BOISE or SALT LAKE CITY (Meridian, Eagle: housing, rent, hotels)

[gerbjones]

Hi all. I need some advice on those that have lived in both places. We are LDS in Oregon so that is no factor.

I like Boise especially Eagle/Meridian. My wife likes Salt Lake City - Bountiful area.

Pros and Cons? My work is out of my house so I can work anywhere as long as there is internet, phone and an airport.

We have 3 kids. 9, 7, 3. We live in Portland. Both areas are family oriented and offer larger homes/lots.

Boise is smaller but I like that. Utah has the nice Wasatch and more snow. Advice is appreciated.

[twinprism]

Traffic in both places in a pain by idaho standards, depending on where you live, but if you work from home you can avoid rush hour and you get used to it. The Wasatch and skiing and outdoor stuff is great around Salt Lake, you may have to drive slightly farther from Boise to get to the mountains. I really like the downtown Boise area, but there is not as many affordable large homes of which you speak, I think. Those are more out towards Meridian if you like traffic and subdivisions. (I don't, can you tell?)

There is a stinky oil refinery in between Bountiful and Salt Lake City, which I'm sure you've seen if you've gone to the airport there, so make sure your well clear of that. Boise probably gets more temperature inversions and air quality problems though Salt Lake is not immune.

The Treasure Valley/Boise area is smaller, but gaining ground and I think it is growing faster if the ridiculous growth rate continues.

Both are very nice places to live and have quite a bit of diversity and things to do, so for me it would probably come down to what kind of house you can find for the money, and kids schools and how close they are.

Just my perspective, I don't live in either city but visit both frequently.

[Torrie]

Something to think about....what's around SLC? I mean where else can you go when you want to get away with the family? Is it a few hours? a couple of days of driving?

One thing I like about Boise is you have other places to visit that are a days drive away or closer, or a quick flight out on Southwest for a reasonable price(at least now it is). Portland, Spokane, Seattle, even San Diego are pretty affordable to fly too. Driving you can hit Jackson Hole, Wy in about 7.5 hours, Sun Valley is 2.5, McCall is about 2.5, Tamarack 2, Oregon is about 1 hour or a bit longer depending on where you head. Canada is about 12hours away, Lake Tahoe is about 10, I'm sure there's more options, but those are just a few.

I guess what I'm saying is living in Boise offers accessibility to other areas for exploring and I see that as a nice perk. Just another idea to take into consideration when you're comparing places, besides the usual home pricing, safety factor, etc.

[Anchorless]

I dunno - SLC is closer to Jackson, Alta, Park City, Las Vegas, Moab, Lake Powell, and about equal time to Tahoe.

Salt Lake feels much bigger, though, and much more congested. I haven't spent a lot of time there, but I'm not much of a fan of SLC.

[boiseguy]

both area's are great for kids, I think it comes down to what you personally want.. boise is a lot more livable than salt lake city, and flights out of salt lake city because its a hub are more expensive depending on where you want to go...
I grew up LDS, and knowing that you're from Oregon, I would caution you about utah, just because there is a HUGE difference between lds people in utah/eastern idaho, and the rest of the country... Religion and political issues are much more commonplace in the salt lake area than they are here.. very live and let live mentality in boise...
thats just my two cents...
Salt lake city is a blob of suburban sprawl that wishes to gain national acceptance as a major city... but it just isn't.. not on that scale anyway...the wasatch front lacks cohesiveness.... and well.. boise is just chill and low key and is what it is...not to mention less of a cluster mess...

[boi2socal]

I think Boise has more recreational opportunities with an easy drive. Boise has a river and resevoir that have more opportunities than a salt water lake. Fishing, rafting, floating, boating, water-skiing, snow-skiing, biking, hiking, etc. are only minutes away from the edge of town (some of that can be done in town!). And it may sound silly but Boise really isn't that far from the ocean...a relatively easy day drive (under 8 hours). Honestly, I think the only thing SLC has on Boise is an amusement park and slightly better shopping and both of those may not mean a thing to you.

I haven't spent much time in SLC but never really get a great vibe. Just seemed a lot like Boise for miles and miles so I would just rather live in Boise since there aren't a lot "big city" opportunities there. From what I've noticed Boise gets nearly as much concerts, Broadway plays, etc. as Salt Lake City (as far as touring entertainment). The Boise Airport, although relatively small still offers many non-stop flights and is one of the nicest facilities I've ever flown in and out of after it's recent remodel. It is also located less than 10 minutes from downtown.

[STRMCSR]

I agree. I prefer Boise to SLC. Things to do are pretty much equal in both cities only in Boise, you don't have to worry about hundereds of folks all trying to do it at the same time. Most places aren't crowded and are MUCH closer to access. If you are in West Boise or Meridian, you can get to pretty much any place in the valley in less than an hour.

[Mtn. States Resident]

As you asked, gerbjones, you wanted input from people who have lived in both cities. I have lived in both cities and see pros and cons of each. I need to clarify and say I haven't lived in Bountiful, which technically is part of the Ogden Metro, I believe. But, I have lived in Boise and in SLC.

I think you'll find SLC far more comparable with the Portland area than Boise in metro standards. For example, the light rail and how UT is expanding so rapidly the connections from essentially southern UT County to Brigham City by train is something those in the Portland metro are use to. Except this will be far more expanded in UT with various trains.

Boise is absolutely more "northwestern" than SLC, IMO. It's my understanding that is why so many from Seattle and Portland relocate to Boise for the cheaper cost of living, but northwestern living. Despite the various threads about California residents moving to Idaho, more move to UT. Consequently, SLC feels much more connected to California, AZ as part of the desert southwest, to me.

