Boise was the all-American town 30 years ago. - 6/20/2023

The people that made Boise the really appealing small-town America kind of place it was 30-40 years ago are gone. I moved here about 30 years ago. I'm not immediately and automatically disrespectful of people from California, so I don't fit well with Boise's so called "native Idahoan" crowd. I'm a Boomer, so I don't share much of the current or up-and-coming generation's visions for going forward. And yes, the Idaho politics appear to focus more on loyalty to Republican leadership than on the "United" half of "United States". If you're a woman who wants body autonomy, there are other places. If you're LGTBQ1A+ etc., you may need your thick skin. If you aren't LDS or at least comfortable with LDS, realize that there's a higher concentration of Mormons in Boise Idaho than there are in Salt Lake City Utah. If you're not bringing your own skillset, profession, or employment (professional or entrepreneur) expect job opportunities, wages and benefits to be on par with college student jobs. Boise has it's mass shootings, it's real estate price boom, it's leadership scandals, it's saturation of Home Owner Associations ready to file liens on your property if your choice of shrubbery isn't preapproved. All that said, four seasons, dry climate, college town, nearby and convenient outdoor activities of all kinds. Boise is "Okay". It was much better 30 years ago!

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Low wages and Months of hot weather. - 9/6/2022

My wife and I moved here in 2018 with pans to eventually buy a house and start a family. We bought a house at the end of 2019, if we hadn't there's no way we could afford to live here now. We make a combined income of over 90k per year and are just making ends meet. Between the price of food, daycare, fuel and bills there isn't a lot left over. The wages in Idaho are in the Stone Age while the price of basic goods and services is in the space age. Another issue we have is summers are HOT. Way to hot to do anything outdoors. I am thankful for where we are in comparison to other places in the country but we are definitely looking to leave the area in the next couple of years

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Boise is a Democratic stronghold in deep red ID. - 7/11/2022

Boise is often characterized as a right-leaning city, as Sperling mistakenly did in their synopsis of Boise. But, the truth is the city its not just blue; it is deep, deep blue. The voting records show Boise is on the brink of being like Boulder and Bend, and trending more progressive.

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Wonderful city with incredible outdoor lifestyle - 10/1/2021

