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Thank you all for your responses. I guess there is a bit of me now that is maybe reconsidering, though. It sounds like there isn't a consensus on how liberal or conservative Boise is. We are more liberal politically, but not extremists. Really a Libertarian, "live and let live" vibe suits us well, so if that is Boise then that would work. There is mention of religion and churches being more important there than (especially) here. We are non-religious. We aren't anti-religion, but we would hope that folks in Boise are ok with people who are not at all religious.
As with all moves, it's a good idea to consider and reconsider. Everyone has a different perspective, so I really recommend visiting if you haven't already. You would be leaving behind a large and liberal city for a smaller and more conservative one. Some people might really notice the difference and some people might not care that much.
I really don't think you would have to worry about being liberal/libertarian as most people in Boise honestly won't care. There are lots of libertarians in Idaho.
You sound similar to me jread and when I moved from a bigger bowl to a smaller bowl and already had 'an in' with a large family on both sides there I still found it politically and religiously stifling. Of course Boise has grown and changed a lot in 17 years.
However, I still read in threads here about having an in with the crowds and the religious scene and how it affects people's lives there. Some of the threads I'm referring too are several pages long, especially the dating scene ones.
For example you may think you're fine in downtown Boise drinking a couple glasses of wine at a wine bar that is now closed called, "Grape Escape," during the Boise Twilight Criterium watching the bicyclist go by. That is until you decide to go outside with your friends and you happen to run into your "religious" non-drink co-workers. Being sociable you decide to give them a hug like we friendly Austinites often do. Only to find out later that they go and talk about you at work and what happened and way over blow it because of their perspective on it having never drank a drop in their life. You start to get the cold shoulder from others and you're not sure why until years later when you realize even having one or two glasses of wine really bothers them. This is a large community there so word spreads and now you're the black sheep even with the family in.
I mean people are still accepting of you but at the same time you're not really one of them as they've never done the stuff you've done. Maybe that's what the others mean by these people shouldn't matter to you. That there are other friends to make there and maybe Boise has grown big enough for that, but I really don't think so. Because in those other groups it's still a small town mentality and eventually if you stay there long enough every one knows everybody and their business. That's why I liked the anonymity of the bigger cities like Austin or Las Vegas. In Boise there is a liberal contingent there that you can live among but it's an insulated bubble. You'll find them in the North End, Downtown and East End. They're also trying to build up the newer development called "The West End" like this. The East End is where the tech sector is btw and where a lot of them live too.
I found it more free up North however when I went away to college there. Idaho just opens up in liberal college towns. Maybe that has something to do with being on the border of Washington with another college town seven miles away? You had wide open spaces to breath too. Plus I've found the further north you go the more beautiful the State gets. It's one of the most geographically and geologically diverse States in the Union.
The most free I ever felt was in the big cities of Oregon and Washington. Hence, we'd take lots of trips there from Idaho. We even lived in Eugene, Oregon for a several years and I just loved that. I could totally breath and thrive there. I've seen you've lived in Portland before so you probably know that Eugene is the even more liberal wacky off shoot of that. The one eyed mutant sister. I know Portland has a motto to "Keep Portland Weird" which I didn't discover until we moved to Oregon. Then I wondered who had it first Austin or Portland and discovered Austin did actually. Which was interesting because while in Eugene I found out just how much creative originality actually comes from Oregon and spreads through pop culture across the United States. They have Oregon pride there too but it's so subtle and different compared to Idaho or Texas. Oregon doesn't want people's attention and it would rather people stop moving there.
I absolutely love Oregon and would suggest Eugene and the Silicon Forrest to someone from Austin before moving to Boise. I try to tell all my Austin friends don't move to Boise. I have another much older Austin friend considering moving to Boise now and this was after everyone I knew in Austin moved to Colorado already. So they're coming from Colorado at this point. At least there in Eugene you can be a weirdo and nobody bats an eye. They're actually more appreciated and grateful of your unique differences and even have the Slug Queen festival and the Oregon Country Fair to prove it.
Eugene is more affordable and honestly reminds me of Austin as it should be with it's hills, it's hollows, it's hippies, it's artists, it's ridiculously idyllic farm patches, it's college town (Go Ducks!), it's originality and nature. Not as what everyone is complaining that Austin is becoming with being over priced, crowded, #Dallasification, commercialized, pushing what made Austin great with it's live music scene right out of Austin as they can't afford to live there anymore. However, when I do go back to Austin to visit my Dad and brother's and sister's and friends I've seen my neighborhood and that whole area around it hadn't changed one bit.
But if you want normal, safe, family friendly, clean, homogeneous, outdoorsy town to live and the rest you'll make it what you will than Boise is good for that.
Last edited by Merrily Gather; 09-11-2016 at 11:45 AM..
Eugene has its perks, but is kind of depressed, a bit run down, gloomy, wet, musty--like an un-showered hippie, and a higher crime rate compared to Boise. The threads over in the Eugene forum are telling. I'm familiar with Eugene and it really lacks a vibrant downtown, but it is near Portland and in a beautiful area. Boise seems to attract a fair number of Eugenians.
Boise has really changed and become more liberal since I moved here, it is progressive and evolving, growing quickly, open minded, and has a great balance of liberal and conservative mindsets. I think most people from Austin would automatically feel a connection to Boise.
Grape Escape is now a hip bar called The Mode Lounge. Bodovino is a great place to get wine. Boise is next to a wine region which is very nice. Garden City has some tasting rooms for various vineyards/wineries, so if someone moves here who loves wine, they will be in luck.
