The allure of the Pacific Northwest, without Portland prices. Small enough to be walkable, big enough to host lots of craft beer, stellar coffee, food, and fun, Boise has earned a reputation as a growing culinary hotspot in recent years— its third-wave coffee roasters, gourmet donut shops, and tasting-menu restaurants are on par with what you’d find in Portland or Seattle. (There just aren’t that many of them yet to retain full foodie status.). Boise manages to be cool without the pretentiousness of Portland or Austin.

The Pacific Northwest is gorgeous, but with that comes some extreme prices. Go inland, and you’ll find Boise, a bike-friendly and walkable city hosting creative types, cool kids, and tech entrepreneurs. Mild temperatures and the 25-mile Boise River Greenbelt give residents a good way to enjoy the views. It’s also a short drive from the Snake River Valley wine region, plus skiing at Sun Valley, the Sawtooth Mountains, and Shoshone Falls.

One downside to Boise for some includes lack of diversity: If you’re hoping to raise kids in an extremely diverse environment, Boise isn’t it (although that is changing). 

Also, Boise gets very smoggy from forest fires in the summer. It's surrounded by mountains, so smog collects over time. It is also considered to be a high desert, so there isn’t much precipitation. During July and August, you’re lucky to get a light sprinkle of rain, which is never enough to clear the smog. The air gets trapped in an inversion (the temperature is higher in the mountains than in town), and on occasion, it smells bad.

We highly recommend visiting Boise and staying in the community in a [**VRBO**](vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [**partnership with Expedia**](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

Cool without the Pretentiousness

LookyLOO Review of Boise

The historic North End is a longtime sought-after neighborhood. It borders Downtown, and its close location to the foothills makes it a great option for those who want easy access to hiking trails. It features a mix of Victorian and Craftsman homes and is a liberal community full of young professionals, bars and restaurants, and highly rated schools, The North End's appeal lies in its proximity to downtown, its mature trees, and the curb appeal with many of the city's older homes. The Hyde Park area in the North End is full of notable restaurants, boutiques, specialty shops, and parks. 

Boise has a love affair with the mid-century modern aesthetic, and you’ll find a lot of updated mid-century modern homes in “The Bench.”  The area is named for its location overlooking the city; it contains a diverse mix of neighborhoods. The Bench also features sweeping views of the Boise Foothills and Downtown. This has become the sort of trendy place for home buyers, specifically millennials. The homes on the Bench are typically older, with home buyers remodeling to their style. The location is striking distance to downtown Boise but far enough away that you're out of the chaos.

Homes in the North End are pricier than the Bench.

Speaking of pricey homes, Harrison Boulevard is one of the most prestigious — and pricey — thoroughfares in Boise, one of Boise's most picturesque thoroughfares, and also one of the most prestigious parts of the city to own a home. The wide, tree-lined boulevard, which sits in the Warm Springs area, has a mix of architectural styles. 

Garden City (technically, its a city and not in Boise) is the “hipster” neighborhood that is having an urban renaissance into a thriving live-work-create community, complete with galleries, hip restaurants, and wineries.

If you want to see what locals do for fun and culture in Boise, check out the [calendar of events](https://downtownboise.org/events/events-calendar). 


Lifestyle 

Corporations stressed by regulation in the coastal states see Idaho as more business-friendly. This means jobs can be more plentiful and unemployment is low.

Housing and other cost of living indicators are definitely on the move as people from out-of-state continue to flock to Boise so act fast. From 2010-2018 the population in Boise rose by 18.2%, and the population is growing every year by around 2 – 3%. There is a massive influx of people moving to Boise, and a lot of them are from California. They’re also from Washington, Utah, and Texas as well as from elsewhere in the state. But the median home price is still half what it is in Seattle and a fraction of San Francisco.

Get here before it becomes Austin

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**christopherwithak**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

As someone who lived in Boston and now resides in Boise, you won’t find the culture here. Boise is trying and we have a few good restaurants, but the food scene and overall culture are severely lacking compared to the northeast. You also won’t find beaches that are comparable here. If you’re into hiking/skiing etc, it’s so much better here. The access to the outdoors here is unparalleled. But when you want to stay in the city or be indoors, it feels really small and very meat and potatoes. Dating scene to match - college city but small pond overall. Politics should really be considered as it’s the polar opposite of Boston. I didn’t think it’d be a huge deal but the policies here are downright embarrassing. My colleagues all assume I’m a racist when they hear I’m based in Idaho until I explain the recreation and that the politics are backward here, but I’ve found the state has a pretty negative stigma to many. Also, it’s difficult and expensive to get back to the east coast. The flights are limited - flying west is easy but back east is still a work in progress. As others mentioned, you likely won’t find a good job here so plan to work remotely if you actually want a paycheck. The city is pretty cheap - the cost complaints are mostly from people that have lived here for a long time or moved from smaller towns, but compared to Boston and most major metros it’s cheap. (Although I don’t know how you found an apt in Boston for $1800 unless you have roommates. 

