San Diegan seeking best place to live in Idaho (Boise: employment, mall)

[boi2socal]

Originally Posted by MySerendipity

donnam, Thank You for your reply. You have hit on a few on my concerns. Im thinking it may be a wise choice to lease our home out here and rent in Idaho to be sure that it is what we want. Ive only known San Diego and worry that the change will be too much, however I am really desiring a change. I wonder tho now that you have returned back to the faster pace more stressfull life style, if you will end up missing Idaho. I have to agree, Im always going a mile a minute and am very tired of that. Slower sounds great, but we don't want to end up tired of that too. Well, off to do more research. Thanks again.

I think donnam's assessment is fair. I think Boise is a great place and has a lot to offer but all too often some people assume that anyplace is better than California. Obviously, it all depends on what is important to you.

If you prefer a more homegrown, outdoors, conservative and affordable area that isn't too small and offers most amenities of a large city Boise is a great fit.

On the flip side San Diego has comfortable temps nearly all year, a decent transit system, affordable higher education, and is also an outdoors town although by a different standard.

[pll]

Donnam experience and mine are very similar. The only difference is that we are returning to CA after 15 years. Realize first that people here are very reserved and don't take it personal and second unless you love skiing, rafting, fishing, camping and hunting you probably won't care for it here. You do spend a lot more time indoors then in SD. We are glad we raised our kids here but now they are encouraging us to move home. Good luck.

[weiser]

There are so many wonderful places in Idaho to live; you definitely have your work cut out for you! I can highly recommend Weiser; been here for a quarter century, raised four children and am watching two grandsons grow up healthy and happy here. It's an hour from Boise, less to Nampa, and you get the benefits of small town living (5,300 pop.) AND the benefits that being close to a large metro area has to offer. I absolutely love Weiser. [URL="http://www.whyweiser.com"]www.whyweiser.com[/URL] and [URL="http://www.weiserchamber.com"]www.weiserchamber.com[/URL] are two good websites that will give you a little background. Best of luck to you!

[Sage of Sagle]

Weiser, thanks for the links to info on the town. Sounds like a neat little town.

[HughPam]

Funny. I am sitting in an El Pollo Loco in San Diego right now looking for a math teaching job in the CDA area. Past one up about four years ago and regret it.

Anyone know if there are any math openings in No. Idaho?

[ConcernedIdahoan]

Why is it we Idahoans keep getting an influx of out of Staters, We have enough problems with others coming in and changing things, if you do not like where you are from, do not come here and try to change it, to what you did not like and are leaving behind. Otherwise Welcome to those that are leaving a positive footprint in our State. A concerned Idahoan

[thepinksquid]

Originally Posted by ConcernedIdahoan

Why is it we Idahoans keep getting an influx of out of Staters, We have enough problems with others coming in and changing things, if you do not like where you are from, do not come here and try to change it, to what you did not like and are leaving behind. Otherwise Welcome to those that are leaving a positive footprint in our State. A concerned Idahoan

What a kind generalization that apparently you created a C-D account to say.

Shouldn't you be happy that you live somewhere that people apparently wish to move to? Isn't that kind of a compliment to wherever it may be in a sense?

If someone isn't happy where they currently live, they shouldn't leave? Or is this just some sort of NIMBY-esque mentality of "I don't care where they move! I just don't want them here!"

[Chad Erickson]

Idaho. I was born on my Grandfather's homestead in SE Idaho, have traveled some of the world since and returned to Idaho 15 years ago, but Northern Idaho. It really was like coming home. Acutally it was more than that. I was running from the confines of socialism in Washington State when I discovered that many of the rural counties in Idaho do not even have planning and zoning and building codes. I felt so free that I wept with relief and joy.

If you are a conservative republican you will like Idaho, come on over and stay a spell. If you are a liberal democrat, Idahoians will do their best to make your life uncomfortable. There are exceptions of course, but by-and-large that is the way Idaho is. It is the second most conservative state in the union.

Incidently, in following my Father's WWII experiences, my wife and I visited San Diego two years ago. We fell in love with the place and have been back twice since. Actually, in comparison to the weather in Idaho, all of California is a paradise, and we like it, but we don't like the politics of oppression.

