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Hi. I'm looking to possibly move to Idaho sometime this year and my girlfriend and I are going on vacation at the end of this month out there to check things out before we make the full commitment to move. I'm having a hard time deciding between either the Boise and surrounding region, or the Idaho Falls region.
We're trying to key in on which area suites us more, and was hoping someone with experience from there could possibly chime in. Here are the primary things that we are looking for the most:
Job Market: We're both in our mid 20's, and obviously need to look far ahead in that part of life. I'm a machinist by trade, and my girlfriend works in the medical field. Do both areas have a reliable amount of jobs in those lines of work?
Cost of living: Which area is more affordable? And does one area have higher wages over the other to balance that out?
Outdoors: My biggest passion in life is hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. I'm inspired and really looking to be within reasonable driving distance of good hunting and fishing, and the shorter/easier access to the mountains the better.
Entertainment: One thing that we would really like to be within reasonable distance to, is a decent concert venue. Any other common form of entertainment is a bonus also, but concerts would be a big plus.
From my research, Idaho Falls seems to look a lot more appealing when it comes to the outdoors part of the equation, but Boise seems to look better when it comes to jobs, access to modern day entertainment, and accessibility to modern day commodities. Opinions? Any help is appreciated. Thanks a lot.
Hi, dml...
Given your skills, either town should be easy for you both to find jobs, I expect. Both are big med centers, and both have a lot of light industry happening, so machine shops are pretty busy in both.
At your age, Boise does have the advantage in entertainment; it's really the entertainment capital of the state these days. But I.F. is currently building a new, big multi-event indoor center, which will be large enough to accommodate large events like big league touring acts, big truck and tractor pulls, and other events that will draw large crowds. It will accommodate crowds up to 10,000 people if all goes as planned.
This will really help attract the big acts to the state. Right now, only Boise has a venue large enough to hold crowds that size, but it's an outdoor stadium, so the winter is a problem. Idaho Falls will become a viable stop between Salt Lake City and Seattle/Portland once ours is finished, which makes Boise another profitable stop on the Interstates.
While the entertainment scene in I.F. is definitely smaller, there's still plenty of it close by. Jackson Hole attracts some big stuff every weekend all summer long, and it's only 90 minutes away (through a beautiful drive), and the Targhee ski resort has some very large festivals all summer- the Bluegrass festival is one of the largest and oldest in the west, and there's also a Blues and Rock festival now. Rexburg and Pocatello, to the north and south, are both college towns, and they both get a lot of large acts that work the college circuit.
Idaho Falls itself also has a lot of arts activities that go on along our green belt. Both cities have rivers that flow through the middle of them; Boise has the Boise river, while Idaho Falls has the Snake, the largest river in the state. Idaho Falls is close to the confluence of the South Fork and the Henry's Fork of the Snake- it becomes a big river just north of town. Both cities have extended, well-developed green belts that are very popular.
I've lived in both; my home is in Idaho Falls now. When it comes to outdoor activities, Idaho Falls has the edge by a far margin. It's located centrally to the best fisheries and hunting grounds in the state, and is also close to the extended Yellowstone area that includes several nearby entrances to the park and all the surrounding forests that surround it and lie outside the park boundaries.
I.F. is also closer to a lot of the best outdoor adventure sports; mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, hiking, biking, etc. This includes close access to the spots in Wyoming, Utah, and Montana too.
The climate in Idaho Falls is cooler year round, mostly due to altitude; I.F. is at 4400 feet, while Boise is much lower. It's also drier in I.F., while Boise can be humid in the summers.
The costs of living are similar in both towns, but home prices are lower by a little in I.F.
In both, housing costs are slightly lower outside the city limits, but there's a big difference- Boise is a true metroplex, with the smaller cities of Meridian, Eagle, and Star now all adjoined into one big metro, while Idaho Falls has only melded with Ammon, which has always been just next door. Idaho Falls is still a defined city. There's still distance between it and all the others in the Upper Snake River valley.