No one is really going to know what a place is like to live in until they take the leap and move to their desired city.
I don't understand why people automatically cast Boise out to be some small provincial city. Boise is just as sophisticated and cultured as places like Seattle, Portland, Austin, etc. and offers just as much as they do amenities-wise.
Boise is a big city -- and it has the downtown to prove it. Boise should not be relegated to comparisons with cities like Eugene or Bozeman. This city (and metro) is in the same tier as Portland and Seattle, and I think it's time people start to recognize it as such.
I don't understand why people automatically cast Boise out to be some small provincial city. Boise is just as sophisticated and cultured as places like Seattle, Portland, Austin, etc. and offers just as much as they do amenities-wise.
Boise is a big city -- and it has the downtown to prove it. Boise should not be relegated to comparisons with cities like Eugene or Bozeman. This city (and metro) is in the same tier as Portland and Seattle, and I think it's time people start to recognize it as such.
Just my 2 cents... rant over!
Boise punches way out of its weight class amenities wise for sure, but the entire metro area is about the size of Portland proper at over 600k. Portland metro is over 2 million.
I agree, in lots of ways Boise competes with Portland or Seattle, just smaller. I would say Boise has 80-90% of the amenities of a large city. (Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Austin, ect) shopping wise it has most of the same stores. Food wise it's actually really good for its size, it just doesn't have as many options as a city with four times the metro population. It doesn't have ethnic neighborhoods like lots of large cities. It's neighborhoods are more about geography and architecture than anything else. Boise only has minor league teams.
Boise is also ridiculously safe and clean and has its own charm and vibe going on. It has a great downtown. It isn't a large city though. It is 99th in size as a city and 83rd in metro. Portland is 26th and 23rd.
I'm a Dallas native and also lived in Austin for six years before it got ridiculously huge. Lived in Europe for years before returning to the US.
DH and I are done with Texas. DONE. We've talked about various places....Washington State, Boise, Colorado, etc. Boise seems great but the job market seems kind of weak. We're both in I.T. Maybe we have a warped perspective since we're in DFW and when we look at job listings here, there are hundreds for various I.T. specialties...mostly contracts. I've hinted to my boss that I'd like to go remote and move out of state (so I can keep my job) but they have some warped ideas about remote employees (my company does have some) and have indicated to me that that wouldn't be an option, so we'd both need jobs before making the move.
We don't care about politics and we don't care what religion or ethnic background our neighbors are as long as they share our values and are nice and quiet. Texas has a reputation of being the reddest of red states but I personally don't see it. You get your share of crazies on both ends of the spectrum but most people here don't seem to care what your politics are.
Could Boise be a good place for us? We love the outdoors, bicycling, hiking, boating/paddleboarding, etc. We love taking our dog with us on our adventures. We're not restaurant people and we're not culture vultures. As long as we have well-stocked supermarkets and a good Sam's or Costco nearby, we're fine. Amazon.com takes care of the rest. We're not scared of guns either.
So many helpful replies in this thread. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
To the person who mentioned Eugene, we did look closely at that town. Salem as well. We love, LOVE, Oregon, but it seems to have a lot more problems with crime, and the schools are not as good. Also, I am not sure that we could handle the 6-months of gloomy weather. We both love rainy days, but here in Austin that sort of weather is the exception, not the norm, so it is more enjoyable when it happens. I think I would do better with more sunny days.
It sounds like Boise has most of what we want. No place is ever perfect, but we don't have a huge list of needs. Just a city that is big enough to have the necessities (airport, organic food options, Best Buy, Petsmart, and some nifty local businesses). Safety is important. Good schools with good peer groups for our daughters, as in good kids from good families who will be a positive influence in their lives. Outdoor areas to run and play (I'm an avid runner and we both love hiking). Some rivers and creeks to play in. And kid friendly activities for younger and older kids (don't want them to be bored to death as teenagers).
As for us, we're quiet, introverted, and keep to ourselves. We like to be at home together, enjoying a movie with some coffee. A good Internet connection is a must, lol. Boise's hills and weather will take care of our outdoor needs... I can't imagine how awesome it would be to have four true seasons and some actual snow in the winter.
So many helpful replies in this thread. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
To the person who mentioned Eugene, we did look closely at that town. Salem as well. We love, LOVE, Oregon, but it seems to have a lot more problems with crime, and the schools are not as good. Also, I am not sure that we could handle the 6-months of gloomy weather. We both love rainy days, but here in Austin that sort of weather is the exception, not the norm, so it is more enjoyable when it happens. I think I would do better with more sunny days.
It sounds like Boise has most of what we want. No place is ever perfect, but we don't have a huge list of needs. Just a city that is big enough to have the necessities (airport, organic food options, Best Buy, Petsmart, and some nifty local businesses). Safety is important. Good schools with good peer groups for our daughters, as in good kids from good families who will be a positive influence in their lives. Outdoor areas to run and play (I'm an avid runner and we both love hiking). Some rivers and creeks to play in. And kid friendly activities for younger and older kids (don't want them to be bored to death as teenagers).
As for us, we're quiet, introverted, and keep to ourselves. We like to be at home together, enjoying a movie with some coffee. A good Internet connection is a must, lol. Boise's hills and weather will take care of our outdoor needs... I can't imagine how awesome it would be to have four true seasons and some actual snow in the winter.
Oregon schools are not as good as where - Idaho? If quality of education is a big consideration, you may want to ponder this some more. . .
Idaho's education system routinely ranks near the bottom of all the states. FYI.
Yikes. Well, that's going to be a problem.
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