Low wages in Boise? (Caldwell, Eagle: real estate, foreclosure, new home)

[Big Larry]

I currently live in SLC, and in my opinion wages for a "standard" white collar job are better in SLC than in Boise, but not as high as in Portland or Seattle. However, I think that the cost of living in SLC is slightly higher than in Boise, and there are more big city "inconveniences" in SLC than in Boise.

[boisefan88]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

The median average income level in Boise is just as much or more than other peer cities in the Rocky Mountain and Northwest region. There is a lot of money in Boise, but the city really needs to attract more high paying jobs for the future and that process is already taking place as there are several companies that pay well and want to relocate and have their eyes on Boise.

Lol. Like who? Some of you are always claiming there are all of these companies wanting to relocate to Boise, that will be bringing a huge number of high paying jobs, blah blah. Yet no one, not even the dude at BVEP, can identify any of them. He even said on KTVB Viewpoint that Boise is simply in competition with a number of other cities for these companies.

At any rate, does it even matter, when Micron has laid of, what, somewhere between 5,000-10,000 decent paying jobs. Not to mention HP, MPC, and the other tech places that have shut their doors. So a few companies relocate here and bring, at best, maybe 1,000?

Fact is, Boise has never been a place for high paying jobs, and likely will never be. We'll be lucky to even reach levels we were at 4-5 years ago.

If you have proof to the contrary I'd love to see it, but to claim that we're up there with even SLC (let alone Denver or Portland) is a bit much.

[boisefan88]

Originally Posted by AlleyTD

Two family members have good white collar jobs that only pay 45K a year. These jobs would easily pay twice that in a larger Metro area.

This is more likely the case.

I know for a fact that the best paying introductory legal jobs in Boise started at best at 80k/yr. Market rate for the best introductory legal jobs in NYC, DC, LA, SF, and Chicago was 140-160k.

Average pay in most places for private firm jobs was 90-120k. In Boise it was 40-60k (sources: LSAC, JD Underground, Above the Law legal blog).

For admin/secretary jobs you're looking at 9-13/hr, with some of the more tenured secretaries making a little over 40k/yr. Friends in LA started at 18/hr for AA jobs, and secretaries can easily reach 60-80k.

You can get by on the wages here because the cost of living is fairly low, so it isn't like we're all living in poverty or anything. The standard of living here is much like it is anywhere - people own their homes, own nice vehicles, and tend to be in debt otherwise. So it's not unlike anywhere else.

The problem is...jobs are just hard to come by here, especially for new entries into the market. Competition is keen. You find a lot of people working in positions they're likely overqualified for because they "retired" into those positions to locate here, or can't find anything else.

[Big Larry]

Originally Posted by boisefan88

Lol. Like who? Some of you are always claiming there are all of these companies wanting to relocate to Boise, that will be bringing a huge number of high paying jobs, blah blah. Yet no one, not even the dude at BVEP, can identify any of them. He even said on KTVB Viewpoint that Boise is simply in competition with a number of other cities for these companies.

At any rate, does it even matter, when Micron has laid of, what, somewhere between 5,000-10,000 decent paying jobs. Not to mention HP, MPC, and the other tech places that have shut their doors. So a few companies relocate here and bring, at best, maybe 1,000?

Fact is, Boise has never been a place for high paying jobs, and likely will never be. We'll be lucky to even reach levels we were at 4-5 years ago.

If you have proof to the contrary I'd love to see it, but to claim that we're up there with even SLC (let alone Denver or Portland) is a bit much.

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I agree with boisefan88.

[HDL]

!!!

Originally Posted by Big Larry

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I agree with boisefan88.

[TohobitPeak]

Originally Posted by Big Larry

I currently live in SLC, and in my opinion wages for a "standard" white collar job are better in SLC than in Boise, but not as high as in Portland or Seattle. However, I think that the cost of living in SLC is slightly higher than in Boise, and there are more big city "inconveniences" in SLC than in Boise.

I have several family members who live in the Salt Lake area and they make about the same as people I know here in Boise with similar white collar jobs.
SLC is a larger metro area than Boise so it would only be obvious that there would be more white collar jobs, but as far as pay I have to agree that Boise and Salt Lake are pretty neck to neck.

Salt Lake and Boise during the past few decades have been similar in job growth percentages and income levels.

[Big Larry]

Originally Posted by TohobitPeak

I have several family members who live in the Salt Lake area and they make about the same as people I know here in Boise with similar white collar jobs.
SLC is a larger metro area than Boise so it would only be obvious that there would be more white collar jobs, but as far as pay I have to agree that Boise and Salt Lake are pretty neck to neck.

Salt Lake and Boise during the past few decades have been similar in job growth percentages and income levels.

I would have to respectfully disagree. SLC has higher paying white collar jobs than Boise does, in general. The differences at the entry level pay scale aren't significant, but over the course of a working career they certainly are.

