas. There is a small area of Chubbuck that extends south of I86 that is most likely their largest commercial tax base where Pine Ridge mall and a large number of other retailers are located (Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, maybe Costco, etc.)
After looking at what seemed to be hundreds of houses online, and than a larger number than I want to remember in person, northern Pocatello looks like a nicer location; other than if young, around the university area. As for mass transit, I did pass quite a few buses on Yellowstone avenue, which appears to be the main north / south road through Pocatello.
Here in Idaho Falls, the city is beginning to accommodate bike riders, joggers, and folks who walk more than in the past.
We now have several former 4-lane streets that have been changed to 3-lane, allowing room for a bike trail on one side of the street, and more will eventually come.
On busy streets with no stoplights, the city has installed receptacles that hold little fluorescent flags on sticks, which can be carried by pedestrians to make them more noticeable to drivers. These flags have been especially helpful to wheelchair handicapped, older pedestrians and kids.
I don't know if Poky is doing the same, but I'm sure they will follow if not yet. Cities are learning that helping pedestrians helps increase business and community contentment.
Thanks guys! I'm so excited, I'm moving to either Pocatello or Idaho Falls within the next few months, as soon as I finish filling up my savings, of course ;-) I'll just browse through apartments in both places and whichever accepts my application first will become my new place of residence. I cant wait!
Thanks guys! I'm so excited, I'm moving to either Pocatello or Idaho Falls within the next few months, as soon as I finish filling up my savings, of course ;-) I'll just browse through apartments in both places and whichever accepts my application first will become my new place of residence. I cant wait!
Hi PixiebobPNW,
I'd encourage you to both post in and search the Idaho Falls sub-forum. Some of your questions have been answered there many times.
Languages...you may be surprised who speaks what. I'd rank Idaho Falls higher on foreign languages (as people who have learned a second, third or fourth language).
Nowhere in eastern ID will you have all the community colleges and Universities as you would like.
Where is your work located? That would be a concern of mine. A place you might want to check out is Snake River Landing in Idaho Falls. It's far from done, but is being built for residents who want to do everything within walking distance. There are houses and some apts. I don't know availability as houses are built in groups at a time.
You could walk to a WalMart or take a cab 5 min. to cultural events, wine tasting, Beer Brewing Company and various other businesses and restaurants. The airport would be a 10 min ride. Here's a link to the local news. Check out Pocatello and Idaho Falls throughout the day and night to see a bit of the area.
www Localnews8.com. If that somehow doesn't work just check KIFI in a good search engine.
Look forward to you posting in the Idaho Falls sub-section as it covers eastern ID.
I'd encourage you to both post in and search the Idaho Falls sub-forum. Some of your questions have been answered there many times.
Languages...you may be surprised who speaks what. I'd rank Idaho Falls higher on foreign languages (as people who have learned a second, third or fourth language).
Nowhere in eastern ID will you have all the community colleges and Universities as you would like.
Where is your work located? That would be a concern of mine. A place you might want to check out is Snake River Landing in Idaho Falls. It's far from done, but is being built for residents who want to do everything within walking distance. There are houses and some apts. I don't know availability as houses are built in groups at a time.
You could walk to a WalMart or take a cab 5 min. to cultural events, wine tasting, Beer Brewing Company and various other businesses and restaurants. The airport would be a 10 min ride. Here's a link to the local news. Check out Pocatello and Idaho Falls throughout the day and night to see a bit of the area.
www Localnews8.com. If that somehow doesn't work just check KIFI in a good search engine.
Look forward to you posting in the Idaho Falls sub-section as it covers eastern ID.
Good luck,
MSR
Aw man thank you! I work from home, however, I'm rethinking the eastern idaho area, due to the fact that no community colleges are there. That's something I just found out via google. No wonder wages are so low and housing is so cheap, the locals cant pursue Education. That's just sad!
Aw man thank you! I work from home, however, I'm rethinking the eastern idaho area, due to the fact that no community colleges are there. That's something I just found out via google. No wonder wages are so low and housing is so cheap, the locals cant pursue Education. That's just sad!
Thank you all for your time and input.
We have a unique ed center in place of a community college.
University Place is the equivalent of a CC, but it's courses are taught by teachers from ISU, the U of I, and BYUI. (and possibly, other state colleges as well)
The school was developed to serve entering students so they could complete basic courses here, returning students who are going back to college after leaving, and to serve continuing education and for some, advanced degrees.
Some majors may require attending classes at ISU, while others can be attended on the internet. There are quite a few graduates who have never physically attended any of the universities that are involved in the program.
I.F. also has a technical school campus that offers associate degrees in many fields that is completely separate from University Place.
Idaho Falls has always been an oddity in the lack of a community college, but Pocatello is so close, and BYUI is also very close in the other direction, that there was no need for a school here for a long time. I expect that University Place will eventually become a full community college.
We have a unique ed center in place of a community college.
University Place is the equivalent of a CC, but it's courses are taught by teachers from ISU, the U of I, and BYUI. (and possibly, other state colleges as well)
The school was developed to serve entering students so they could complete basic courses here, returning students who are going back to college after leaving, and to serve continuing education and for some, advanced degrees.
Some majors may require attending classes at ISU, while others can be attended on the internet. There are quite a few graduates who have never physically attended any of the universities that are involved in the program.
I.F. also has a technical school campus that offers associate degrees in many fields that is completely separate from University Place.
Idaho Falls has always been an oddity in the lack of a community college, but Pocatello is so close, and BYUI is also very close in the other direction, that there was no need for a school here for a long time. I expect that University Place will eventually become a full community college.
I didn't actually graduate high school, I left on my 17th birthday and transferred into a GED program and got my GED a month later. High School just wasn't for me. From my understanding, I can only go to a community college or a trade/tech school because an actual University wont accept me with a GED, however I could be mistaken or mislead. I just checked out the schools in IF so I think they have something to offer me. I'm still planning on settling in IF.
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