8 Reasons to Move to Idaho
#1 Idaho is a safe place to live
Idaho is among the top 6 safest states in the United States according to recent data. When measuring violent crime, Idaho is the 6th safest place to live in the country. The State of Idaho reported 230.3 violent crimes and 1,744.2 property crimes per 100,000 inhabitants for 2016. Idaho’s violent crime rate is 37.8 percent lower than the national median, and the property crime rate is 32.5 percent lower. Idaho has a similar proportional makeup of crimes by type to the national median. ¹
#2 Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
According to a recent story published by CNBC Idaho ranks 2nd in the nation for Job Opportunities.
The Gem State is often a hidden gem in the U.S. economy, but word about Idaho is getting out. Chobani is in the midst of a $20 million expansion of its plant in Twin Falls, which the company says is the largest yogurt plant in the world. The state has added nearly 22,000 jobs in the past year, with big gains in manufacturing and construction.
Year-over-year job growth (May): 3.1 percent
2018 Economy rank: 5 (Top States Grade: A+)
Major employers: Micron Technology, St. Luke’s Health System
(data from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/29/top-10-states-to-find-a-job-in-america-in-2018.html)
#3 Room to Stretch Out
As a Realtor and Home Builder, I hear time and time again that reason people are moving to Idaho is to live in a less crowded place. Idaho is the 7th lowest in population density according to the World Population Review. With only 19 persons per square mile, there’s plenty of room to stretch.
Idaho Population Density and Surface Area
At a total surface area of 83,570 square miles, Idaho is the 14th biggest state in the country, and even without looking at population density figures, it’s already clear from a population of just over 1.6 million that Idaho must be a very sparsely populated state.
In fact, there are just 19 people for every square mile of land, and only six states in the US can claim a more sparsely populated landscape.
There are a number of reasons for this, mainly because parts of Idaho are inhospitable for permanent settlement. The Rocky Mountains dominate much of Idaho’s skyline and the state is also home to sprawling lakes.
The largest, most populated city, in Idaho is Boise, which is also the state’s capital. The largest county by population is Ada, with over 400,000 individuals residing within.
Source: http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/idaho-population/
#4 Wilderness Areas
The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness of central Idaho is the biggest federal wilderness area at 2.37 million acres, and single roads separate it from the 1.35-million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness to the north (plus the 205,395-acre Gospel Hump Wilderness to the northwest). Throw in unprotected National Forest roadless areas abutting these wildernesses, and you’ve got a wildland complex of genuine international significance—comparable to the ecologically distinct Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to the east.
The roughhewn and rumpled Salmon River Mountains help define the Frank Church. There are the staggering canyons of the mainstem Salmon River (the fabled River of No Return) and the Middle Fork, both whitewater meccas. The Main Salmon’s gorge—6,300 deep in places—exceeds the Grand Canyon in depth (and rivals the Snake River’s Hell’s Canyon to the west). Canyon-wall ponderosa pine and foothill Douglas-fir parklands rise to dark-timbered ridges and craggy horns. The Bighorn Crags exceed 10,000 feet. The Selway-Bitterroot, meanwhile, spans from lush low-elevation forests to the alpine spine of the Bitterroot Mountains.
Wolves and pumas stalk elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep (with wolverines happily scavenging the carcasses) in this backcountry. Dispersing grizzly bears periodically wander the Selway-Bitterroot, a top priority for grizzly recovery given the scale and quality of its available habitat.
The seam between the Frank Church and the Selway-Bitterroot is the CCC-built Magruder Corridor Road, also known as the Nez Perce Trail for its tracing of an indigenous trans-mountain track.
#5 Four Seasons
People flock to Idaho year-round for four seasons of recreation. The advantage of having 4 seasons is that you can take advantage of numerous activities all year. In the winter you can visit some of the country’s greatest skiing at various ski resorts around Idaho. Island Park, Idaho has some of the world’s greatest snowmobiling and ice fishing in the country. In the spring, you can drive to Shoshone Falls to see the gushing falls overflowing with runoff from winter snow. Wildflowers start to bloom in late spring in the hills.. a perfect time for a daytime hike. Summer is one of the most beautiful times of the year in Idaho. The weather is perfect.. not too hot, not too cool. Perfect weather for hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, 4 wheeling, and much more. Idaho Falls is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park which attracts millions of visitors per year throughout the spring, summer and fall months. The Fall in Idaho is arguably one of the most beautiful times of the year. In late September, the hills surrounding the Palisades Reservoir in Eastern Idaho transform into a wonderland of colors flowing for miles along the highway to Wyoming.