SLC valley has:
-about 1.3 million people
-many large regional business hubs for fortune 500 companies
-hosted the winter olympics
-several world class ski resorts (and many excellent ski resorts)
-the Sundance film festival in Park City (20-30 minutes outside SLC)
-an NBA team
-a AAA minor league baseball team
-a major league soccer franchise in Sandy, UT
-2 large universities (U of Utah and BYU) with obscene amounts of money relative to their enrollment (and many professional education programs that are lacking in Boise)
-a "Trax" trolley line that was installed for the olympics that operates around town
-quality downtown restaurants and hotels (that are very expensive)
-a small amusement park in Farmington, UT
-several exotic car dealerships
-and on, and on.......

There are many high-paying jobs in SLC associated with the list above, that Boise simply doesn't have. For full disclosure, I like Boise overall much better than SLC.

[TohobitPeak]

Oh my, this does not need to turn into a we have this and you don't type of thread, but if you insist I feel most inclined. I grew up in Eastern Idaho along the LDS I-15 corridor so I am familier with the SLC area:

Originally Posted by Big Larry

I would have to respectfully disagree. SLC has higher paying white collar jobs than Boise does, in general. The differences at the entry level pay scale aren't significant, but over the course of a working career they certainly are.

SLC valley has:
-about 1.3 million people----sorry about that. I prefer a smaller more manageable population base such as the Boise Valley has.

-many large regional business hubs for fortune 500 companies---as does Boise. Boise has been home to major national and international corporations and is still home to a handfull.

-hosted the winter olympics----big deal, they begged for it for many years and finally were awarded the games and then there was scandal. Earlier this year Boise hosted the World Special Olympic Games with no scandal or down on your knees begging. We are awarded the games because of the ameneties of the city and the nearby ski resorts and facilities and Boise was the perfect caring city to host the games.


-several world class ski resorts (and many excellent ski resorts)--There are world class ski resorts within a few hours drive of Boise and then there is one of the closest ski mountains to a city anywhere,Bogus.


-the Sundance film festival in Park City (20-30 minutes outside SLC)--Sundance is cool and a great time. Boise has several small regional film festivals anyways and there is a large artistic divese crowd who calls Boise home.

-an NBA team---boring.

-a AAA minor league baseball team--Boise has the Boise Hawks minor league


-a major league soccer franchise in Sandy, UT---Boise does not have a soccer franchise, but soccer is popular here and many regional soccer tournaments are held here.

-2 large universities (U of Utah and BYU) with obscene amounts of money relative to their enrollment (and many professional education programs that are lacking in Boise)---True. The LDS Church has a lot of money to invest but BSU is gaining attention with their research and the university is growing in leaps and bounds and new programs are being added each year.


-a "Trax" trolley line that was installed for the olympics that operates around town---you mean light rail? SLC is lucky they got the olympics in order to assist with the light rail. Boise is planning for a downtown trolley.

-quality downtown restaurants and hotels (that are very expensive)---Boise has a better downtown restaurant scene than SLC by far, there is no comparison, and many restaurants in downtown Boise are expensive. SLC is chain heaven where as Boise downtown is full of local independent restaurants. Boise has a better French restaurant too. SLC is larger so they have more hotels, Boise is gaining though and there are several more expensive hotels in downtown then there was 5 years ago.

-a small amusement park in Farmington, UT---boring, resembles a state fair to me. There is a family fun center and water park in Meridian.


-several exotic car dealerships---Boise has several upper crust dealers too.


-and on, and on.......Boise has a more vibrant downtown, a larger bike culture, a river through the city, a greenbelt, a lot more city parks and I am talking large parks, more of the outdoors to explore nearby, more woods, more mountains, rivers, natural lakes, and on and on and on and on.


There are many high-paying jobs in SLC associated with the list above, that Boise simply doesn't have. For full disclosure, I like Boise overall much better than SLC.

You are reading too much into what I said in my previous post. I did not say Boise has more better paying jobs but rather the two cities are similar in wages. Why you came back with your response is beyond me.

And for disclosure I like Boise much better, that is why I live here. If I want to visit a larger city than I am not going to waste my time heading to SLC unless I am visiting family. SLC just does not cut it because Boise offers so much of the same and more in my opinion. Portland is my choice if I want a larger urban fix.


I think we can put this comparison of two cities to rest.
carry on.

[voivod]

i have earned more money in the two industries i have worked in here than i did anywhere else. that includes market of several hundred thousand more people. i can't say the wages are low for me. but statistically, it'd be a tough argument to make that wages are not lower here. gut it up, become the best at what you do. the money will follow.

[Big Larry]

Originally Posted by TohobitPeak

Oh my, this does not need to turn into a we have this and you don't type of thread, but if you insist I feel most inclined. I grew up in Eastern Idaho along the LDS I-15 corridor so I am familier with the SLC area:




You are reading too much into what I said in my previous post. I did not say Boise has more better paying jobs but rather the two cities are similar in wages. Why you came back with your response is beyond me.

And for disclosure I like Boise much better, that is why I live here. If I want to visit a larger city than I am not going to waste my time heading to SLC unless I am visiting family. SLC just does not cut it because Boise offers so much of the same and more in my opinion. Portland is my choice if I want a larger urban fix.


I think we can put this comparison of two cities to rest.
carry on.

I formulated my list not to support why SLC is "better" than Boise (b/c I don't think it is), but rather to justify why SLC has higher paying white collar jobs than Boise.