[Mtn. States Resident]

[quote=Chad Erickson;11237814]Idaho. I was born on my Grandfather's homestead in SE Idaho, have traveled some of the world since and returned to Idaho 15 years ago, but Northern Idaho. It really was like coming home. Acutally it was more than that. I was running from the confines of socialism in Washington State when I discovered that many of the rural counties in Idaho do not even have planning and zoning and building codes. I felt so free that I wept with relief and joy.

If you are a conservative republican you will like Idaho, come on over and stay a spell. If you are a liberal democrat, Idahoians will do their best to make your life uncomfortable. There are exceptions of course, but by-and-large that is the way Idaho is. It is the second most conservative state in the union. QUOTE]

Hi Chad,

When you state Idaho is the second most conservative state in the union, what are you using as your reference/guide? Or how do you calculate the data to come up with that number? I ask as I've read at least 3-4 different states are the "second most conservative state." I'm sure there is a current list, I simply don't know where to look for that information.

While I absolutely agree Idaho is more conservative than many states, I'd like to see your reference. Is it based on voting from the past, who is in the Legislature, or Congress, or registered number of voters etc?

I very respectfully have to disagree with your post a bit. I do agree there are some areas or counties of Idaho that are very much conservative with few liberals living in those counties. From what I've seen in some other non-NE states, the same is true in other states as well. In Idaho, I believe there are more counties (at least in the eastern/southeastern side), that have all aspects of political leanings represented than some may think.

I honestly can say I've privately been asked often how a liberal person would fit in eastern/southeastern Idaho. I have never discouraged anyone from moving to eastern/southeastern ID simply due to politics. I have suggested that Madison County wouldn't be as easy to live in comfortably for someone who has very liberal views as other locations close by.

Potentially because of their overall small population, counties such as Caribou, Bear Lake, Oneida, Fremont, Lenhi, Clark and a few others may tend to have a greater percentage of conservative residents than than the larger counties. However, I think living in Idaho Falls (not Ammon) in Bonneville County, Poky (not Chubbuck) in Bannock County, and in some areas of Blackfoot (Bingham County) as well as other locations, there are liberal residents.

I think we haven't done a good enough job of posting links where those concerned about being the solo liberal Idaho reisdent can connect with other liberals, at least in eastern/southeastern ID.

Some of the most liberal and politically active people in Idaho live in Idaho Falls, Pocatello and elsewhere along eastern/southeastern ID. I always laugh when I'm told that Idaho Falls is so conservative a liberal can't survive. Perhaps not as easily as San Francisco; however, having Mayor Linda Milam, elected to office for three terms as a divorced, Democrat female says something about the residents of Idaho Falls (at least to me). Mayor Chase in Pocatello is also a Democrat.

It also says something to me that former Mayor Milam endorsed a Republican candidate to be her successor when she decided not to run for another term. With her endorsement and a lot of people wishing for some specific changes, former Idaho Falls Police Office Jared Fuhriman became Mayor Fuhriman.

I can't speak to what I don't know well, such as the mix in the Twin Falls area, or some areas in Central ID, NID etc. Boise certainly has liberals living comfortably in Boise and the suburbs.

I think a somewhat objective measure would be to look at the Idaho Legislators and what political leanings they have.

I don't really know how things are in NID so I will say I'm confused when you mention no zoning or planning in some counties compared to WA State. I thought every Idaho County had to have P and Z as part of the County Gov't. Maybe someone with more knowledge than I could help out addressing whether there area any Idaho Counties who have no P and Z boards.

Thanks for the post. I'm looking forward to reviewing the P and Z info for various counties as that is truly news to me. Additionally, I look forward to knowing how or by whom Idaho is ranked the second most conservative state. It made me think of various Idaho counties and which ones probably have the smallest populations and have changed the least politically from where they were perhaps 10 years ago. I suspect those counties have had the least immigration from outside states or larger areas in ID. However, I may be very wrong, which is why I'm curious about the sources of the information.

Thanks,

MSR

[kek1993]

Blackfoot, not a big place, but very pretty, inexpensive to live.