Boise Job Market dead?

[CrownVic95]

[MOD CUT: OFF TOPIC]

When citing cost of living statistics, one must also cite income statistics or there is no basis for a standard of living comparison. Even if we take at face value (and we would be wise not to, given their obvious reason for a bit of bias on the subject) the Boise Valley Economic Partnership’s statement about Idaho’s cost of living being the second lowest of the eleven western states, we must then look at Idaho’s income level compared to the eleven western states if it is to be at all meaningful. Of those states, Idaho’s median hourly income is lower than all but Montana, New Mexico, and Utah. And it only exceeds Utah by a penny:

From the U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, median hourly:

WA 16.81
CA 16.37
CO 15.82
OR 14.92
NV 13.82
AZ 13.77
WY 13.77
ID 13.47
UT 13.46
NM 12.85
MT 12.34

So….all we can really conclude from that statement about STANDARD OF LIVING is that you’re likely better off in Idaho than New Mexico and maybe Utah. That’s not saying much, and I don’t think anyone would argue that.

And regarding the comment that Boise Valley's cost of living is 96 percent of the national average, so is the median wage. Boise – 14.12, national – 14.61. Ok, so it’s 96.6%. Again, we’re back to square one.

My conclusion based on the facts? The Boise job market is by no means dead, but it IS tough for an out-of-towner when compared to large metropolitan areas. It is tough for two major reasons: A) It is small, and thus the number of open positions is small B) This "you’ve gotta know someone" syndrome that has been presented in multiple posts here. And I have no reason to doubt that is true, based on what I have seen.

[Sage of Sagle]

Enough. Present your arguments...leave the comments that verge on personal attacks out of it.

Anchorless - Torrie is one of the more balanced realtors I have run across, and I think she's a real asset to people who ARE looking to compare Idaho to other states. While it's important to include negative factors, I think it's very clearly her job to SELL real estate by selling people on the Boise experience, while being candid about the challenges. Nothing I see would indicate she has failed to act in a very honest and forthright manner.

Torrie - Anchorless is very unhappy about your profession-at-large being part of what's going wrong with Idaho, and he has several valid points. Even if you're the 5% of the bell curve of realtors who is way more open and candid helping people make good choices, you're a realtor and that means that some level of that comes on you as well, for better or worse. Personally I see your positive involvement here on one of the country's hottest relocation forums in existence and I'm happy you're here, and I hope this site DOES result in you getting business from your efforts here.

Certainly in the Boise area, Torrie and Anchorless have a real ying-and-yang thing going on here...but I believe that people who come read these threads will wind up getting a pretty good picture of the lay of the land, both positive and negative.

I know in my area, there are a lot of people like Anchorless only much less articulate and there some real growth issues that must be addressed, and we could use more like Torrie in that profession who will be forthright about an area's challenges and opportunities versus most realtors that we see here brazenly trying to turn Sandpoint into Sun Valley or Park City to line their own pockets. You can fairly smell the greed here at times...I was lucky to find a "Torrie" here...but there aren't many like her, so let's keep it in perspective folks...

[California Carl]

I have said it before and I'll say it again. America's middle class is being sold out. It grows more difficult each year to maintain, let alone upgrade our standard of living. Too many good jobs have been permanently out-sourced to other places.
This is not unique to Boise. It is an American problem. Our auto factories, gone. Our computer and software industry, gone. Our textile industry, long gone. Our ship building facilities, gone. Etc.etc.
Back in the north bay, I watched Hewlit Packard and Agilent downsize to mere R&D facilities laying off thousands of employees, many of them long term. Some of them landed on their feet, some retired early while even more took lower paying jobs just to help make ends meet. It looks like Micron, Idaho's largest private employer is going down the same path.
I was fortunate when I moved up to Boise as my skills are still in need. I found a job in construction quickly. It pays well for the area, but that too is open to downswings in the economy. Luckily, my job is tough to out-source, but they do import a lot of illegals to do the work and that does keep wages down as most of them will work for less money. (Especially back in California)
I think it would be wise to have a job before you move up here. As someone else pointed out, it is a relatively small city that is hundreds of miles from any other metropolitan area. Kind of like an island... It is however a great place, and I'm glad I came. I'm sure the area is going to keep growing rapidly and that should keep me busy while opening other opportunities to other folks besides low level service jobs.
Good luck.
TTFN,
C.C.

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

When citing cost of living statistics, one must also cite income statistics or there is no basis for a standard of living comparison. Even if we take at face value (and we would be wise not to, given their obvious reason for a bit of bias on the subject) the Boise Valley Economic Partnership’s statement about Idaho’s cost of living being the second lowest of the eleven western states, we must then look at Idaho’s income level compared to the eleven western states if it is to be at all meaningful. Of those states, Idaho’s median hourly income is lower than all but Montana, New Mexico, and Utah. And it only exceeds Utah by a penny:

From the U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, median hourly:

WA 16.81
CA 16.37
CO 15.82
OR 14.92
NV 13.82
AZ 13.77
WY 13.77
ID 13.47
UT 13.46
NM 12.85
MT 12.34

So….all we can really conclude from that statement about STANDARD OF LIVING is that you’re likely better off in Idaho than New Mexico and maybe Utah. That’s not saying much, and I don’t think anyone would argue that.

CrownVic,

The figures you have are probably correct, what I posted is from the ACCRA Cost of Living Index and they are using the average hourly not the median like you are using so I'm asssuming that's why Boise shows as the second lowest cost of living out of the eleven western states. Why they choose average over the median I couldn't tell you.

I googled ACCRA to check on their reliability and this is what is what I found:


ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI) Data Users and Subscribers

Need help in deciding whether that new job offer in another city is actually better than what you have now? Managing employee salaries for multiple cities? Need reliable cost of living comparisons?

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index is the most reliable source of city-to-city comparisons of a key consumer costs available anywhere. Rely on the authority recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNN Money, and the President's Council of Economic Advisors... COLI data and methodology, described in detail and is completely transparent to users, is continuously reviewed by academic researchers and government officials, and is referenced in the US Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the US.

Feel better about your decision to move. Negotiate a fair salary with your employer or employee. Be an informed researcher about local pricing. Tap the ACCRA Cost of Living Index today as the “gold standard” source for comparing prices and the overall cost of living in more than 300 cities.


So that tells me that what I posted earlier is good information. ACCRA stands for: ACCRA American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (now Council for Community and Economic Research).

So the info is being posted by an unbiased organization not the state of Idaho.

[goldenray]

Could anyone tell me how the blue-collar labor type job market is doing in Boise area? I noticed most comments were in regard to office type jobs. My husband and I are interested in the Boise area and my hub has experience in landscaping, construction, warehousing. He would really like to start his own landscaping business at some point. He is definititely a more "hands-on" career type...so how is the job market for these types of jobs?