Best-Worst places in Idaho???? (Boise, Rexburg: renting, to live, nicest)

[f5fstop]

Wow; just spent a lot of time reading this thread and it appears not everyone agrees on where the best place to live is. But I would say that is normal.

But after gleaning some info I have a few questions....

Someone stated that Pocatello smelled like Lewiston. Why?

No one mentioned Rigby; just outside of IF. I would guess that is a large LDS area, but for me, that means nothing. I currently live in Moab UT, we have our fair share of Mormons, and I never had a problem. Besides, I lived in the middle east for many years so I'm used to people trying to convert you and know how to let them know I am not interested.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by hizen

Any info on post falls, Coeur d alene, Hayden, rathdrum area?

I hunt, fish, off road, camp, etc. Looked at Boise and it's way to California for me.

Your comment is ironic, given the number of folks from California who are looking at moving into the area you mentioned.

The fact is, anyone who moves here and stays becomes an Idahoan. Those who can't adjust, no matter where they come from, leave within a few years.

As to all the activities you like - don't worry. They all abound in any part of Idaho you choose, and all are always just outside your door wherever you are here.

Folks here go fishing in the Boise river, or a lake, or the Snake river, or any number of other rivers and creeks during their lunch break here and can catch a fish, but most enjoy fishing more after work. The same goes with everything else. I know families who are never home on the weekends until Sunday evening year round. They are always packed and ready to go adventuring. It's very easy to do out here.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Wow; just spent a lot of time reading this thread and it appears not everyone agrees on where the best place to live is. But I would say that is normal.

But after gleaning some info I have a few questions....

Someone stated that Pocatello smelled like Lewiston. Why?

No one mentioned Rigby; just outside of IF. I would guess that is a large LDS area, but for me, that means nothing. I currently live in Moab UT, we have our fair share of Mormons, and I never had a problem. Besides, I lived in the middle east for many years so I'm used to people trying to convert you and know how to let them know I am not interested.

Both cities lie in holes surrounded by mountains, so both are prone to inversions.

Rigby isn't the only smaller city in the state that doesn't get much attention. From time to time, someone will move there and post something here about Rigby, but since it's only 7 miles from Idaho Falls, I.F., the larger town, gets most of the attention paid here.

If Moab suits you, you already know pretty much what it's like in Rigby, except I think Rigby's a bit more diverse.

[cricket_25]

Originally Posted by banjomike

Your comment is ironic, given the number of folks from California who are looking at moving into the area you mentioned.

The fact is, anyone who moves here and stays becomes an Idahoan. Those who can't adjust, no matter where they come from, leave within a few years.

As to all the activities you like - don't worry. They all abound in any part of Idaho you choose, and all are always just outside your door wherever you are here.

Folks here go fishing in the Boise river, or a lake, or the Snake river, or any number of other rivers and creeks during their lunch break here and can catch a fish, but most enjoy fishing more after work. The same goes with everything else. I know families who are never home on the weekends until Sunday evening year round. They are always packed and ready to go adventuring. It's very easy to do out here.

that's kind of how I see it. just because someone originates from another state doesn't mean that that state should permanently define who they are. I for one want to leave California because I don't fit in here and I'm hoping that wherever we end up, we don't get too much prejudice treatment for coming from ca.

[Para]

Originally Posted by cricket_25

...... I'm hoping that wherever we end up, we don't get too much prejudice treatment for coming from ca.

I guess I'm lucky in that regard, when people ask me where I'm from I don't know what to say. I was born in Colorado but dad having a career in the Army had us moving every 3 years. Overall I've spent the most time equally split between Wisconsin and Colorado although I've lived in Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, and Germany. With the instate and across town moves, I've moved over 35 times in my life so far (getting tired of it, time to put down roots). For me, home is where the rucksack is.

