Idaho is famous for more than just its world-famous potatoes.
Lying on the western side of the continental divide,
the state is also one of America's most beautiful places to live.
In the panhandle, you'll find pristine lakes, emerald green hillsides,
and timber-covered mountains. Central Idaho is capped with jagged peaks.
Southern Idaho, also known as the Snake River Plain, is home to wide open vistas,
abundant farmlands, and vibrant cities. Although it's nicknamed the “gem state”
for its gemstone mining, residents know the real gem is the state's unquestionable beauty.
Idaho is the 13th largest state. The U.S. census estimates its population at more than 1.8 million
people, making it the 12th least populated state. The Rocky Mountains run north to south,
and there are over 3000 lakes and 26,000 miles of rivers and streams.
The most important of these rivers is the Snake River, which feeds one of the nation's
most heavily irrigated areas and it's where most of the country's potatoes come from.
Idaho joined the union as the 43rd state one day before independence day in 1890.
Though its early culture and history was heavily shaped by its native tribes,
the Idaho of today can best be described as a mix between cosmopolitan and small town friendly.
Much like the land they inhabit, residents are unhurried unassuming and unspoiled.
More than 20 million tourists visit annually in search of outdoor adventures.
With no shortage of big mountains and deep powdery snow Idaho is one of the top skiing
and snowboarding destinations in the country. You'll find great options for downhill,
back country, and nordic runs, all with low costs and short lift lines.
For anglers, the state offers 42 species of game fish.
From sturgeon, to wild trout, to steelhead trout, to the smallmouth bass, to the chinook salmon.
Then there's hunting. In 2020 the state set a record
for its nearly 300,000 licensed hunters. Upland bird hunting offers grouse, quail,
pheasant, goose, duck, and wild turkey. Big game hunters can find mule deer,
elk bear, and pronghorn antelopes. Visit Craters of the Moon. Here you'll
find a vast ocean of lava flows spotted with islands of cinder cones and sagebrush.
It's open year round for hiking in the summer, and skiing or snowboarding in the winter.
This area is known as a “dark sky reserve” - meaning the towns here have all agreed
to keep light pollution to a minimum allowing for great stargazing at night.
During the day, take a visit to Shoshone Falls.
This natural beauty on the Snake River stands 212 feet tall.
It's actually taller than Niagara falls by 45 feet.
You can also explore the Shoshone Ice Caves, Idaho's largest cave network, and a truly
stunning wonder of ice and ancient volcanic rock. If that's not enough to do, Saint Anthony's
Sand Dunes is the ultimate playground for off-roaders, with over 10,600 acres of white
quartz dunes soaring as high as 400 feet. In Hells Canyon you'll find North America's
deepest river gorge, offering incredible beauty, as well as whitewater boating,
fishing, and seemingly endless hiking trails. The sawtooth mountains are part of the Rocky
Mountains, with 57 peaks and 400 lakes created by alpine glaciers.
It's perfect for camping backpacking fishing canoeing rafting photography and even biking.
At Bear Lake, known as the Caribbean of the Rockies for its turquoise blue color,
you can do all those things too. But you can also go horseback riding,
hunting, snowmobiling, and sailing.
At 12,662 feet, Mount Borah is Idaho's highest peak.
It beckons to hikers and climbers alike usually from mid-July to mid-September.
Last but not least, and you might be surprised, but you can also visit Yellowstone National Park.
I know, right? Everyone says it's in Wyoming. But the western edge of Yellowstone, and the
western slope of the Grand Tetons, are in Idaho. People in eastern Idaho can reach Old Faithful
in as little as 3 hours via the western entrance in Montana.
All right, it's time to get down to business. Idaho is known as the most friendly
state for small businesses. Bloomberg recognized Idaho as
the country's top performing economy in 2018. The state also ranked fourth in job growth,
and was number one in personal income growth. Its strong pro-growth policies and limited
regulations make it appealing not only to businesses looking to relocate or expand,
but also for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The state's constitution requires the
government to balance its budget each and every year, and they're deadly serious about it.
The last time the state had a shortfall, it cut spending instead of raising taxes.
CNBC ranked Idaho in its top 10 most tax friendly states.
It has the second lowest property taxes in the nation.
And 90 percent of the businesses are exempt from paying personal property taxes.
