Possible Relocation to Boise...Many ???s (Meridian: crime, homes, job market)

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by Jarndyce

Boise unemployment is skyrocketing and will be approaching 10% probably by the time you actually pack up and move. You say your wife has family in Nampa and several other family members are thinking of coming here in the next couple of years. Why don't you wait until these family members actually move here?

What?!?!? Boise and the state of Idaho still have some of the lower unemployment figures in the country despite layoffs. We are still better off than much of the nation.

According to this site the figure for the Boise metro area (including Nampa/Caldwell) is 6% which takes into account the recent high tech layoffs. The closure yesterday of MPC computers in Nampa is a downer, but the upside is that they did not have to let go 1000 or even 500 employees, it was less than 200.
Idaho Department of Labor News > Press Releases


Here is the states number as of last month--still below the national average and better off than many other states.

Idaho's unemployment rate jumps to 5.4 percent | KTVB.COM | Idaho Business | Boise, Idaho News, Weather, Sports & Traffic

[Jarndyce]

Hmm. I guess my initial response timed out....I will make this short. *Financial Services are the next sector to layoff locally. *All of my friends whom I spoke with over the Xmas break work at firms (non Boise firms) that are laying off or will be laying off in '09. Anecdotal information yes, but when will this trend stop? I don't distinguish Boise from Nampa. One is a city, the other a suburb. It is reasonable to live in one place and work in the other. I've had commutes triple the distance from BOI/NAM.... When I moved to Boise I knew the economy was going into the crapper but I made the decision that Boise would be an affordable place to weather the collapse and it (and the PacNorWest) might be one of the first areas to come through and grow again. I made this decision because Boise avoided the housing hysteria hype that gripped every other part of the nation basically. I still cling to the belief that this will be a place which turns around before other places do. I still stand by my advice that the OP should try to hunker through for 2009 and then maybe move in 2010 when things should be on the rebound.

[jdub2447]

Originally Posted by Jarndyce

.....When I moved to Boise I knew the economy was going into the crapper but I made the decision that Boise would be an affordable place to weather the collapse and it (and the PacNorWest) might be one of the first areas to come through and grow again. I made this decision because Boise avoided the housing hysteria hype that gripped every other part of the nation basically. I still cling to the belief that this will be a place which turns around before other places do. I still stand by my advice that the OP should try to hunker through for 2009 and then maybe move in 2010 when things should be on the rebound.

I feel the same way. I too feel like the whole country is in the crapper, but I too strongly feel that the Pacific Northwest will rebound quicker. I find it hard to believe that it will dip as low as other parts of the country too, eg: California, Florida, Arizona.

Believe me, I am hunkered down. Expenses have all been cut to a minimum. "Fun" expenses have all been eliminated (this sucks with children). Even then, with my salary cut in half, my bills won't be paid. I am considering Boise because of the previously mentioned reasons, and hoping to couple those reasons with the hope of landing a job paying what my reduced salary is now. It makes sense to me that I can weather this storm in an area that isn't as expensive to live as where I am now on the same income. If that happens, I will then be poised to be on the rebound a little better. At least, I think I will be. Florida has fallen so far so fast, it might not ever rebound to where it was before the crash started, at least not in my lifetime. I think the quality of life there, being around family, and the overall change in everything would be great for me at this point in my life. Palm trees and shorts year round are overrated anyway.

I do appreciate your honesty and opinion. FWIW, I'm not some hopeful eutopian type that is just ready to uproot his family of 5 and move across the country without some job security before leaving though. I am hunkered down. I'm just testing the waters over there too.

[ecocks]

Thanks for the information. I am also contemplating a move to the area within the next 4-6 months. My questions:

Are there any housing areas (names we might see on MS listings) to avoid due to safety, traffic or infrastructure issues? Any that might be worthy of particular recommendation?

Is there an adult ESL program in the metro area?

Can anyone recommend a good gun range/store? (Don't freak out, I am coming there for a couple of weeks in February to look around and like to practice regularly.)

I know I should have more questions, but have been in the area before (WA for a couple of years) and have already done considerable research on the economy, real estate and cultural situations.

[Torrie]

I'll send you a message with answers to your questions. Can't take away from the original posters questions otherwise, our posts will be removed. Maybe start your own thread and others can answer there too without being deleted.

[Vetlover]

Stay out of Caldwell, lots of gang-bangers. Nampa east is better & Nampa is cheaper then Boise.

[ecocks]

Oh, sorry.

[jdub2447]

Originally Posted by ecocks

Oh, sorry.

It's ok with me....I actually had some of the same questions in mind.

[fromdust]

10%? that cant be right. if it is come to okc. 4.2%

[Need2Leave]

Live as close to Boise as your budget allows, quality of life & length of comute are both luxury items that come with a price tag... live farther west if you can't afford to live where you want to be. The whole valley is all in all a pretty good place to be.

Also: Check past Nampa/Caldwell threads for a local's take on the Gangsters... don't wory.