If you're considering leaving California and Idaho is on your list, you need to make sure you stay away from Idaho unless you can handle these big differences between California and Idaho. Ever since 2020 and even before that, we have had a flood of people moving to Idaho from California. But what can happen is if they move here and they don't actually like it after they've been here for a year or two, you'll find them moving either back to California or to another state.  My name is Curtis Chism. I run one of the top relocation Services here in the Boise Treasure Valley area, helping people just like you make the move here to Idaho. When you're looking to buy a home, I help you with new construction or resell homes. So if that's you, all you got to do is reach out via phone, text, or email. Contact information on the screen. Hit subscribe so you get notified every week when we come out with new videos and hit that bell and hit that like button. My Journey: From California to Idaho I moved from San Diego, California, to Idaho. I'm really glad that I did. Now I do have family and friends still in California, and I certainly miss them and certainly will visit, but I don't miss the politics and the way that California was going, and I'm so glad that I made the move to Idaho. In this video, we're going to be covering the big differences between California and Idaho. We're going to be covering things like the weather, education systems, small business friendliness, traffic, cost of living, crime, taxes, and even things like hunting and gun culture. Population Differences: California vs. Idaho Let's look at the major population differences between the Boise, Idaho, and Treasure Valley areas compared to California. Now when I refer to Treasure Valley, that is Boise, and it's also made up of Ada County and Canyon counties as the primary counties. Now that's going to be Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Cuna, and in Canyon, you're going to have essentially Nampa, Caldwell, and Middleton as the major towns in those areas. Now the entire population of the Treasure Valley is just under 800,000 people right now and that's spread over a square mileage area of just over 1,600 square miles. Traffic Comparison: California vs. Idaho Let's compare that to a couple of places in California. Of course, you've got San Diego where I'm from, 3.3 million people in the county and over 4,000 square miles. However, of course, if you look at the heat map of the density population you're going to see that everyone's congregated more along the coast versus that massive inland area that makes up San Diego County. Income and Cost of Living: Idaho vs. California Let's take a look at the median income for Boise which right now is sitting right around $64,000. Now that's compared to California as an overall of around $92,000. Now even though income is a little bit lower, the cost of living is also lower as well. Now, according to pay scale.com, the cost of living in Boise, Idaho, is 25% less than San Diego, it's 29% less than the Los Angeles area, and it's between 27 to 40% less than the Bay Area. Crime Rates: Idaho vs. California Next up, we're going to take a look at crime rates. This is according to bestplaces.net. We're going to be quoting some numbers here and these numbers are incidents per 1,000 people. The national average for violent crime is 22.7 per 1,000 people and for property crimes, it's 35.4. Boise has a violent crime rate of 16.3 and a property crime rate of 34. Taxation: Idaho vs. California Next, let's take a look at taxes. We're going to take a look at property taxes, income taxes, and sales tax. The property tax system is a bit different here in Idaho than it is in California. Here in Idaho, we use a levy system versus a rate-based system. Social Climate: Idaho vs. California Let's take a look at the type of people that live here in Idaho. Who's moving here to Idaho? I get asked all the time how conservative are the people moving here to Idaho, and you probably hear things like, "Don't California my Idaho." Weather and Outdoor Lifestyle: Idaho vs. California Another big difference we got here is the weather. In Idaho, especially here in the Treasure Valley area, it is so unpredictable. I spent a lot of time in the Sierra Nevadas and if you're familiar with the Sierras there's a saying that says if you don't like the weather in the Sierras just wait five minutes and it'll change. Honestly, it's the same with here in the Treasure Valley where it really is very unpredictable.

