THINKING OF MOVING OUT OF WASHINGTON? THINK IDAHO!

About

As a California native, I moved to Idaho 23 years ago and take my word for it: Idaho is where it's at!

Boise, Idaho and the surrounding area "The Treasure Valley" encompasses a whole lot of open spaces and a little bit of big city. The Treasure Valley has a population of 465,000 and boasts almost non-existent crime, great schools, friendly people and easy access to any outdoor activity you could dream of. The Treasure Valley is composed of the major community of Boise with outlying communities of Meridian, Kuna, Eagle, Star, Emmett, Weiser, Parma, Wilder, Marsing, Ontario, and Payette.

Boise is very, very safe. Idaho is one of the safest states in the country. In fact, only Utah is ranked safer in the West. In 2017, MSN voted Boise number 8 on the list of safest cities in the world, and its safety index of 82.29 means kids can walk home from school without worry, and many people still leave their doors unlocked.

Boise is located west of the Rocky Mountains and just north of the Great Basin deserts. The Boise River snakes through the city, and in the summer, offers up the perfect conditions for river floating. Residents and visitors alike enjoy year-round outdoor adventures including hiking, skiing, cycling, and whitewater rafting.

Boise's climate is not a one-trick-pony. Residents get to soak up all four seasons here, with summers that aren't too hot and winters that aren't too chilly. Summer temperatures clock in at an average of 71 degrees, while winter temperatures hover around 32 degrees. Rain is minimal here, with an average of just 12 inches per year, and more than 200 sunny days a year. The snow situation in Boise is usually pretty minimal, but if you're a snow lover, you can head up to the ski resort that's just 25 minutes away.

For many years, Idaho got a bad rep when it came to education. But the statistics are changing, and Boise has been praised for its great schools and educational opportunities. In 2016, several Boise, Idaho high schools were mentioned on the Washington Post's list of most challenging schools. Boise State University is also located here and grants more undergraduate degrees than any other university in the state of Idaho.

Boise can boast a low unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is 1.5% lower than the national average. The Wall Street Journal recently praised Boise as having one of the nation's fastest-growing job markets. Part of this success can be attributed to the state's growing technology presence that includes employers like Micron Technology, Inc. and HP Inc. Despite this growing technology trend, Boise's biggest industries remain in healthcare and hospitality. Both St. Luke's Health System and St. Alphonsus Health Systems employ many Boise residents.


Michael Pickren, CRS
Silvercreek Realty Group