I do see that prejudice from Colorado folks against Californians and Texans sometimes so I'm sure there might be a minority in Idaho or almost anywhere someone might move to. There's a feeling of "them" moving here and driving up housing prices. I saw that more in the Denver area than in Colorado Springs though, COS is a hugely transient town with the military presence here, so temporary transplants are be expected (many retired military come back here to retire too).

Some people are going to be reactive and dislike other people no matter what, I think the important thing is in moving somewhere is to accept the way things are for the most part, don't try to change things. The rational folks will see that and respect the transplant for it.

[dgaines56]

I see where everyone (including me) have posted asking where is the best place to live in Idaho. I am from Texas and there some areas here I would avoid like the plague. I have been researching Idaho for some time now and have pin pointed a lot of cities I want to visit as far as a possible retirement home. My question is what cities or area in Idaho would you absolutely refuse to live.

[Syringaloid]

The below similar thread is already in process...on the 2nd page but can be bumped with a response.


http://www.city-data.com/forum/idaho...ces-idaho.html

[banjomike]

What you would avoid may not be what others would. And at the same time, what might not bother you here might seriously bother someone else.

What is it you would avoid like the plague? A climate? One type of terrain or another Too many people? Not enough people? A prominent religion or lack of it?

Since we don't know any of the reasons you are looking at Idaho, don't expect much in the way of information that is valuable to you. Another person's dislikes may not be close to your own.

Even then, you aren't going to get anything but a rough sketch of what life here is like. If you are trying to cross of prospective cities here by way of forum consensus, forget it. Idaho isn't like Texas or any other state. You are much more likely to get positive responses than negatives here, as Idaho either suits a person very well or not at all. The folks who love it here stay, and those who don't leave.

The only way you will really know if a place suits you or not is to come here and check your list out in person.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Para

...I do see that prejudice from Colorado folks against Californians and Texans sometimes so I'm sure there might be a minority in Idaho or almost anywhere someone might move to. There's a feeling of "them" moving here and driving up housing prices. I saw that more in the Denver area than in Colorado Springs though, COS is a hugely transient town with the military presence here, so temporary transplants are be expected (many retired military come back here to retire too).

Some people are going to be reactive and dislike other people no matter what, I think the important thing is in moving somewhere is to accept the way things are for the most part, don't try to change things. The rational folks will see that and respect the transplant for it.

I think there are deeper reasons than the potential of driving up housing prices that causes some Idahoans to dislike folks from California.

One of the big ones I've observed is California folks have become accustomed to how life is in a much more populated state. They have become conditioned to expect stores to be open 24 hours,, 7 days a week, that assistance for all kinds of problems from trivial to serious will be fast and always available.

Socially, California's culture is so diverse in so many ways that new arrivals here expect to find similar diversity. Idaho's culture is not unique, as Montana, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Oregon, Washington and Nevada all share a lot in common, but it's quite different. Most of it comes from our low population, all the extremes in this state that are challenges to living here, and the way native Idahoans either leave and never come back or stay put in the area where they were born.

At the same time, Idaho is also changing. While our social changes aren't as rapid or widespread as they are in states with higher populations, much of what happens in California rubs off on the intermountain west.

If a person from California doesn't like some of the aspects of life there, they will probably find those things here, too. They will be different, but they will be here. The same is true with things any Californian likes. They will be here, too, in a slightly changed fashion.

[Cnynrat]

I've got to say that in all our time spent in north Idaho we have not encountered ANY bias or negativity towards the fact that we will be moving from CA when the time comes. We had heard the stories, and so were initially somewhat reluctant to tell folks where we are from, but as I said we haven't found any evidence to support the common opinion that ex-Californians are not welcome in some quarters. Perhaps people are just talking behind our backs, but somehow I don't think that's the case.

I also think most of the people coming from California are self selected to fit in reasonably well in Idaho. Sure, there are some that may make the leap without really understanding how different life will be away from the big cities of California, or they may misunderstand how they will react to being in a different cultural climate, but I would guess that most fit in reasonably well.

Dave