For more reviews of what living in Boise is like from locals, check out [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/boise/reviews).




Reviews of Boise from Locals

**The Best Thing About Boise?** 

The allure of the Pacific Northwest, without Portland prices. Small enough to be walkable, big enough to host lots of craft beer, stellar coffee, food and fun, Boise has earned a reputation as a growing culinary hotspot in recent years— its third-wave coffee roasters, gourmet donut shops, and tasting-menu restaurants are on par with what you’d find in Portland or Seattle. (There just aren’t that many of them yet to retain full foodie status.) 

Boise manages to be cool without the pretentiousness of Portland or Austin.

The Pacific Northwest is gorgeous but with that comes some extreme prices. Go inland and you’ll find Boise, a bike-friendly and walkable city hosting creative types, cool kids, and tech entrepreneurs. 

Mild temperatures and the 25-mile Boise River Greenbelt give residents a good way to enjoy the views. It’s also a short drive from the Snake River Valley wine region, plus skiing at Sun Valley, the Sawtooth Mountains, and Shoshone Falls.

**The Worst Thing About Boise?** 

There’s no diversity. It’s 90% White. If you’re hoping to raise kids in a diverse environment, Boise isn’t it. 

Also, Boise gets very smoggy from forest fires in the summer. It's surrounded by mountains, so smog collects over time. It is also considered to be high desert so there isn’t much precipitation. During July and August you’re lucky to get a light sprinkle of rain which is never enough to clear the smog. The air gets trapped in an inversion (the temperature is higher in the mountains than in town) and on occasion, it smells bad.

**How You Living?** 

The historic North End is a longtime sought-after neighborhood. It borders Downtown, and its close location to the foothills makes it a great option for those who want easy access to hiking trails. It features a mix of Victorian and Craftsman homes and is a liberal community full of young professionals, bars and restaurants, and highly rated schools, The North End's appeal lies in its proximity to downtown, its mature trees, and the curb appeal with many of the city's older homes. The Hyde Park area in the North End is full of notable restaurants, boutiques, specialty shops and parks. 

Boise has a love affair with the mid-century modern aesthetic, and you’ll find a lot of updated mid-century modern homes in “The Bench”  The area is named for its location overlooking the city, it contains a diverse mix of neighborhoods.The Bench also features sweeping views of the Boise Foothills and Downtown. This has become the sort of trendy place for home buyers, specifically millennials. The homes on the Bench are typically older, with home buyers remodeling to their style. The location is striking distance to downtown Boise, but far enough away that you're out of the chaos.

Homes in the North End are pricier than the Bench.

Speaking of pricey homes, Harrison Boulevard is one of the most prestigious — and pricey — thoroughfares in Boise, one of Boise's most picturesque thoroughfares and also one of the most prestigious parts of the city to own a home.The wide, tree-lined boulevard, which sits in the Warm Springs area, has a mix of architectural styles. 

Garden City, (technically it’s own city and not in Boise) is the “hipster” neighborhood that is having an urban renaissance into a thriving live-work-create community, complete with galleries, hip restaurants, and wineries.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

Corporations stressed by regulation in the coastal states see Idaho as more business-friendly. This means jobs can be more plentiful and unemployment is low.

Housing and other cost of living indicators are definitely on the move as people from out-of-state continue to flock to Bosie so act fast. From 2010-2018 the population in Boise rose by 18.2%, and the population is growing every year by around 2 – 3%. There is a massive influx of people moving to Boise, and a lot of them are from California. They’re also from Washington, Utah, and Texas as well as from elsewhere in the state. But the median home price is still half what it is in Seattle and a fraction of San Francisco.


Downtown has three pieces to it: “just downtown” nicknamed BoDo, West Downtown and Central Downtown. All three are great choices for young professionals with nightlife, museums, theaters for movies, concerts and live festivals, cafes, boutique shopping, foodie restaurants, and tons of bars. Combine this amazing combination of social and cultural scene with lots of condo and apartment living options and any of the three will fit the bill for most youngsters.
- BoDo (just downtown)
- West Downtown
- Central Downtown


Young Professionals

BoDo

Old Boise District is an interesting option for someone looking to make it happen in a neighborhood on the rise. It was the original commercial district south of downtown, it fell into hard times, but the River Myrtle renovation project included Old Boise. If you’re interested in being near but not quite in Downtown, and willing to develop a cool Victorian home or live in a brand new Loft/Condo building surrounded by small, locally owned shops and restaurants this would be a good choice.