We’ve been in Boise for about two years. To be upfront about my biases, we love it here, so keep that in mind. That said, this review is my attempt to provide a balanced assessment of the pros and cons so that those considering a move can make an informed decision. Boise is situated in the high desert at the base of the foothills of the Sawtooth range. It’s an interesting mix of urban and the great outdoors. It has a moderately sized downtown, year-round fly fishing, nearby skiing, approximately 200 miles of hiking/biking trails, paved paths along a river greenbelt, beautiful city parks, emerging foodie scene, thriving university, international airport, and much more. The city is situated within easy reach of wilderness areas and the great outdoors is available in all directions. Boise isn’t “the best” in any single category, but the combination of everything together is what really makes it stand out. Downtown: Boise’s downtown has buildings of moderate height. It is very clean and safe with little graffiti or crime. There are restaurants, bars, offices, government buildings, boutiques, and other amenities one expects in a city. Yet it isn’t a big city. It’s more than adequate for our family, but if you really like the hustle and bustle of big cities then Boise probably isn’t for you. On the flip-side, don’t expect a rural or small town feel as there are close to 1M people in the Treasure Valley. Expect some traffic, and places that get busy at times. Housing: Don’t move here because you think housing is cheap. It’s not. The housing market has been on fire for a number of years, and then the pandemic threw gasoline on it. So check your expectations. You’re unlikely to find a large renovated house in a quaint historic district for under $1M. The same can be said for homes in the foothills with views. You can still find older smaller mid century ramblers on the Bench for under $500k, but these are becoming harder to find. Housing is less expensive further from the city center towards Meridian and Southwest Ada County and Kuna, but these areas have a more suburban feel with fewer parks and amenities and worse traffic. A lot of new housing is being built in Boise. If you buy in the city next to a privately owned open field you should expect it to be filled with housing relatively soon. Review the city zoning map before buying. If you buy in a higher density zone you should expect higher density buildings in the future. Near commercial, you should expect some sort of business operation. As an example, most of the North End is zoned R-1CH whereas much of the West End is R-2/R-3. So while these two neighborhoods look somewhat similar, you should expect new developments with 2-3 times the density in the West End. Know what you’re buying into because you’re unlikely to stop developments that are within zoning guidelines. Food: Boise may be in the high desert, but it’s no food desert. We have two incredible farmer’s markets and lots of independently owned eateries, from cheap eats to up-scale dining. There are many breweries and a growing food truck scene. It’s not all steak and potatoes and there’s a good amount of healthy and vegan/veggie. So lots of variety even though it’s not on the same level as a major city. Climate: 4-season climate with hot summers and cold winters. Very dry with low humidity and low precipitation. Unirrigated areas of the valley are dusty sagebrush land, and the foothills are mostly grass and sagebrush with riparian canyons. Don’t expect conifer forests -- go north or higher into the mountains for that. Low triple digit heat is fairly common in the summer months, which is good for swimming and playing in the lakes and rivers. Overnight winter temperatures are typically in the mid-20s, though it can get down to single digits. Winter daytime temperatures are usually above freezing, though it doesn’t get warm. Low snowfall on average, and it tends to melt quickly, though there are years where we get more and it sticks around longer. Spring is green and rainy, and the Fall colors are spectacular with the large number of deciduous trees. If you like a true 4-season climate then you’ll love it, otherwise there are better areas if you really dislike hot or cold weather. Politics: Boise is a moderate Blue island in a deeply Red state. You’ll find BLM and rainbow flags near “Don’t Tread on Me” and Trump flags. People mostly (but not always) respect political differences. Whatever your political leanings, don’t move here if you cannot tolerate ideological diversity or you will be frustrated. Oh, and guns. There are a lot of guns here. I’m not making a value judgment, it’s just part of the culture. Idaho is an open carry state so expect to see people with holstered side arms, and know that many more are secretly concealed carrying. It’s fairly common to encounter hunters with firearms at trailheads and on public lands, including in the foothills above the city. If you really dislike firearms or are otherwise offended by them then you’re probably not going to like it here. Skiing: Bogus Basin Ski Resort is 16 miles up the mountain from Boise. It’s a non-profit, which means revenues go into operations and investing in facilities. By acreage it’s the second largest ski area in Idaho. It doesn’t get a ton of snow, but what it gets is typical of the inter-mountain west, dry and light. The snow pack can get hard/icy at times, especially during periods of little snowfall. It can get busy on holidays and weekends and on pow days. Not as busy as say Tahoe, but parking may be limited and you may wait in lift lines for 5-10 minutes. Really, the biggest annoyance are the few salty old timers complaining bitterly about the minor inconvenience of it all, and they're easy to ignore. The drive to Bogus Basin is a steep and curvy two-lane road. Do not attempt it in winter conditions with real-wheel drive. At a minimum you need either front-wheel drive with chains or all-wheel drive with decent tires. If you plan on going often, do yourself a favor and get all-wheel drive with a dedicated set of winter wheels. Whatever you’re driving, slow down and take it easy and you’ll be fine. Having Bogus Basin so close to town is an amazing resource even though it’s not the best skiing in the world. There are other resort towns (with their own tradeoffs) if you need world-class skiing in your backyard. Hiking/biking trails: There are around 200 miles of hiking and biking trails in the Ridge to Rivers trail system in the foothills above the city. These trails extend up to Bogus Basin, and the network continues to expand as new trails are added. Most trails have little to no shade as they are in grasslands and sagebrush. During the summer people hit the trails early morning or late afternoon to avoid excessive heat. Most winter nights are cold enough to freeze the ground, so people are strongly encouraged to be off the trails before they thaw, usually around mid-morning. With such easy access from the city, trails and trailheads can get busy, especially during mild weather and weekends/holidays. I wouldn’t say it feels crowded, but don’t expect solitude. River/Greenbelt: This is a real gem in the Treasure Valley. The greenbelt is a contiguous network of mostly paved trails along the Boise River. It starts in Eagle, goes through Boise, and continues to Lucky Peak State Park. In total it’s about 30 miles long and connects a series of beautiful riverside parks and provides access to the river. Float season on the Boise River runs from about late June to Labor Day. During this time shuttle buses run between Barber Park and Ann Morrison Park and tubes/rafts/life jackets are available for rent. Parks: There many great parks in Boise, from small neighborhood parks to large expansive ones. Clean and safe, with lots of green grass and mature shade trees. Playground equipment and restroom facilities are generally in good working condition. For the most part Boise has been good about preventing camping in the parks. Local leaders and the PD work to ensure people needing a place to sleep end up indoors at shelters. Wilderness: Boise is surrounded on all sides by nature. The Sawtooth Wilderness , Boise National Forest, Payette National Forest, Birds of Prey Conservation Area, the Owyhees, Eagle Cap Wilderness, and more. Each area is special and unique in its own way. Access to many places requires long distances on dirt roads rated for high clearance vehicles. Air quality: Like much of the US we get wildfire smoke when the West is burning. This can be for a few days or it may go on for weeks. This past summer was unusually bad. By mid-September weather patterns usually shift and blow the smoke away. During winter months the Treasure Valley can get temperature inversions, where cold air sinks to the valley floor with a layer of warmer air on top. This worsens air quality by trapping pollution and fog in the valley. Inversions can last several days to weeks, depending on weather patterns. Whereas inversions make life in the valley gloomy, it usually makes for exceptional weather at Bogus Basin, with bright blue skies and vistas above a sea of clouds in the valley. I could comment on more but this review is already too long. If anyone wants additional information then ask in the comments and I’ll try to respond. The goal of this review isn’t to persuade or dissuade anyone from moving here, I just want to paint a realistic picture. Please don’t move here and complain that it’s too hot or too cold, too liberal or too conservative, too big or too small, too crowded or not crowded enough, too expensive, or whatever. On the other hand, if Boise is a good fit and you like what it has to offer then you'll probably love it.