Wages are similar in both, and both compete with each other in Idaho's high-tech jobs. Boise has more establishment in this sector, but Idaho Falls is on the verge of some very rapid and substantial growth that could triple the size of the city very quickly. Much of it centers on I.F.'s long connections with the nation's nuclear power industry.
The only thing thats' slowing the development is the long federal clearance permitting process that surrounds everything related to nuclear stuff. So far, it's all progressing well, and the latest word is the permitting has recently been fast-tracked.
Idaho Falls still has a small home-town feel, very family oriented, while Boise is becoming a target city for younger, more urban folks who seek a more laid-back lifestyle. Laid back is what Idaho is, no matter where you look here.
Really the only way you will know which town suits you best is to look both over. Boise is about 4 hours away from I.F. by the Interstate, but if you drive US 20, the drive is about the same, but it takes you through some of the most spectacular scenery in S. Idaho.
If you plan on driving, look to the 2-lanes if you really want to see what Idaho offers. The Interstates here were all built in the areas that would accommodate big-wide highways, and that territory is often some of the more un-interesting spots. The good stuff lies just over the mountain away, and there's always a 2-lane that will take you to them.
Distances out here are huge, so it's best to plan a road trip in hours, not miles. The 2-lanes here are often the most direct routes from one town to another, and they aren't always the slowest. They all wind around mountain ranges someplace.
We have lots of mountains here along with many other natural obstructions. Very few roads that are anywhere close to straight lines as a result.
Well banjomike said it all. I just want to wish you the best of luck in your decision and safe travels
He did and it was awesome as usual.
I would just add that both are near equally scenic/outdoorsy areas imo. People here in Boise tend to say the states most scenic locations are in our backyard; Garden Valley and the Payette River, McCall and Payette Lake, the Owyhee Canyonlands, Stanley/Sun Valley, Atlanta, etc. I think anywhere in Idaho is near equally impressive beauty.
I would just add that both are near equally scenic/outdoorsy areas imo. People here in Boise tend to say the states most scenic locations are in our backyard; Garden Valley and the Payette River, McCall and Payette Lake, the Owyhee Canyonlands, Stanley/Sun Valley, Atlanta, etc. I think anywhere in Idaho is near equally impressive beauty.
That is the truest statement of all! Idaho is so bountifully beautiful that everyone who lives here thinks they're living in the best scenery.
And really, that's the truth. The beauty only differs from one spot to another.
In my travels, I've noticed most states tend to look pretty much the same from border to border, but not Idaho. There's always a different vista just around the bend. That's one reason why I still love to take a road trip to other places here from time to time. Seeing the scenery after a long absence is like visiting an old friend again.
Thanks everyone for the input, and especially to banjomike for the very detailed reply. I think I'm leaning towards Boise heavily. Idaho Falls seems beautiful and maybe even a better fit for the hunting/fishing, but i think Boise will be a better fit for us when it comes to concerts/events, and it also seems to have a little more availability job wise which is very important at our age, and as stated previously still has plenty of the outdoors activities that are still far above what many other places could offer. Thanks again for the help and kind words everyone. I appreciate it.
Thanks everyone for the input, and especially to banjomike for the very detailed reply. I think I'm leaning towards Boise heavily. Idaho Falls seems beautiful and maybe even a better fit for the hunting/fishing, but i think Boise will be a better fit for us when it comes to concerts/events, and it also seems to have a little more availability job wise which is very important at our age, and as stated previously still has plenty of the outdoors activities that are still far above what many other places could offer. Thanks again for the help and kind words everyone. I appreciate it.
Not a bad choice, once settled you can always come and play over on the east side of the state. Well really, you can have one giant playground in all directions
Idaho Falls would be cheaper and far easier to access hunting and fishing without the bigger crowds, but Boise, (no offense to IF), has a lot more to offer. Boise is expensive, relatively, but it is a very cool city that is really, a big town, and so easy to get around in, safe, "user friendly", but with the advantages of a a big city; culture, restaurants, shopping, theater, night life, etc.
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