Is Boise a fit for me? (25 y/o m)

[boi2socal]

As others have said: Boiseans tend to stick to the people they know. This is a very Northwest thing. I found the same thing in cosmopolitan Seattle. I've heard the same about Portland - so much so I know a few people that promptly left there after college. Day to day, people are nicer and more courteous in Boise when compared to most of California. I do get aggravated when customer service folk don't even say hello or acknowledge you're a human. With that said, I've had a much easier time making friends in California. People tend to be more open to inviting new coworkers, friends of friends, etc. to events and gatherings. And yes, these are often superficial friendships (especially in LA). I'm not sugarcoating anything. But I rather that than being home alone all the time.

But anyplace I suppose is what you make of it. I'm not saying you won't make friends in Boise, it is just a bit harder and requires an outgoing personality. If you are passive or shy - don't expect people to invite you places.

[collectingdust]

With your criteria, it sounds like Boise is actually a really great place for you!

-Affordable rent (under $1000 for 1 or 2 BR)
Absolutely. I rented a 2 bedroom house for $625 with a huge yard, 3 minute drive away from downtown. Very cheap livings. You can find a decent downtown studio for as little as $450.

-Nice weather (sunny, mild winters, not too humid)
The summers are amazing. Its even sunny in the winter, although it does get pretty cold and snows sometimes. Not very humid at all. Overall its a bit too cold in the winter for my taste, but I believe it is milder than the midwest.

-Easy to make friends (especially the nerdy, board game playing kind)
Oh hell yeah. You'll meet friends like this very easily in this town. Its extremely easy to meet people in Boise, and pretty soon you'll know everyone. One great way to meet people is to go to the same coffee shop every day and pretty soon you'll know everyone there. I've had a much easier time meeting close, good friends in Boise than I have in portland for example. The only downside is that it can be a little incestuous after a few years... be prepared to run into your exes everwhere you go. Its not a place that you want to be burning bridges or making enemies in because you'll bump into them all over the place. small town woes.

-Low taxes (property, income, corporate)
Can't say for sure, I just had my taxes taken out of my paycheck.

-Scenic (Mountains, lakes, clean, not too many homeless)
The MOST beautiful sunsets I have EVER seen are in Boise, specifically when overlooking the city from the gorgeous foothills or Table Rock. Beautiful forests and lakes, camping, hiking, waterfalls, hot springs etc within close driving distance. Very outdoorsy place. One of the most loved parks has a giant hill and miles and miles of hiking trails behind it (Camel's Back Park).

-Good outdoor rec (especially hiking and biking, skiing is a plus too)
Bogus ski resort is pretty decent and accessible. Lots of biking, mountain biking trails, hiking trails in the foothills, all with gorgeous views.

-Not extremely conservative or liberal (I'm a libertarian, I get along best with other libertarians, moderates, and independents)
Boise is more liberal than the surrounding state, but there is still a good mix. Its much less liberal than portland or seattle.

-Good music scene
The indie/rock/alternative scene is really, really good for a city the size of Boise. It helps that its placed on the road between SLC and Portland, so touring bands have to stop here anyway and so we get all the good shows that Portland and Salt Lake get. LOTS of good local talent too. Boise gets some great bands in town. Treefort music fest is growing and in five years it'll be just as popular as coachella. Pretty thriving EDM scene too. Can't speak for any other genres however.

-Plenty of things to do in the city (bars, nightlife, cultural spots, parks, restaurants, places to wander around)

Plenty of bars in the downtown area, not a huge abundance of cultural spots although we do have the basque center, and many of the restaurants downtown are great. Don't expect a huge selection though... Boise is known for having a very high percentage of fast food compared to sit-down restaurants, and local restaurants often close after several years. In the past few years though, downtown has been growing and restaurants have been doing better, which attracts new places. Still, for a city of its size, it has really good nightlife. Lots of good thrift stores and boutiques around downtown. There's always various festivals happening in the summertime. Music festivals, small raves, street festivals, etc. Great parks, and lots of them everywhere.

-Not too crowded or sprawling, but not tinytown USA
There are several sprawling suburbs (Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Star and Kuna to name a couple) but definitely not tinytown. The Downtown/North End/Bench area is the place you want to be. Less suburban and more city-feeling.

-"Livable" (easy to walk/bike places, plenty of amenities, low COL)
Super low cost of living. Food is cheap, restaurants are cheap, housing is cheap. If you live in the North End or Bench area its very easy to bike downtown to bars, parks, venues, etc.

-Pet friendly
People love their dogs here.

-Plenty of young, college educated people
I would say it has an average age distribution, but older folks tend to stay out in the suburbs and outskirts of town. Downtown is thriving with young adults. Being college educated is pretty much the norm, even if most people just went to Boise State.



The cons of Boise are the following:
Not many good jobs... I wouldn't move here unless you had something good lined up, or are prepared to work in the service industry.
Bad public school system. The one exception might be Boise High School.
If you live anywhere except downtown, the north end, or the bench, be prepared for ultimate suburbia. I wouldn't recommend it.
The 40+ year old dating scene is dismal. However the 20-30s scene is good. LOTS of attractive people in this city.
The small size of the town can be incestuous at times (like any small town)
Outside of downtown/north end/bench, there aren't a plethora of great restaurants.
Outside of downtown/north end/bench the traffic can be bad (not LA bad, but I would avoid Eagle rd at all costs... biggest road in the state and more mini-malls keep popping up alongside it).
Not much diversity at all.
Zero public transportation.
Lots of mormons, but they stick to the suburbs and aren't very judgmental (Im allowed to say this as I used to be mormon)
Zero vegan restaurants.
Sometimes it can take a little ingenuity to find something do here... think ice blocking down Simplot hill, floating the river, starting your own art/music/writing group project, throwing a themed party, etc. But thats what makes Boise great. Its not all prepackaged entertainment all the time.

Basically if you live close-in to downtown and not the suburbs, you can avoid most of the negatives. The even cheaper rent and short commute from the suburbs might tempt you, but don't be fooled. Its a completely different experience.

[boisefan88]

Nice post, but just a quibble:

Treefort barely breaks even money wise (I know Eric Gilbert and the other organizers and am a TF volunteer); Coachella breaks 90,000 people each weekend for two weekends. There isn't even a comparison and frankly Treefort isn't interested in that comparison.

So I don't quite get why you'd even say that unless you're just embellishing...

Also, Timberline High is a great high school. Nationally rated.

[boi2socal]

Coachella is just plain awful these days, lol. It is basically a celebrity and trust fund baby circus with artists that aren't even indie. When I went the headliner was Bjork.

[boisefan88]

I went in 2012 and it was one of the worst experiences of my life.

[collectingdust]

that particular comment was tongue-in-cheek, haha

[bb777]

Boise is amazing! You will love it! Great spot for young people.