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Crowded House - 7/29/2021

Looking for a rental?  On 7/28/21 Boise Dev reported Boise rent prices have gone up faster than anywhere in the US. They've jumped 39% since March 2020. According to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker, Boise is second only to Los Angeles for reported rental scams per capita. 7/23/21 Looking to buy a home? The median home price in Ada County was $525,000 in June  according to the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. The median price of a new home was $552,200. Planning on driving somewhere? A new study says Boise has the worst rush hour in the United States. According to the Idaho Statesman on 2/16/21. If you like breathing, you might be interested in the air quality. Boise is in a valley. In addition to all the smoke we get from forest fires in the Summer we get inversions in the Winter. I hope you like the mountains, because if you want to see the sun during an inversion, you've got to drive up into the hills. I have a couple of friends who are recent transplants. They have serious medical conditions. They have to wait months (if they can even get in) to see a specialist. Hiking trails, hot springs, lakes and more are crowded. On many occasions campgrounds are full. I know people can't find housing an others who are being priced out because they can't afford it. I know people who want to leave or have left because Boise has turned into a (feel free to add your own expletive). Boise has topped lists of the best place to live in the country for years. It once was. As more people flock to this small city, the quality of life continually decreases. It is not sustainable. I wish it was.

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Racist & boring - 7/15/2021

Boring ass place full of racists

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Lame Duck City and County - 7/10/2021

Lived in Boise for 16 and half years. Sorely disappointed in the changes. Understand why the natives feel like their lands stolen from them and how a small all American town has become the ugly cancer most of the country is. Sold out by those in power, precious idaho area is lost forever.