While you work at home, depending on what you do, or may want to explore, SLC has many more connections to other major cities in the U.S. as well as internationally. Besides Micron in UT, Novell, Lotus and a few other semi-conducter, computer-related industries are in UT. Far more industries are in UT.

I don't want to get into a religious discussion here, with the exception of one comment already written. It has been my experience that people find similar types of friends wherever they are. It has often been said those who are UT natives and LDS are different than LDS members elsewhere. I think there was a day that was more true than currently. With Salt Lake County having over 1 million residents, there is a lot more diversity than use to be.

Bountiful is in Davis County. It is pleasant enough and I wouldn't agree with the twinprism's comment about the oil refinaries smell, except on the freeways. The residential area of Bountiful gives a beautiful view of the Great Salt Lake, other moutains etc. depending on where one lives.

You may want to check that out Davis County more thoroughly, much like Ada and Canyon Counties in ID. Depending on the major reasons you want to relocate, the cost of housing, teacher/student ratio and other facts in Davis County may sway either you or your wife. Recreation occurs in town as well as short distances away.

The Wasatch Front, with about 2 million people, is a major metro area. Salt Lake City proper doesn't reflect the population of Salt Lake County, given the Urban sprawl as boiseguy mentioned (and I agree). Provo is more the size of Boise, without a lot of the infrastructure Boise has. However, SLC has far more.

I respectfully disagree with boiseguy about the cost of flights. SLC has an international airport and is a major hub for Delta. Direct service to Paris starts in July.

Perhaps costs of flights depend on the destination. With more flights and airlines in SLC prices are lower in most markets, except maybe to Seattle and Portland and other northwest cities, where Boise would be cheaper.

I would agree with Torrie in some ways it depends on what you like to do in your time off. OR and the northwest coast is certainly closer to Boise than SLC. Conversely, Denver, Vegas and other cities are closer to SLC. As Anchorless mentioned, there are numerous recreational opportunies within easy driving time from SLC.

Park City is an International Destination with 5 star hotels and less than an hour from Bountiful. Other ski resorts (both near Ogden and in the famous Cottonwood Canyons south) are very affordable for families.

Boise with a smaller population and simply doesn't offer some of the amenities larger cities must offer. While rapid growth and change have demanded more educational opportunities in Boise, you'll find the same and more in UT. There are many more public and private universities granting many different degrees in UT. Perhaps future and current education of your children is or is not a consideration. If it is, check out the stats about the enrollment in the various universities in each area.

Overall, SLC has a more diverse economy, a greater tolerance for political differences, has hosted the Olympics and has major nationally acclaimed medical instituions. There is nothing in Boise to compare to the Moran Eye Center or the transplant programs in SLC hospitals. There are no Trauma I hospitals in Boise. I'm not saying Boise hospitals are inadequate, I'm simply saying often patients are referred to Seattle, Portland or SLC based on facilities and specialists not found in Boise.

Shopping will be far more diverse and upscale when the new multibillion dollar City Center is complete in downtown SLC. Where Saks will go, still remains a debate, given the multiple very upscale developments being built I find it interesting that investors from Portland are investing in SLC, like the owners of Trolley Square, when other opportunities are closer in Boise, elsewhere in OR and WA.

From my POV, currently, UT has a much more educated and progressive Gov. than Idaho does and sees needs of the entire state, not just a county or two. I believe UT ranks among the highest in the nation for the education level of the workforce.

Sales tax use to be a much larger difference between UT and ID. Not anymore.

Those are a few thoughts from someone who has lived in both cities, and other cities as well. Ultimately, I think as most everyone has suggested, it depends on what is most important to you and your wife for your family.

It's hard to live in one city or another with an unhappy spouse!

[Syringaloid]

Boise hands down. Salt Lake doesn't have anything on Boise except dirtier air and heavier traffic and a larger airport. One thing I notice about SLC and downtown in particular is that the blocks are huge, the streets wider than most cities, and it lacks cohesiveness while downtown Boise is a complete opposite with smaller blocks, much like Portland, and a vibe more inline with Portland. Sure SLC has light rail but that whole valley in my opinion is one huge suburb with congested freeways and aggressive drivers who seem to not care about personal safety. Salt Lake has its pluses of course, it is a nice city which seems to be trying to find itself. If anyone in Boise is referred to a hospital in SLC, which doesn't happen very often according to my source at St. Als, it is a quick 30 to 45 minute flight or an afternoon drive.
A new high tech medical research park is being built in Meridian to compliment Boise's excellent hospitals.Pinebridge opens way to med-tech corridor
I have heard many horror stories from LDS people who have left SLC and escaped to Boise because they feel like Boise is a better place to raise a family.

[boi2socal]

Boise often ranks high for the tech industry and is being considered by Microsoft for further expansion. Their choices are either Boise or Denver. Not Salt Lake.

Mtn. States Resident has lived in both cities so I suppose he has a better point of view. Although my impression of Salt Lake has always been a big city without much big city amenities. In recent years Boise has gotten major national retailers and restaurants before or at the same time as Salt Lake; a metro area several times larger than Boise (i.e Cheesecake Factory, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie). Boise doesn't have Nordstrom; to this day I can't tell you why besides some possible stronghands from other stores, other than that Salt Lake doesn't have Boise beat by a whole lot - at present. Both cities seem to be getting many new stores so who knows what the future may bring.