Help us narrow down areas in Idaho to visit possibly move to (Boise: real estate, crime)

[fleeNY]

Hi There, my wife and I are interested in possibly moving to Idaho in the next year and we're trying to figure out which areas we should research and visit. The reason Idaho is on our list is because we love the Rocky's and want to live in a free'er state.

-We'd like a warmer climate if possible

-affordable real estate / low taxes

-a place where we can get at least a few acres of land but not be more than 10 miles from a town since we like to hit the movies / restaurants

-Hiking, off roading, shooting and hunting near by

-My wife works from home and I plan on getting that going for myself so employment isn't a factor

-we have a 3 yo with mild cerebral palsy so we need a county with good schools

My name on here is fleeNY but we're actually in CA now and plan to drive out in the next few months to visit a few places

[javatom]

Check out Coeur d'Alene. It should satisfy everything on you list except warmer climate. It is all relative to something else I suppose. To someone from Bozeman, MT for instance, Coeur d'Alene is warmer.

[fleeNY]

great thanks, well add it to the list!

[lovecda]

Coeur d'Alene does meet all of those qualifications, except for climate. We have long, cold, snowy winters; cool, wet springs; a short but beautiful and warm summer; and a nice, crisp autumn. In the hills outside of town, you might see the first sticking snow in October, but snow in town isn't likely to stick until November or December. The last snow is generally in March or April in town, but I've seen snow in the hills outside of town fall in May and stick around until June.

Lewiston has the mildest climate in Idaho due to its low elevation. I'm not sure about the schools there though. I don't personally know anyone who has students there. Also, Lewiston smells bad. Once you're there for awhile and get used to it you don't notice it much, but the paper mill does let off a pretty nasty odor when it's in operation.

In my personal opinion, from what you presented, the area that would meet your needs best is the Treasure Valley (Boise, Meridian, Nampa). They get much less snow compared to North Idaho (aside form Lewiston). The winters get about as cold as the rest of the state, but there is less precipitation, making for safer roads. It's also warmer during the summers. The largest school districts in the state are there, and by necessity, they have the largest/best support structure for people with special needs. There are hiking opportunities nearby to the north and to the south, off-roading (lots of desert and open terrain, some hills), shooting ranges both indoor and outdoor, hunting a couple hours away. Snows are few and far-between, but generally aren't a big deal. There is more wind in this area, so you might see some drifting problems, especially outside of the cities.

Some number comparisons:

Coeur d'Alene............Lewiston.................Boise
Avg. Snowfall: 38".......Avg. Snowfall: 16".......Avg. Snowfall: 20"
Avg. July High: 80.......Avg. July High: 89.......Avg. July High: 90
Avg. Jan. Low: 21........Avg. Jan. Low: 27........Avg. Jan. Low: 22

So no matter where you go in Idaho, you're going to have some low temperatures, but the Lewiston area is a good 5-10 degrees warmer than the rest of Idaho during winter, while staying a little cooler than southern areas of the state during the summer.

[Wardendresden]

Originally Posted by lovecda

Coeur d'Alene does meet all of those qualifications, except for climate. We have long, cold, snowy winters; cool, wet springs; a short but beautiful and warm summer; and a nice, crisp autumn. In the hills outside of town, you might see the first sticking snow in October, but snow in town isn't likely to stick until November or December. The last snow is generally in March or April in town, but I've seen snow in the hills outside of town fall in May and stick around until June.

Lewiston has the mildest climate in Idaho due to its low elevation. I'm not sure about the schools there though. I don't personally know anyone who has students there. Also, Lewiston smells bad. Once you're there for awhile and get used to it you don't notice it much, but the paper mill does let off a pretty nasty odor when it's in operation.

In my personal opinion, from what you presented, the area that would meet your needs best is the Treasure Valley (Boise, Meridian, Nampa). They get much less snow compared to North Idaho (aside form Lewiston). The winters get about as cold as the rest of the state, but there is less precipitation, making for safer roads. It's also warmer during the summers. The largest school districts in the state are there, and by necessity, they have the largest/best support structure for people with special needs. There are hiking opportunities nearby to the north and to the south, off-roading (lots of desert and open terrain, some hills), shooting ranges both indoor and outdoor, hunting a couple hours away. Snows are few and far-between, but generally aren't a big deal. There is more wind in this area, so you might see some drifting problems, especially outside of the cities.

Some number comparisons:

Coeur d'Alene............Lewiston.................Boise
Avg. Snowfall: 38".......Avg. Snowfall: 16".......Avg. Snowfall: 20"
Avg. July High: 80.......Avg. July High: 89.......Avg. July High: 90
Avg. Jan. Low: 21........Avg. Jan. Low: 27........Avg. Jan. Low: 22

So no matter where you go in Idaho, you're going to have some low temperatures, but the Lewiston area is a good 5-10 degrees warmer than the rest of Idaho during winter, while staying a little cooler than southern areas of the state during the summer.

This is a very good post for someone who "loves" CDA. Thanks for your neutral tone and recommendations.

Still learning about Idaho.
Warden

[fleeNY]

Originally Posted by lovecda

....

Some number comparisons:

Coeur d'Alene............Lewiston.................Boise
Avg. Snowfall: 38".......Avg. Snowfall: 16".......Avg. Snowfall: 20"
Avg. July High: 80.......Avg. July High: 89.......Avg. July High: 90
Avg. Jan. Low: 21........Avg. Jan. Low: 27........Avg. Jan. Low: 22

So no matter where you go in Idaho, you're going to have some low temperatures, but the Lewiston area is a good 5-10 degrees warmer than the rest of Idaho during winter, while staying a little cooler than southern areas of the state during the summer.

Great info, much appreciated. I've heard stories about the paper mill smell in Savannah GA and had no idea that there was a mill in Lewiston. Thanks a bunch

[mistyriver]

You should check out Walla Walla, WA. Great climate , great town lots of wineries. I would imagine the schools would be pretty decent. There are three colleges there and one (Whitman)was just rated as 44th in the nation.

[jadbad2004]

I would suggest Boise or Lewiston, they both have the most mild climate in the state, lots of outdoor activity in both areas.

[Keim]

If Lewiston looks interesting, I wouldn't write it off without checking it out first. Some people think it smells. Others don't. It is a decent little town, though I prefer my hometown. That's Moscow.

I also prefer Moscow to CDA. Moscow probably meets the qualifications you list even better than CDA. CDA is comparatively crowded; leading to higher land prices, crime and further distances necessary to do outdoor activities. Moscow also has some of the best public schools in the state. What do you expect? Our main business IS education.

I should add that Moscow was listed as the best place to raise kids in Idaho by Business Week. The Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2012 - Best Place to Raise Kids in Idaho: Moscow - Businessweek

[fleeNY]

Thanks Keim, gonna check out that article and add Moscow to the list!