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Moved from East coast to Boise - 7/5/2021

Boise is a mix of everything. I would say predominantly republican but ever changing. Four seasons which we really enjoy since we like snow sports. The snow we get often melts off without needing to plow. There is ample snow in the higher elevations (Bogus Basin) and in mountain towns like Cascade, Donnelly and McCall, Idaho City for skiing, snowmobiling, etc. Easy access to jobs, shopping and recreation (such as hiking, biking, ATV trails, Greenbelt, kayaking, fishing, lots of public parks, skiing, etc) from downtown and surrounding areas. We have ridden ATVs in the desert area and snowmobiles in the mountains in the same weekend. People are pleasant and helpful here. Head downtown to check out the vibrant dining establishments and entertainment. I would feel safe downtown after dark. Great restaurants in surrounding towns also. Although the population continues to increase, Boise does not seem to be nearly as crowded as other major Pacific Northwest cities. The one down side that stands out to me is the increasing home prices, which is making it hard for new residents to secure housing, as well as making it difficult for long time residents to afford rising rent. Overall, I'm glad to give my kids the experience of growing up here.

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Was great once but has lost its way - 6/17/2021

Have lived here for nearly 30 years. Used to be a place where you never had to lock your car or door - you have to now. Property taxes are skyrocketing; people who live here can't afford a house or even an apartment. Greedy developers and "investors" are land-grabbing every lot in sight. Developers seem to have council members in their pockets and are putting up unsightly "communities" for exorbitant prices/rents. Wages are stagnant and absolute nutjobs have taken over state government/ school boards pedaling every ridiculous conspiracy you can think of. It's a shame to see the decline. It used to be the friendly, relatively conservative, common sense place.

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Greed and corruption has taken over - 5/6/2021

There should be limits to expansion and unnecessary growth. The almighty dollar has changed the natives minds and they move to smaller towns. Then more move into smaller towns. Quit selling out your own homeland.

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Great Place To Live If You Live Frugally - 4/15/2021

Been here since 2016 when I moved from Greensburg Pennsylvania and got married to my lovely wife that same year. Was born and raised in Dallas Texas with strong conservative views. I was the republican in a blue state in Pennsylvania in which I never felt welcome there. Boise Idaho is a great place to live, but my heart still is in Texas and I might go there on vacation soon. Below are my pros and cons since I've lived here for 5 years. Pros 1. Great work opportunities if you are willing to work hard for it. Blue Collar work is a booming industry here that has been very lucrative for my family and my wife in the medical field as well. If big tech is your thing, Micron is located here. 2. If being outdoors is your thing, then this place is the right place for you! There is a lot to do here from camping, riding bikes on the Greenbelt or hiking trails there as well, there are several places in Idaho for hot springs with a short drive, skiing in Bogus Basin nearby in the mountains with cabins to rent, several locations for lodging your camper/trailer or pitch a tent and have a camp fire, kayaking, craters of the moon, the Old State Penitentiary, and Table Rock if you want to do some hiking in the mountains to see the breathtaking views below to name a few fun places. 3. Cost of living is comparable to wages if you know how to be thrifty, frugal, and DIY. Don't be picky with your work and put your best foot forward and you'll do fine if you aren't already in a mountain of debt. 4. The community is very welcoming here IF you have conservative views and are republican. 5. Low crime rate overall. 6. Many food pantries for those who need food. 7. Small city feel with most of what a big city offers. 8. Neat farmer's markets because this is an agriculture state. 9. Nice events here and there like Anime Oasis and frequent concerts at the Taco Bell Arena. Loved that Breaking Benjamin concert at the Ford Idaho Center that one year! That was a blast! 10. Nice restaurants here like City Buffet, Sunrise Cafe, Los Betos, Flying Pie Pizzeria featured on Man Vs Food, Big Juds also featured on Man Vs Food, Cafe Ole, The Goodness Land, Louis Italian Restaurant, Good Wood BBQ, Joe's Crabshack, and Chandlers if you have very expensive tastes are just some of the many hidden gems here in the city and nearby. Now Onto The Cons Cons 1. Air quality is very bad in the summer. Several times we've had nearby forest fires that had smoke come into the valley and made everyone get a sore throat and coughing. Visibility is bad during this time of year due to this. But when there isn't fires nearby, the air quality is fine for the most part. That year Table Rock caught on fire was the worst I've experienced here. 2. Dry climate with very little vegetation. I like seeing trees and the color green is pleasing to my eyes. It looks arid and the soil quality is bad here so mostly weeds grow unless you use artificial means to grow stuff. In Pennsylvania I never had to water my grass! Here in Boise it isn't economically sound to grow grass since it is arid unless you want a huge water bill and constant maintenance to fight off weeds! 3. If you have far left views, be prepared to get flack from a good majority of Idaho's residents. We are red and conservative and plan to keep it that way including our guns! 4. Unpredictable weather. If you aren't paying attention to the weather forecast all the time, be prepared to get blindsided from time to time from freak windstorms, hailstorms, and thunder storms. The summers here in July and August are scorching hot and from time to time our winters are extremely cold and linger on into spring. Sometimes during Spring the weather can't make up it's mind. It will be nice spring like weather then the following day we would get hit with snow! Usually the snow does not accumulate for the most part during the winter. That pretty well sums up my 5 years here in Boise Idaho. Hope this helps whoever may want to come live here.

