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I have friends of all nationalities, including African American, and most of them love living here and feel welcome. Most of us here in Idaho care more about who you are verses what you are!
As far as jobs, many positions here hire from within so it is harder to jump right into a management position. It does happen, but getting your foot in the door with the right company might be better than jumping in as a manager of the wrong one.
Make sure you look at cost of living verses salaries or you might get depressed. For example, you might not make as much here, but if you can cut your housing from $2,000 a month to $1,500 with lower utilities and insurance too, isn't that potentially worth a pay cut? How much is your time worth not stuck in a commute to work?
I have lived all over the world and am glad to call Boise my home.
Make sure you look at cost of living verses salaries or you might get depressed. For example, you might not make as much here, but if you can cut your housing from $2,000 a month to $1,500 with lower utilities and insurance too, isn't that potentially worth a pay cut? How much is your time worth not stuck in a commute to work?
It really depends on the difference between cost of living and wages, though. For the most part I think the cost of living argument is overrated, unless you're focused on buying a single family home and are coming from a high cost metro area (Los Angeles, Bay Area, etc.).
If you're spending $2k per month on housing in California, and another $500 in utilities and insurance, but you're making $60k ($5k per month), but you move to Boise, and now you're paying $1,200 per month for housing, and $350 in utilities and insurance, but now you're making $45k ($3,750 per month), you're not further ahead, especially if you've taken a lateral or lower position.
Different story if you're wanting to buy a home, and you're looking at minimum $700k in a major metro area, whereas in Boise you're probably looking at $300k, give or take.
I still think that one's career opportunities and goals come into play. I have so many high school and college friends that moved away from Boise because they simply couldn't get started, or advance, in their career fields here, or they were simply throwing away pay and opportunity by staying. Most haven't come back, even though I suspect they'd like to if the opportunities were there. On the other hand, most of my adult friends here come from other places, and have either made their fortunes in other places, or they sacrificed money and career to make Idaho work for them.
I still think that one's career opportunities and goals come into play. I have so many high school and college friends that moved away from Boise because they simply couldn't get started, or advance, in their career fields here, or they were simply throwing away pay and opportunity by staying. Most haven't come back, even though I suspect they'd like to if the opportunities were there. On the other hand, most of my adult friends here come from other places, and have either made their fortunes in other places, or they sacrificed money and career to make Idaho work for them.
That is probably because people from out of state, college grads, move here and take a lot of the career jobs and the ones who grew up here, especially when Boise was smaller back in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's left for the big cities for opportunity. The job market and opportunity in the Boise area is a lot different than it was even 10 years ago.
Within my field of work here in Boise, a lot of new hires are college grads from out of state as well as people who grew up here and left and moved back.
That is probably because people from out of state, college grads, move here and take a lot of the career jobs and the ones who grew up here, especially when Boise was smaller back in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's left for the big cities for opportunity. The job market and opportunity in the Boise area is a lot different than it was even 10 years ago.
Within my field of work here in Boise, a lot of new hires are college grads from out of state as well as people who grew up here and left and moved back.
Maybe. I've been here my entire life and I worked for 6 years with the Boise Valley Economic Partnership before moving on to another position a few years ago, so I am well aware of the factors that influence and affect the job market in the region.
The fact of the matter is that, generally, young people are still leaving the Boise area for professional opportunities elsewhere, and that we are not attracting the type and quality of businesses and employment we would expect for a metro area of our size and growth rate. Moreover, there is a concerning disconnect between the skills and experience employers in the metro area need, and what the workforce and college graduates have or demonstrate. Thus, to your point, we have to import workers to fill these positions.
Perhaps more concerning is the boom/bust nature of the area's economy, which after medical and government jobs, is significantly reliant on real estate, construction, and retail.
Perhaps more concerning is the boom/bust nature of the area's economy, which after medical and government jobs, is significantly reliant on real estate, construction, and retail.
Up there with medical and government jobs are manufacturing and technology and finance.
I think the boom and bust you refer to is a thing of the past, hopefully. Boise is entering a new era and isn't as reliant on one or two major industries as it once was.
Last edited by Syringaloid; 01-03-2018 at 11:42 AM..
Reason: typo
I would just move in with your friend in Nampa, hunt a job out, then rent close to work to minimize commute costs. You can rent a house for $1300 or less pretty easily, and apartments a bit cheaper in many nice areas.
I just spent 2 weeks in Nampa at my daughter's home, and like the neighbors and the neighborhood fine. I seen several Black people in town, including 3 boys playing basketball in 32 degree weather, as well as lots of Hispanic, Asians, and White people. Did lots of shopping, movies, restaurants, and all the people were pleasant, much more than people in the SF Bay Area.
It really depends ...If you're spending $2k per month on housing in California, and another $500 in utilities and insurance, but you're making $60k ($5k per month), but you move to Boise, and now you're paying $1,200 per month for housing, and $350 in utilities and insurance, but now you're making $45k ($3,750 per month), you're not further ahead, especially if you've taken a lateral or lower position....
You are right in that economically you probably won't be further ahead, it just helps minimize the pain and shock to your ego when you are used to higher wages. The main thing is quality of life while you are working.
One thing I have been experiencing is a large number of people that lived in high rent / high income places that are using their retirement benefits based on that income and relocating to the Boise area where it spreads much further.
You are spot on regarding the education gap. We keep spitting out more social workers, teachers, English teachers, etc (all of which are well and good) but we do have a shortage of machinists, welders, etc. Clark Krause (Executive Director of Boise Valley Economic Partnership) continues to bring that up at many of his forums.
Anyhow, back to the OP: The best thing to do is to come visit and check it out for yourself. I have some people showing up tomorrow to purposely be here in the winter to see what they think of it since they are not used to living in an area with snow and realize you can research all you want about it, but until you ski on it or make a snow man or snow angel, it isn't the same.
"You are spot on regarding the education gap. We keep spitting out more social workers, teachers, English teachers, etc (all of which are well and good) but we do have a shortage of machinists, welders, etc. Clark Krause (Executive Director of Boise Valley Economic Partnership) continues to bring that up at many of his forums."
Yes!!! I meet way too many teachers from California wanting to move here. Idaho needs to make and do things, not just be a repository for California's leftover teachers.
I have friends here in Canyon county who are teachers and they tell me this educational system is doing very badly. They do not pay well in this county and it is very stressful as classrooms are overcrowded, kids are struggling with basic skills.
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