Anyone transplanted out to Idaho? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: neighborhood, to live in, moving to)

[JB316]

And OP, Coeur D’alene really is a beautiful spot. I visited there several times when I lived in WA. It’ll be cheaper than down here, but you can easily spend 400/500k up there for a house as well. It’s nice that it’s still pretty close to a city the size of Spokane for shopping and medical care. If I was going to move to Idaho, that is where I would go.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by family first

Curious what towns or cities people have moved out to Idaho from CA and what was the experience like? Can anyone suggest a city similar that has the gold country feel to it. How were you received once you got there? Starting to do some real looking as CA is becoming more of a challenge every day.

I will not address politics that people insist on bringing up. I was a life-long Californian, as was my father before me. Upon retirement, I packed up and moved to North Idaho. I'm in a small town a few miles outside Coeur d'Alene. "How was I received once I got here?" With open arms. So much so that after only being here for three years, the people of my town voted me on to the city council. I'm in my fourth year now and love it. You couldn't get me to come back, even if you gave me an beach house in Malibu in which to live.

Wallace, in the Silver Valley and close to the Montana border is a town that if you were to wholesale move it to the Mother Lode, it would not be out of place. There are some other small towns in the Silver Valley that are old mining towns, but they don't have the character that Wallace has. (There are still operating mines in the area.) Interstate 90 runs through the Silver Valley.

Don't know much about southern Idaho, but take a look at Salmon in the east-central part. That is very similar to what you are seeking.

Originally Posted by JB316

And OP, Coeur D’alene really is a beautiful spot. I visited there several times when I lived in WA. It’ll be cheaper than down here, but you can easily spend 400/500k up there for a house as well. It’s nice that it’s still pretty close to a city the size of Spokane for shopping and medical care. If I was going to move to Idaho, that is where I would go.

FYI, I rarely find the need to head in to Spokane for anything. Good medical here in CdA and plenty of shopping. We even have a Costco . . . and NEVER a line at the gas pumps. One can purchase a modest, comfortable, fairly-new construction home in the $350K range. However, inventory is low, so it's a 'seller's market' and all that goes along with that.

[JB316]

Originally Posted by volosong

FYI, I rarely find the need to head in to Spokane for anything. Good medical here in CdA and plenty of shopping. We even have a Costco . . . and NEVER a line at the gas pumps. One can purchase a modest, comfortable, fairly-new construction home in the $350K range. However, inventory is low, so it's a 'seller's market' and all that goes along with that.

Good points. Yea I didn't want to try and make it seem like CDL was a po dunk little town. It's definitely not, it's very much a resort/vacation type of area and there is money there. I just know that there are some high level hospitals in Spokane that people from northern Idaho can take advantage of because they are so close. (Sacred Heart and Deaconess)

[scgali]

We are moving from San Diego to Coeur d'Alene in August. Beautiful area and we are very excited. I believe there used to be a hate group (Aryan Nations) near Hayden, which is a city near CDA. But apparently it is no longer based out of that area anymore. Definitely less diversity than SD but most of the people there seem extremely nice and helpful.

[apple92680]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Idaho listing?

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by apple92680

Shouldn't this thread be in the Idaho listing?

Not with all the people moving there. Four families of friends left SD County for Idaho.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by scgali

We are moving from San Diego to Coeur d'Alene in August. Beautiful area and we are very excited. I believe there used to be a hate group (Aryan Nations) near Hayden, which is a city near CDA. But apparently it is no longer based out of that area anymore. Definitely less diversity than SD but most of the people there seem extremely nice and helpful.

You will be STARED at everywhere you go, a lot. Don't speak Spanish in public unless you have to. People will tell you "go back to Mexico" or will think you should live in Spokane. It's a very different mindset up there. Native Americans who live near there get ignorantly called "Mexicans".

My nephew moved from Castaic to Post Falls and he said that it was some of the worst discrimination he's ever seen in his life. He has since come back to California and has no desire to ever go back to Idaho. Way too many racist ex-California residents have moved up there. My nephew thought it was "beautiful" too, but that wears off when you've got to deal one with microagression after the next, and put up with people's not so subtle comments.

All of these people saying not to move to Idaho and change it, have done just that, though. I teach History and Political Science and if you go back to the 1970s and early 80s, Idaho was a semi-progressive state that elected Democrats, even liberals like Frank Church. All of these waves of conservative Californians have made Idaho turn from a moderate independent state to a place where you better not criticize Donald Trump.

People will try to deny this on these boards, but I have seen it myself when I visited.

[dcisive]

The only place in Idaho you'll find a moderate support for Democrats is in the Boise area. However the term "Leftist" would NOT be in favor. Currently there is a move to remove the current Democratic mayor out of her position. It is said because she is TOO far to the left. Unlike the other cities such as Seattle, Portland and the like that have had violence erupt due to their protests, Boise has had peaceful ones without the violence. Besides, the police (NOT defunded there) won't allow it. Idaho has it's act very much together where peace and order is concerned. The rest of the State for the most part is quite conservative. Personally, that's why I'm here

[family first]

Didn't want this to turn into a NIMBY post. I'm not looking to bring CA to ID in anything other than a move to get away from the madness here. Just trying to see if there are smaller towns (maybe 5000 or less) because of the nuances of small town living: That might have 4 seasons, trees instead of plains feel to it. That is a great place for kids, and has good schools (high school/college), health care and shopping within a reasonable drive.

[moved]

I had a friend that moved to Sandpoint to take care of his mother, and had culture shock. Especially in the winter when the snow was up above the window sills. He said it was the first time he had ever shoveled snow, and it would be the last time, too.