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Not What it Used To Be - 10/16/2020

Used to be clean. Used to be caring. Used to be low crime. Used to be native majority. Used to be quiet. Used to be low pollution. Used to be inexpensive and ungentrified. Used to be small town city. Used to have good college and football team. Used to be can continue, and everyone else can have the waste can thats getting bigger every day.

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Great place to live; especially for families - 6/28/2020

I've lived in Boise for twenty years. It has grown quite a bit but still maintains a "smaller town" feeling rather than the "small town" it once had. Weather is mile, lots of outdoor recreation and the Boise State Bronco Football Team. Very low crime, moderate COL, is not redneck despite they media hype. Awesome place for families. Lots of trees, parks, things to do in town. Caldwell - Nampa- Meridian- Boise is really the metro area. Can get smoke from forest fires.

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Colorado to Boise transplant - 6/5/2020

Colorado transplant. Boise in 2020 compares to Denver in 1994. Fantastic place to live, especially up in the mountains. Low cost of living. Plenty of things to do. Lots of outdoor activities. Great restaurants. Good qualify food and water. We saved over $5k just on insurance (car/home). I've heard the locals say how busy it has gotten, but if they ever lived in Los Angeles, or Denver, or Chicago, or Houston, or some other BIG city, they'd know that Boise is still a small comfortable and very friendly place. Even in 2020. LOVE IT!

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A great place, twenty years ago....not today - 4/18/2020

I lived in this city for over 20 years. This place is regressive with too many conservatives and not enough social programs. The cost of living is expensive compared to the pay. There is a misalignment where organizations can get away with paying low wages for skilled labor. This is great for Employers and Entrepreneurs, but if you are moving here to find a great job and buy a house, you might keep looking. As a right to work state, the laws are not in your favor. The rich are getting richer, while the average family is struggling to keep up. The population is shifting away from a conservative majority, and in the next 10-15 years, this will likely result in changing laws and social dynamics. For anyone looking to invest in real-estate, the influx of people has created a housing shortage, making this an attractive place to invest. Traffic and congestion are similar to what you find in Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake, and Denver. There are two issues, and ineffective public transportation system and a single highway that spans the valley from east to west. Moving from a coastal or warned climate is tough, but there are truly 4 seasons with summer reaching over 100 and winter getting to the low teens. The air quality has issues in the winter from an inversion that traps pollution into the valley. But, if you drive into the mountains you will find blue skies. There is a lot to do in the mountain, but you must plan carefully to avoid the traffic o Friday night and the return Sunday afternoon. Boise is quaint with a small river running through the city and a greenbelt, and the traffic is mild on the week-ends in the valley. 20 years ago Boise would get 4 stars. If you are looking for a place to retire, Boise is affordable, especially if you are coming from California.

