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Please bear with me as I am new to posting and need a better answer to this subject matter.
Simply put, are there really gangs and a crime problem in Idaho Falls? Usually drugs go hand in hand with the gang factor as well. I figure an area dominated by Mormons with a very wholesome all American town reputation would be the last place to find this problem. Some of you in the know please tell me because it makes no sense when looking at this place from the outside. I live on the East Coast and Idaho Falls looks like Mayberry to me! (Jk)
Please bear with me as I am new to posting and need a better answer to this subject matter.
Simply put, are there really gangs and a crime problem in Idaho Falls? Usually drugs go hand in hand with the gang factor as well. I figure an area dominated by Mormons with a very wholesome all American town reputation would be the last place to find this problem. Some of you in the know please tell me because it makes no sense when looking at this place from the outside. I live on the East Coast and Idaho Falls looks like Mayberry to me! (Jk)
Every city has its fair share of crime as I'm sure you're aware. From time to time there are shootings, stabbings, robberies and the such. I have lived here my whole life and still consider it the best place to raise my family.
I have a gut feeling that the recent rise in crime (last 5 years) has gone hand and hand with the pain associated with the recession and I'm sure it's the same story across the nation.
Is the there a gang problem? I wouldn't say it's a problem. The most you'll see is some grafitti here and there and occasionally a crime that is connected, however I can't think of one place here that I would consider dangerous because of gang turf. Most of these "gangs" are made up of teenagers or wannabes.
To sum it up (my opinion of course) you shouldn't fear the streets of Idaho Falls. They are 99.9% full of decent, down to earth people that are here to better themselves, raise their families, and many of them give back to the community. As far as crime goes, I would say Idaho Falls is one of the safest places to live in this country.
IFGuy...appreciate the quick response. I had two other questions about Idaho Falls that are also pretty direct.
It appears there are quite a few very nice and very large homes on the market in the area. is there a reason for this? Was there a home building boom that went bust? I am talking homes with over 4000 sq feet, lots of bedrooms, baths, etc. great views. Most areas don't have homes that large and I was wondering if it's because there are many Mormons in the area and they tend to have larger families.
Also, I am Catholic...am I going to have trouble fitting into the area if the majority of people are LDS? I have read various opinions on this and I am not sure what to believe.
IFGuy...appreciate the quick response. I had two other questions about Idaho Falls that are also pretty direct.
It appears there are quite a few very nice and very large homes on the market in the area. is there a reason for this? Was there a home building boom that went bust? I am talking homes with over 4000 sq feet, lots of bedrooms, baths, etc. great views. Most areas don't have homes that large and I was wondering if it's because there are many Mormons in the area and they tend to have larger families.
Also, I am Catholic...am I going to have trouble fitting into the area if the majority of people are LDS? I have read various opinions on this and I am not sure what to believe.
You nailed it! The entire Mountain West went through a huge housing boom before the economy collapsed. Idaho Falls for some reason was a little slower going in and coming out of the recession. Many of these larger homes were built upon speculation and not so much on demand. Many of these homes were built in the foothills east of Idaho Falls. Now the area has a little bit extra inventory as far as bigger homes go on the market. It's definetly a buyers market right now! Lots of choices!
As far as fitting in with the LDS folks, don't worry. I am a non LDS person and I have no problems whatsoever. There are be a few that believe they are holier than thou, but I find those people everywhere.
You may want to do a little research on the Catholic religion in Idaho Falls as I am not sure how big it is around here. I do know however that there are numerous faiths practicing here. It would be wise to say that the perception that Idaho Falls is an LDS town is one of years past. The area is much more diverse now religiously, culturally, ethnically, and economically than it was just a mere 10-20 years ago. It seems to be changing by the day as Idaho Falls is the hub of Eastern Idaho.
I'll back up IFGuy's thoughts.
If there area any organized gangs here, they are all staying mighty quiet. About 14 years ago, one of the L.A. gangs tried to get a foothold here, but they were all quickly found out, and busted or run off. There are violent crimes for sure, but very few that are perpetrated on strangers, and almost no carjacking, mugging and similar crimes. They have all happened, but only in a small handful of instances, months to years apart. Most typically, the perps are caught within a few hours.
Idaho Falls has some sizable minorities, but racial tension is almost totally nonexistent here. The Hispanic culture is evident, but there aren't any of the culture clashes here that go on in California and other states. This may be due to both Anglos and Hispanics here are both bunches of hicks compared to any big urban area. The only places I avoid are Hispanic bars on a Saturday night.
Anyone caught doing graffiti here is typically sentenced to 30 days of cleaning up graffiti, so there is very little to be found. Most of it is in alleys and other seldom seen places.
The Catholics have two well established churches here. One has been here for about 70 years, and the second was built about 30 years ago. There has been a Catholic church here since the early beginnings of the town.
The new housing was overbuilt, especially outside the city limits before the recession really hit here in 2009. Idaho Falls' city limits housing has always been a wide market, as there are many folks who come to work here for only a few years. The prices are higher in I.F., but the city provides city garbage, water, power and sewer, all at very good rates, especially the electric power. We have generated our own power for 90 years, and all our generation was completely modernized in 1980. As a result, Idaho Falls has the lowest rates in the state of any city this size.
The pace of life here is laid back and peaceful. The town is a lot less rowdy than it was when I grew up here, and there are many more civic sports and social events, concerts, etc. than there were back then. it ain't Mayberry, but it's what Mayberry could have become if Mayberry was once a rowdy cow town. Folks here still go downtown to fish the river all the time.
