Liberal towns in Idaho (Boise, Pocatello: low income, ski resort, middle schools)

[RodFarlee]

[izzy]

Hi,

Thanks for the lds map. I was curious what the percentages were and where. My husband will enjoy looking at it. We are lds and are considering moving to Boise, as many of you know.

You know it is kinda of the shoe on the other foot here in CA. Folks see lds as an odd duck religion. They often ask do we celebrate all the holidays? A lot of folks don't even relate "Latter Day Saints" with Mormons. There attitude is either it is a cult, or they have the attitude of, live and let live. Some ask questions.

Well thanks for the map.

Izzy

[UnhappyinRexburg]

Hi, interesting map. Its kind of strange that there is one LDS town in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska.

[rgrayson]

Idaho Falls is not going to be much different from Rexburg. As long as you are moving, you might want to consider Eugene, Oregon. It's a truly beautiful city and one of the most beautiful things about it is that no one church has more than a 5 per cent "market share." Since no one group is big enough to dominate, everyone pretty much gets along. Also, as opposed to places like Rexburg and Idaho Falls, it has one of the lowest average church attendance percentages in the country.

The climate is mild and you are one hour from Portland, the Oregon Coast, ski resorts, and wild river rafting. All in all not a bad package.

[dakotastephanie]

Wildberrie,

Just spent 10 days in Moscow while doing some city shopping. Seems pretty liberal for a small town and they've got lots of alternative/wholistic things to do, if that's your speed. Plus, the university - which usually brings lots of open minds.

I'd love to move there -----just can't do it with no lake or river, so I am still searching for the best place for me in ID.

Good luck.

[LeiGul]

Actually IF is totally different than Rexburg. I woudn't live in Rexburg, they are so clickish and keep to themselves. If you aren't a Rexburg native then you don't belong. We lived there for a short (6 months) period of time after we were married and didn't like it then. My hubby moved there when he was younger and HATED it. The natives were rude and he grew to really dislike the place.

So YES, it is just Rexburg, a backwards town, that is WAY to conservative, even for this Conservative Mormon.

[C_ferreira]

For just the cities proper, Boise, Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Lewiston are pretty liberal. In Kootenai county (where I live) the smaller towns up north Spirit Lake, Athol/Bayview, and the ones on the reservation are pretty Democratic, but not really liberal. The Silver Valley/Shoshone is solidly democratic, even if it is not that liberal. It, Latah (Moscow), Nez Perce (Lewiston) all voted for Brady-D for governor, while Bonner and Kootenai slightly went for Otter-R. In general, it is still fairly conservative, but N. ID is probably the most liberal part of the state, except for the city of Boise proper.

[boiseguy]

well, Idaho actually is a very different state, that is more libertarian. Many people here do not like big government and do not like government intervention or "rules" so for that essence it is very progressive because most of the nation is very red or blue in a blind sense of the words. With that given, people are stuck choosing between two people and idaho usually votes Red not because of the same reasons people elsewhere do. Republicans generally are about small government and business. Me Personally I live in Boise and tend to vote Democrat, but that is because I have lived in major metropolitain area's my whole life and the issues they tend to stand behind reflect whats important to me.But, I think the reason why more populated area's tend to vote democratic is because democrats yes tax more, but spend those taxes on social issues such as schools infrastructure, roads, etc. area's with large populations, these issues become more important because there are more and more people taxing the resources. That is why as boise is growing it is emerging as a democratic voting area. I don't think either philosophy is good or bad, and I think dividing the nation down those lines is ridiculous and just a huge ploy by BOTH party's to polarize us as a nation.
With that being said you can find all sorts of area's in idaho so long as you understand the thinking and don't always just think red and blue. Its not always what it seems or what the media tells u it is.
wherever you move to, get involved and make a difference no matter what the political climate is, because thats the only way to truely excersize your civic duties... complaining and assuming accomplishes nothing.
Good Luck

[Syringaloid]

I have often heard that Boise,especially the Northend and downtown areas are by far the most liberal in the state.
What about the Wood River Valley? Nobody ever mentions that area here. Nobody moving to Idaho has the money to live in Sun Valley just joking
Sun Valley would probably be the most liberal area of the state, but it probably gets ignored because there are a lot of part time residents that live there.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by rgrayson

Idaho Falls is not going to be much different from Rexburg. As long as you are moving, you might want to consider Eugene, Oregon. It's a truly beautiful city and one of the most beautiful things about it is that no one church has more than a 5 per cent "market share." Since no one group is big enough to dominate, everyone pretty much gets along. Also, as opposed to places like Rexburg and Idaho Falls, it has one of the lowest average church attendance percentages in the country.

The climate is mild and you are one hour from Portland, the Oregon Coast, ski resorts, and wild river rafting. All in all not a bad package.

rgrayson,

Please state your source for your statement, "Idaho Falls is not going to be much different from Rexburg." I will be interested in reading the 2007 information you must have that many of us missed.

Looking forward to your sources as a lot of people, developers and others must have missed them. I do know a lot of people in Boise and Idaho Falls don't trust too many national sources and think state sources are better. However, how would a state know about the number and percentage of each MSA, CSA or even residents of any county's own religion?

I agree with LeiGul's comments here.

Besides, I'm not quite sure why ANYONE would trust a map from a Banned Member, especially that is 7+ years old.

Thanks for advance for getting me "updated," rgrayson.

MSR -

BTW - any info about the Catholic Church in Rexburg and Idaho Falls as well? I won't say any more as I'll look forward to that information too.