boise idaho for a 30 YO couple with no kids and no higher education?

[banjomike]

Two of my kids live in Portland, and I understand your problems there.
Portland is a tough town to get ahead in, period.

My kids say it's a kind of closed loop going on there; the city has already decided to limit its future growth and sprawl, but the word hasn't gotten out to the rest of the nation, and lots of newcomers are still arriving. A lot are young, like you.

My sons have lived there for quite a while now, and they both said that in Portland, it's partly who you know when it comes to finding a better job, but the other part is having the know-how to do the work when it shows up.

They both went to work after the graduated high school, but both soon learned they needed more schooling if they hoped to ever do any better.
They took entirely different paths after that. One went through a 3-year technical course in auto mechanics that qualified him for the advanced mechanics new cars require, while the other, who's very creative, got an art degree and carved out his own career, using his art in a dozen different ways.

Both sought out wide nets of friends and acquaintances at the same time. The know lots of folks who don't know the others, and they circulate in widely divergent groups all the time.

This has helped them both move up their respective career ladders, because both always find work that fits their skill sets, but never exactly. Every new job they find comes along with stuff they don't know, so they are continually training themselves. If the job requires 8 hours, they put another 2 in, off the clock, learning the areas they need to learn, and put the new stuff to use right from the start. Eventually, that extra time always pays off for them.

One is still paying his school bills off, while the other paid off his loan a long time ago. If you think you know which one is still paying off his loan, think again.

All I'm saying is education is not just one path. While the expense of college is daunting, it's not always a ball and chain forever. If a young person makes some practical decisions before enrolling, higher education can be a real launching pad for a rocket of a career.
A 2-year tech degree could be just as valuable as a 4-year bachelor's degree too, or even more valuable, if a smart choice is made. Don't dismiss higher ed out of hand just over the costs. There are many different roads that all lead to the same destination, and the more you explore all alternatives, the better it is.

[boiselover]

i have several buddies on the force who got started in their late 20s. I am of a similar age and you can find affordable homes here even with lower incomes there are good jobs here even without degrees

[IdahoBroker]

The economy is doing well in Boise right now so someone willing to work and go through some training can get started pretty easily. A person could move here and immediately get a job at a call center making $10-15 an hour. Medical care facilities are hiring positions that start about $10 an hour but you can get certifications and training to move up in time. You can get an entry level job to pay the bills and then take classes (sometimes company paid) to become a truck driver with guaranteed placement into a job that will pay $30k plus a year. I even say school buses parked around town with people holding signs talking about hiring and paying signing bonuses.

I haven't seen this many jobs posted in the Boise area in a decade. Think outside the box and you should do ok.

Best of luck!