I am not hearing anything bad yet and suspect that the people on other forums that want to make Idaho Falls seem like a cross between Salt Lake City and East L.A. might be exaggerating a bit on both fronts. I just want to make sure when I pop a beer on my back porch my neighbors aren't going to throw rocks at me!
I live on the East Coast...not much shocks me having lived in New York and outside of Washington DC...seriously scary in some places, very oppressive local governments....I do not recommend it to anyone.
I am just looking for a decent place to live with my wife and our two year old...we love Idaho and will most likely decide between IF and Boise.
I asked about Catholic influence only because I am assuming all the private schools are LDS or do Mormon's and Non Mormons alike attend both private and public schools? I know there are no Catholic Schools in IF.
Last but certainly not least...how's the hunting and fishing out there? Kind of a loaded question being that most of Idaho is pretty impressive on both fronts but I like talking to locals who really do know what the deal is.
I am not hearing anything bad yet and suspect that the people on other forums that want to make Idaho Falls seem like a cross between Salt Lake City and East L.A. might be exaggerating a bit on both fronts. I just want to make sure when I pop a beer on my back porch my neighbors aren't going to throw rocks at me!
I live on the East Coast...not much shocks me having lived in New York and outside of Washington DC...seriously scary in some places, very oppressive local governments....I do not recommend it to anyone.
I am just looking for a decent place to live with my wife and our two year old...we love Idaho and will most likely decide between IF and Boise.
I asked about Catholic influence only because I am assuming all the private schools are LDS or do Mormon's and Non Mormons alike attend both private and public schools? I know there are no Catholic Schools in IF.
Last but certainly not least...how's the hunting and fishing out there? Kind of a loaded question being that most of Idaho is pretty impressive on both fronts but I like talking to locals who really do know what the deal is.
There is a Catholic school here! it's been here for all my life and is still going strong.
You will get along just fine with your neighbors if you drink a beer on your back porch. A man's home is truly his castle here, and not all Mormons are strict adherents to the faith. There are plenty who will have an occasional beer.
The hunting and fishing are pretty darned excellent. The North Fork of the Snake river is one of the very best trout fisheries in the nation. I've seen 14" rainbows pulled out of the falls right in the middle of town many times.
We have elk, deer, moose, antelope, bears, coyotes, mountain lions and wolves. All can be legally hunted.
And all hunting and fishing begins about 20 miles outside of the city limits.
So what would be the more desireable areas to live in Idaho Falls? East, west, north, south sides? I will check them all out when I visit but it's always nice to have a "head's up". Those huge homes I see listed on the real estate sites...are they all in one area for the most part?
Also... probably directed more towards Banjomike....other then the obvious big game animals that can most likely trample or/or eat me (I live in Maryland...deer coming out of our eyeballs but nothing else remotely as cool as a hungry mountain lion) how's the bird, small game and waterfowl hunting in that area? I suspect I would need to head a couple of hours west or east for one or the other from Idaho Falls.
So what would be the more desireable areas to live in Idaho Falls? East, west, north, south sides? I will check them all out when I visit but it's always nice to have a "head's up". Those huge homes I see listed on the real estate sites...are they all in one area for the most part?
Also... probably directed more towards Banjomike....other then the obvious big game animals that can most likely trample or/or eat me (I live in Maryland...deer coming out of our eyeballs but nothing else remotely as cool as a hungry mountain lion) how's the bird, small game and waterfowl hunting in that area? I suspect I would need to head a couple of hours west or east for one or the other from Idaho Falls.
Yes, my priorities in life get clearer as I age.
Thanks in adavance.
The smartest thing to do is to find a local realtor to ask about the neighborhoods good or bad. I have my own thoughts, but they may not be accurate.
Bird hunting here is good, depending on the bird. This is a major goose fly-through, and goose hunting is good in areas very close to town. Upland birds are more variable, but I've hunted Chukar grouse and pheasants as close as 10 miles out of town. Ducks are as good as the geese.
You are more likely to run into a bobcat than a mountain lion out in the field. I've never seen a lion, but I've seen a passle of bobcats over the years. I've also seen quite a few bears, all blacks in this area over the years, too. Bears usually know when a human is in the area and take off. I've only seen one that was close, and I was horseback at the time.
Both the horse and bear were equally surprised, and the horse nearly blew me out of the saddle; he did a 180 spin and split. When he settled down, I got off and looked for the bear, but didn't see him. He was in the middle of a willow break, which probably blocked both his vision and nose.
Griz are here; when I was a kid, we used to go up to the W. Yellowstone dump and watch them, but they were run out of the dump over 40 years ago, and I haven't seen one in the wild except in the Park.
They have been coming down from the high country more and more, and denning later in the year, so when hunting in some of the forests around here, I would pack some bear spray at least. If I was just hiking, I'd use bear bells. I fear the Griz, and I fear the avalanche. Everything else doesn't worry me.
Thanks so much for that latest information Banjomike. I have had bear walk right up to me in upstate Pennsylvania...but they ran away faster then any deer I have ever seen when they realized I was there...but those were black bear. Grizzly bear...entirely different ball game that I am not in any rush to play and insofar as avalanche's go...I have a healthy respect for the many ways Mother Nature can take me out...so if I ever come out your way I will learn quickly!
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