Idaho is more than just the potato capital of the country – it’s also a beautiful, expansive state with a reasonable cost of living and high quality of life. As a result, more and more people find themselves moving to Idaho from California, Oregon and Washington. In fact, Idaho was one of the fastest growing states in 2015, and less than half of all Idahoans are native-born. 12% of all Idahoans were born in California, with 5% from Washington, and 4% from Oregon. Here at Bell Financial Group, we are experts in helping people move to Idaho Falls, Boise, Pocatello, Blackfoot ID, Rigby ID, Rexburg ID, or anywhere in Idaho.

Why You Should Move to Idaho

Although there are many reasons to move to Idaho from California, Oregon or Washington, here are some of our favorites.

Housing Costs in Idaho

Especially compared to the coastal states, Idaho’s housing prices are very reasonable. The home value index in Idaho was $199,500 in January 2018, compared to $524,000 in California, $318,000 in Oregon, and $351,300 in Washington.

Not only are prices more affordable, there is great diversity in home styles and locations! If you are seeking to live in an urban environment, Boise is a large city, with over 200,000 residents. Other cities such as Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Blackfoot ID offer suburban lifestyles. Additionally, there are many rural areas to live in, particularly in Eastern Idaho.

Jobs and Employment in Idaho

Idaho’s economy is diverse, and growing. This was reflected by the low unemployment rate of 3.6% in 2015 (lower than the national average of 5.2%), which also saw job growth of 2.81% (higher than the national average of 1.59%). This prosperity is predicted to continue, with job growth expected to be 42.02% over the next 10 years (higher than the national average of 37.98%).

Idahoans work in a variety of industries, ranging from agriculture, construction, manufacturing, retail, information technology, finance, healthcare, education and public administration. Regardless of your current industry, Idaho has a job for you!

Taxes in Idaho

One of the reasons many people are moving to Idaho from California, Oregon and Washington are the high taxes. Idaho has a sales tax rate of 6% and income tax is 7.4%. California’s sales tax rate is 8%, and income tax is 8%, while Oregon does not have a sales tax but an income tax rate of 9%, and Washington has a sales tax of 9.5% but no income tax.

Cost of Living in Idaho

Not only is it more affordable to buy a home in Idaho, the cost of living in Idaho is less than other states.

Rent in Idaho is significantly less than the coastal states, with the average 2 bedroom renting for $825 a month in Idaho, compared to $1459 in California, $1001 in Oregon, and $1179 in Washington. Additionally, cost of living indices for Idaho are all below the United States national average of 100, with overall cost of living coming in at 95, groceries at 95.1, health at 94, housing at 93, utilities at 94, transportation at 98, and miscellaneous at 97.

Get Help Moving to Idaho

If you are looking to move to Idaho from California, Oregon, Washington, or anywhere else, Bell Financial Group is Idaho’s premier mortgage lender. We specialize in helping people move to Idaho Falls, Boise, Pocatello, Blackfoot ID, Rigby ID, Rexburg ID, or anywhere in Idaho. If you are looking to buy a home in Idaho, contact us at (208) 932-4559 or fill out the form on this page.