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Mixed bag of pros and cons- just too conservative. - 12/13/2019

Moved here on Veterans Day 1998 and have very mixed views. 3.5 Stars. Reviewers are generous with praise and derogation. With it's shortcomings Boise is still a pretty good city. But keep in mind that Idaho is the LOWEST PAYING place from the Mexican border to the North Pole, has poorly educated kids, shuns diversity, aches from growing pains and has unexpected pollution. Traffic--- Depends on tolerance. Drivers here are goofy; they slow waaaay down when it sprinkles, get in the wrong lane then have to race you to the next light and cut you off, and there are slowpokes and dragsters making things less than smooth. Downtown a charlie foxtrot of epic proportions. That said, people are pretty good at letting you in-assuming you are polite and use blinkers. Growing pains are torture with constant construction in town and on the freeway. Road construction is TERRIBLE here with unfinished jobs EVERYWHERE ALWAYS! Contractors start the job to get initial payment then disappear. But don't speed, there are plenty of police in Boise. On that subject; Boise police are fairly typical, if too visible. The officers I've dealt with were professional, serious and generally real people. Not afraid to chat and a benefit to the community, any controversy notwithstanding. Just too many. People--- A weak spot in the Boise picture is the nature of the locals, IMO. Not a deal-breaker, but most Idahoans are hyper-competitive conservatives. Still, there are some nice folks- and overall much nicer than Midwesterners. Boise is the most liberal place in Idaho, and still very conservative with their typical focus on children, family and religion-but not outsiders, cultural diversity or spirituality. Taxpayers foot the tax bill for dozens of LDS Palaces worth many billions. Idaho definitely isn't the most conservative state, but is the most Republican voting state in the US, and that is attracting a rush of California conservatives with buckets of cash for houses. Idaho state politics are the pits- a good-ol-boy clan that plays hardball-BE WARNED. Not a good place for critters, indeed, any stray wild animal that crosses into city limits is blown away for "public safety". It's fairly legal to abuse your pets here, but if you are caught with a used roachclip expect to be processed, fingerprinted and looking for a bondsman. There are a lot of people; we wait in line often, but it's usually tolerable. Forget the water park-it needs to be 5 times bigger. Everyplace is busy and needs help. Wages are slowly creeping up for service workers who have climbed above minimum wage for the first time, but can still make $5/hr more 50 miles west in Oregon. Climate---is middle of the road, IME. Too far from the coast to be mild, but still pretty good. Spring and Fall are wonderful with 2 weeks to 2 months of sunshine, mild temps and unbeatable conditions. Fall is the best. Winter and Summer each last 4 months and tolerance will depend upon a person's experience. Winter has possibly taken a hit from climate change; they are much cloudier and a bit windier and cooler than 20 years ago. Precipitation is likely the same, and it's often dry in winter, snow usually melts and sublimates but it can stick around for weeks under inversion. White Christmas about half the time, and there is a decent (but packed) ski hill that opens around Thanksgiving. Winter temps usually run from teens n 20s mornings to 30s n 40s for highs. Below zero every other year. Summers are warming and maybe too hot for those from the coast with highs 90-100 every day for 3 months. 15-20 days of triple digits. Dry as a bone in July and August. Lows around 60 at night because of low humidity and good for sleeping. Pollution---is a surprising detractor here. Air pollution of some sort year-round. Ozone, carbon monoxide and soot from vehicles, regular winter inversions, grass/tree/sage(!) pollen, wood smoke, forest fire smoke, ag dust and other nasties give us the second worst air in the US, behind LA. A COPD nightmare that will worsen. A true dealbreakerfor sensitive people. Noise pollution depends where you live, but most people have plenty. We live a half mile from I-84 in the approach path (7 miles from) the super busy airport. We get very low flying commercial aircraft, transport aircraft, military fighter jets, and the most helicopters you will ever see in any city under 1M. Sirens can be heard probably 30 times a day and traffic noise from hundreds of giant compensator diesel pickups roaring WFO everywhere. This place vibrates! The areas under the foothills are quieter, but you pay in traffic. Light pollution ruins the night sky, and under inversions the night sky glows bright enough to read outside (if you could breathe outside). Homeowners are rudely oblivious to their light profile, so home buyers need to look at the prospective home at night. Water pollution is an issue in any agricultural valley, and Boise gets mediocre numbers. Depending where you get the water it can be anything from great to bad. We have a well pulling water from a shallow aquifer and it has calcium making the hardness bad, we use filters and it is top-notch. No odors or bio cooties. I highlighted the negatives intentionally. People know what they don't want better than what they do want. Boise has enough positive aspects to offset the negatives, IMEO. It's clean, safe and stable. Outdoor recreation abounds (bicycling is very weak). The weather is pretty good, traffic a do-able challenge and the people are all over the map. Too far from the ocean for weekend concerts or NASCAR. Lots of places to eat, shop and play. Really great place to visit if you live within a few hours and really not a bad place to live that has an estimable future. [Edited: After reading the reply, I feel it prudent to respond. The Idaho Humane Society and other local shelters are fabulous, indeed. The best placement numbers in the nation for dogs at one time, and cats do very well also. The Animal Legal Defense Fund listed Idaho, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi and North Dakota as the worst states for laws protecting pets. Cruelty, neglect or abandonment of animals in Idaho and only 2 other states is NOT a felony. Police animals get far better legal treatment. Attitudes are slowly improving as Idaho becomes more diverse from others moving here.]