  These are nine reasons why people are moving away from Idaho or choose to not make the move here at all. We're going to dive into each of those so you can decide if Idaho is the right place for you to make the move if you're coming from out of state. If this is your first time to the channel, go ahead and hit subscribe and hit that like button and hit the Bell so you get notified every single time that a new video drops just like this where we go over everything you need to know about living here in Idaho, everything about relocating and moving to Idaho. That's what we cover on this channel. I moved from San Diego, California. I love helping people just like you make the move here to Idaho, and I give you tons of information on this channel so you can decide if Idaho is the best place for you, specifically the Boise, Idaho Treasure Valley area and to help you find the right neighborhood and the right suburb have tons of videos on this channel to help you make that decision. And if you do decide to make the move here, all you got to is reach out via the contact information on the screen below, and we'll set up a zoom call to go over the best area and time frame for you. Traffic Concerns First reason up is the traffic here in the Boise, Idaho area. Now, if you're moving from a place like California, traffic probably won't be nearly anything like what you're used to. But if you've lived here for quite a while, you have seen the population really grow throughout the Boise and Treasure Valley area, and you might be getting fed up with it and deciding to move away. The infrastructure just isn't quite there for the population growth. They are working on expanding the freeways, but you have to understand a lot of these roads were two-lane Country Roads Farm roads essentially that have been converted into lots of subdivisions and just a lot more traffic now. Suburban Lifestyle Challenges Second are the suburbs here in the Treasure Valley area. You've got, of course, Boise, Idaho, and then you've got Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, Nampa, Star, Middleton, Caldwell, so if you end up in the suburbs, you may end up driving a lot further to get to some of the amenities that you want to get to. Now, of course, all of those suburbs, they do have all their own shopping and amenities, but you may not be 5 minutes away. You may have to drive 10, 15, 20 minutes to get to the Costco or Home Depot, for instance. Ongoing Construction Third one up is a lot of construction is going on throughout the Treasure Valley, and you know sometimes the locals don't love all that new construction, which of course brings with it a lot of people, but something you've got to keep in mind with the new construction, which can be really frustrating, and I spent a lot of time in new construction communities, is really easy to get a nail in your tire, so you've got to be prepared that if you're living in a new construction community, be prepared to get those tires plugged. Weather Extremes Next up is the weather. We get very cold weather here in the winter times, but it can vary quite a bit, but generally speaking, you've got to plan for the wintertimes to be really cold, likely in the 20s and 30s most of the winter. Now, this past winter was actually really mild. We had a lot of days, and it's going to sound crazy, especially if you're coming from California. I came from San Diego, some of the best weather in the lower 48, but we would have days in the 40s, 50s, and 60s here in the Treasure Valley. Summer Heat and Allergies Related to the weather is the heat. It does get really warm here in the summertime, so you've got to be prepared for that, especially if you're coming from a milder climate like Coastal California. It can get into the hundreds, and it's certainly going to be in the 80s, 90s, and hundreds for most of the summertime. Property Taxes and Cultural Changes Another reason why some people are leaving Idaho is that there's no real cap on property taxes, so if you're a local, you could be getting priced out of your home because of the property taxes, because of how high home values got here in the past few years. Now, there are some restrictions, and the legislature has recently passed some relief for the property taxes, but generally speaking, you're going to be looking to be paying probably around a half percent to 1% of your purchase price of your property tax.  Cultural Shifts And finally, things are changing here in Idaho, and a lot of locals don't like it. They don't like all the Californians moving in, the people from Oregon, Washington, everywhere else, and changing their great state. So, if you are coming here to Idaho, just, you know, maybe leave some of the ideas you got behind, bring with you the best ideas you got, and let's keep Idaho, Idaho. Idahoans love their hunting, they're fishing, their freedom, just their way of life, so let's all help keep it that way.

  I believed a lie about Idaho before I moved here, a misconception that many others share. Let me share my experience moving from San Diego, California, to Idaho and uncover the truth behind this common misconception. Reasons for Moving: A Personal Perspective Before revealing the lie, let's explore why I, along with many others, chose to make the move to Idaho from California. From political disillusionment to seeking affordability and a better quality of life, there were several driving factors behind our decision to relocate. The Lie Unveiled: The Promised Land Illusion Discover the myth that misled me and continues to mislead many considering a move to Idaho. Hint: It's about believing that Idaho is the promised land where all your problems will vanish and happiness will flourish. Challenging Perceptions: The Reality Check While Idaho offers numerous benefits, it's essential to acknowledge its imperfections. From COVID-19 responses to educational systems and healthcare challenges, understanding Idaho's reality is crucial before making the move. The Road to Happiness: Beyond Geographical Change Learn why moving to Idaho, or any other state, isn't a guaranteed path to happiness. Happiness is intrinsic, and while a change in scenery can enhance it, true contentment stems from within. Making Informed Decisions Before deciding to move to Idaho, or any state for that matter, consider your motivations and expectations. If Idaho aligns with your goals and values, I'm here to help you navigate the transition and make informed decisions. If you're considering making the move to Idaho, reach out to me for personalized assistance. Whether you're ready to relocate soon or in the distant future, I'm here to help you every step of the way. Contact me via phone, text, or email to start planning your move to Idaho today.