DINKs/SINKs

River Myrtle / Old Boise District

North End is the neighborhood most popular with the LGBTQ+ community in Boise. Home to many community residents as well as a number of gay bars, it has a great outdoor scene - green spaces, including Hyde Park, and trails for hiking, biking and walking and tons of trendy restaurants, galleries and shops. 



LGBTQ+

North End

The Highlands is a great starting point for families looking for neighborhoods. It's in the middle of the city and home to great public schools and has several amazing parks in Owens, Hillside and Catalpa where the kiddos have plenty of room to play. It has a huge shopping center with cafes, restaurants and retail, and a great golf club for those looking for hitting the links. Barber Neighborhood is another great option considering the quality of the public schools kids attend here. That makes it a big draw alone,  but when you add in access to the Oregon Trail Historic Reserve, Barber Park and the Greenbelt you find it one of the best places to live in Boise for outdoor activities. 
- The Highlands
- Barber Neighborhood
- Geleker Lane/Linden Street


Families

The Highlands

Boise

**christopherwithak**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

As someone who lived in Boston and now resides in Boise, you won’t find the culture here. Boise is trying and we have a few good restaurants, but the food scene and overall culture are severely lacking compared to the northeast. You also won’t find beaches that are comparable here. If you’re into hiking/skiing etc, it’s so much better here. The access to the outdoors here is unparalleled. But when you want to stay in the city or be indoors, it feels really small and very meat and potatoes. Dating scene to match - college city but small pond overall. Politics should really be considered as it’s the polar opposite of Boston. I didn’t think it’d be a huge deal but the policies here are downright embarrassing. My colleagues all assume I’m a racist when they hear I’m based in Idaho until I explain the recreation and that the politics are backward here, but I’ve found the state has a pretty negative stigma to many. Also, it’s difficult and expensive to get back to the east coast. The flights are limited - flying west is easy but back east is still a work in progress. As others mentioned, you likely won’t find a good job here so plan to work remotely if you actually want a paycheck. The city is pretty cheap - the cost complaints are mostly from people that have lived here for a long time or moved from smaller towns, but compared to Boston and most major metros it’s cheap. (Although I don’t know how you found an apt in Boston for $1800 unless you have roommates. I was paying $2600 in Cambridge and that was 10 years ago.) The jobs here don’t pay well though. Your best bet is to find a remote job based in California and make a slightly higher salary, and then work 10-6 rather than 9-5 since you’d be in mountain time. You’ll need a car for everything here - the public transit sucks. Good luck with whatever you decide.

**koleke415**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I'm from San Francisco and Boise is cheap compared to most cities. I have a decent downtown apartment for $1400. People will say it's crowded, that there's traffic and that's probably true compared to 10 years ago, but coming from Boston or SF, it feels like a small town, easy to park, easy to get everywhere.

It does lack a bit of the urban exploration you get in a Boston or SF, or Chicago. There's only a few areas of much to do, neighborhood wise. Downtown is great, Hyde Park, but much of the rest are strip malls with restaurants and breweries next to a mattress shop. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but not what I'm used to, not probably what you're used to. Once you get out of downtown and a few north and eastern neighborhoods, it starts to feel pretty suburban pretty quickly.

The biggest thing coming from Boston will be the heat, July and August are 95+ most days and get over 100° plenty. It's easily my biggest issue.

morfoodie
6mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

If you really like city life, definitely move to Boise and not the burbs of meridian.

Obviously Boise is smaller than Vegas, so by proportion there will be “less” to do, and we have a smaller airport .

That being said central Boise is heavily influenced by Boise state, so the 20-something crowd is quite large. Downtown is beloved here, and we have many delicious restaurants and events going on around town. Personally I think central Boise is a lovely place for most younger people, as long as you aren’t expecting the hustle bustle of Vegas.

**Repulsive-Spare-1722**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Lived here for over 20 years. Overall, Boise is a pretty great place. It is growing at a rapid pace. It has most of the amenities of a big city but not too many of the problems. Crime is not non-existent but it’s low. There aren’t many truly “bad” neighborhoods where you’d feel unsafe. Except for housing, the cost of living is reasonable. The outdoor recreation is second to none. Idaho is an immense and geographically beautiful state. It is hot in the summer but dry and cold in the winter but bearable.

The downsides: the schools are not well funded, and education is not valued in the state. There are jobs here but not always high-paying ones. Politically and culturally Idaho is well behind the times. Idaho is not diverse. It has a very conservative right wing legislature that passes laws that make lgbtq folks and POC feel targeted or unwelcome. This is a political opinion, of course, and others may feel differently. But even if you don’t share the dominant view you can find other like minded folks.

Boise, Idaho

Bobo

Looklyloo Score: 91