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Boise Used To Be Nice Place - 11/27/2019

Lived in Boise since 2002 and am not happy with the drastic changes. This city wasn't set up for the large influx of people who are now driving up home prices, real-estate, and cost of living index. The wages are low, the educational system is in the bottom 5 for the nation, and crime and other problems are increasing. Really sad. Ready to find a new place to live.

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F**k Idaho in general - 10/25/2019

Moved here 3 years ago. Biggest mistake I have EVER made. People in Idaho are some of the rudest, most stuck up, pieces of s**t I've ever encountered. When it's dark outside, everyone thinks they have to use their brights and could care less if they're behind you or coming your direction, as long as they can see they don't care. And on the topic of driving, people are maniacs here. Always riding your as$ even on the freeway when there's other lanes for them to go into, they choose to get very close to you and try and push you, so they can be in front of every car, everyone just seems to need to be the first car in front. People will literally try and race you. Even if you're going 10 over the speed limit its not good enough for anyone. Oh, and people LOVE cutting you off! If people find out you weren't born here, or didn't grow up here they freak out and automatically think you don't belong and damn near shun you. Like it's the damn united states, people can move wherever the hell they want, people that were born here act like they LITERALLY own the place. LOL well you idiots can HAVE it, it sucks anyways. Aside from the rude people, its hot, dry, polluted, and boring. Seriously nothing to do, barely any good concerts come, and if they do it's that one time. Absolutely NO CULTURE. Downtown Boise try's, but its still kind of dry. And don't even get me started on the job market. It sucks too. All you'll find are call centers, there's a million of them. And they're all depressing. Even being a licensed professional, the jobs are few and far between, you'll find yourself in a dirty, dusty, miserable call center wondering why you're wasting your life here in IDAHO. Then you wake up one day and finally take the "locals" advice and "go back where you came from!" Bye Idaho, you wont be missed.

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You can have shitti Boise! I'm out! - 9/25/2019

I moved to Boise in 1999 and I loved living there ...well up until about 2012. Firstly traffic is horrid and road rage is on the rise and the road construction is the slowest I've seen anywhere and it's everywhere too. It will take a year to widen a less than a mile stretch of road and by the time they are done widening it ...well it needs widened again. What use to be a 15 to 20 minute commute across town now takes sometimes an hour ...back roads or not doesn't matter anymore. City planning and development is a joke (Boise needs a new Mayor and the whole city council replaced as they are not qualified enough to handle the fast growth / size). Crimes are increasing and so is drug use. It seems like everyone hates on everyone in Boise now (Natives vs Newcomers). It's definitely not a friendly small city anymore. Ever since the city passed the "needle exchange" law I have noticed now when I go down by the River near the college and even all the way down to Eagle ...I find used syringes laying all over and under the tall grass. I wouldn't be taking your kids down there with flip flops on as they are hard to see under the brush. Also, I think the River is polluted below the damn and last year the fish I caught had parasites (probably from the homeless crapping in the River downtown because the city fails again to help the homeless with even simple little things like enough port a potties) The dining and service there has declined as well. I'm not sure if Boise is still a test market for restaurants but I don't think so anymore. All those decent new restaurants chains that opened up in the 90s thru 2010 half have closed their doors ...(TGI Fridays, Fudruckers, Hooters, etc) But there is new ones opening and then closing a year later here and there. But If you really want a decent dining experience now, then your pretty much forced to deal with downtown traffic and spending either an hour and/or $10 to park. The homeless population is on a fast rise there as well (largely due to the housing market). Rent has literally doubled over the past 5 years but wages have stayed the same. It's very hard to find a rental and by the time you do you've probably nearly already had to spend your savings on rental application fees, hotels or AirBnBs and eating out. It's hard to even find a house to buy and when you do your competing with 5 out of state investor bidding top dollar so they can buy the place and turn it into an AirBnB, STR and then throw a ADU in the once backyard ..(totally ruining the once residential family neighborhoods and helping to drive up housing costs, but at the same time they are lowering property values next door to them. The schools have always been way below par there but now there's Charter schools around every corner (so are state owned liquor stores). You can't drive anywhere in Boise less than a mile without driving through a dang school zone or past a liquor store or bar. Lastly, yes the air quality is horrible. The Valley or foothills trap in the pollution well. It's better if your up on the Bench towards the airport but then your dealing with Noise pollution with the planes and airbase practicing skirting the city line. Literally the only good thing about living in Boise, ID now days is the fact that you can at least get out of town and not need to go far to camp, fish, boat etc ...but that's true for all of Idaho. Also, lots of jobs there if your willing to work in a call center or manufacturing plant for $8 to $12 an hr. I recently moved from Boise to MoHo but I should say I was more forced out because of the housing market and my refusal to pay a $350 a month rent hike (from $850 to $1200) for a dilapidated 70s duplex in serious need of remodeling and fixing. I couldn't find a house for sale in Boise either as I was only approved for a 190k home loan and even a dilapidated dump in Boise goes for over 200k. Plus, I just got tired of looking and trying (investors always win) So now I commute back and forth 90 miles a day for work. It still beats living in Boise now days!

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Great if you like bad traffic and bad air :-P - 8/23/2019

I was born in Boise and lived there for most of my life, just shy of 40 years (1976-2016). It used to be an amazing place! I moved to rural Maine because it had become so congested, cramped, noisy and the air quality was often terrible. I returned this summer (2019) three years later for a visit to find it much worse. IF a person lived in LA county and spent 3-4 hours a day commuting in gridlocked traffic, I can see how the Treasure Valley might seem a respite. But then they also have to accept the inversions of Boise winters which are abysmal, even for someone from LA county. For the rest of the "sane" people out there, I can't imagine what they see in the place. It is urban sprawl from the foothills into the desert. When will there be no open space between Nampa and Caldwell? It's horrible. I've spent plenty of time driving in Chicago and the Treasure Valley traffic can be far worse. At least in Chicago there is world-class dining and entertainment. Boise has pretty good dining and entertainment (if you know where to find it)... but not enough to justify the other headaches. Before I moved away I lived in the North End against the foothills and worked downtown. Commuting was by foot or skateboard and all the Ridge to Rivers trails were right outside my door for outdoor fun. If you can swing that Boise would still be a wonderful place (although the air quality must be deteriorating every year). But very few people could probably manage that. The urban blight beyond that - mega subdivisions where only semi-arid desert and farmland once was - is beyond depressing. Cookie cutter domiciles connected through a road system that was never designed to handle the traffic, punctuated by big box stores, fast food, and auto malls. No soul, no spirit, but a big yes to traffic jams. I'll go back to visit friends/family on occasion, but after having spent some time in rural living, I will never live in a city again. And if I had to, Boise would be far down the list of desirable cities.

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