Manufacturing makes up 9.24 percent of the total workforce
for about 68,000 people, with average salaries of 70,000 dollars.
The top five manufacturing sectors are: computers and electronic products, food and beverage,
wood, fabricated metals, and chemicals. The healthcare sector is thriving in Idaho.
Companies in the state have added 46 more jobs in the last 10 years.
Healthcare accounts for roughly 13 percent of all jobs.
The sector expects 36 percent growth in the coming years, especially in nursing and residential care,
where it currently sits second in the nation. Tourism, as we've seen,
is booming in the gem state. According to the U.S. Travel Association,
Idaho's tournament industry rakes in 3.7 billion dollars annually and employs nearly 46,000 people.
The industry generates 475 million in local, state, and federal taxes.
This reduces the tax burden on individual residents by 740 dollars a year.
Then there's agriculture. With over 25,000 farms and ranches,
agriculture accounts for 20 percent of Idaho's gross product per year.
Its world-famous potatoes account for more than one-third of all potatoes eaten in the U.S.,
surpassing that of any other state. Idaho is also a major producer of wheat,
barley, and seeds for farms and gardeners. In terms of food production, it ranks
third in the nation, with over 350 companies working diligently to put food on your table.
French fries, greek yogurts, whey for protein shakes, growing ingredients … These are but a
few of their biggest exports. Yet another export is timber.
Idaho's 2 billion lumber, pulp, and paper industry employs more than 13,000 residents.
Jobs in this industry include forest management logging, wood, and paper manufacturing.
Then there's mining. Idaho really is a hotbed of mining. As i've already said, it's famous for its
gemstones — specifically the star garnet, which is only found in Idaho and India.
You'll also find copper, gold, silver, antimony, and phosphate mines.
The mining industry employs more than 12,000 residents. It pays an average salary of 105,000
for these and other reasons, Idaho is a growing state, at least in terms of population.
There’s been massive migration to Idaho from around the nation,
though mostly from California, Portland, and Seattle.
It's estimated that ex-Californians make up 12 percent of the state's population.
This, naturally, is creating a backlash from locals.
The rapid influx of people is causing cities to burst at the seams.
In Boise, the population's sprawling outward, resulting in too much traffic.
To meet the demand for space placid rural communities are
transformed into planned communities. Housing is spiking at 15 percent a year, and
there's pressure to raise property taxes to pay for more schools, police, and fire departments.
The population Boise is expected to grow by another third over the next five years.
Another concern among residents is the politics involved with all this migration.
As people move from blue Californian, Portland, and Seattle to red state Idaho, there's a fear
the culture of the state is going to change. Various bumper stickers and t-shirts
state it simply: don't California my Idaho. The worry here is that newcomers will
continue to vote the very policies that caused them to move in the first place.
For those of you who share these concerns, there's good news.
A 2017 study by Boise State University indicates that most people moving from
blue states are politically similar to the current makeup of Idaho.
In the case of California, movers were even more conservative than your typical Idaho resident.
Politics aside, there are some great benefits of this influx.
It's resulted in a large number of young, highly talented entrepreneurs
and IT professionals moving in. Which leads me to broadband.
With all these young whippersnappers moving in, high-speed internet has become a growing concern.
Idaho ranks 39th in the nation in terms of broadband.
Although the state is home to 140 internet providers, connectivity varies from place to place
about 307,000 Idahoans don't have a connection capable of 25 megabits per second download speeds.
About a quarter of a million people have access to just one wired provider option.
To address this deficit, the state government has been
investing in Idaho's broadband infrastructure. Since 2011, access to a wired connection of at
least 10 megabits per second has jumped from 77 percent to nearly 90 percent.
The most connected cities in Idaho are Boise, Lewiston, Idaho Falls, Eagle, and Pocatello.
The worst connected cities are Murray, Reubens, Elk River, Hill City, and Lowman.
In 2019, the unemployment rate in Idaho was 2.9 percent, one of the lowest in the nation.
The average median income was just over 53,000. The median home value was 192,300,
and rentals were going for 825 on average. These numbers of course vary depending
on what city you're talking about. Cities and towns are all different,
each offering their own pluses and minuses depending on what you're looking for.
We'll cover just a few. Boise, nicknamed the treasure city,
is the state's capital, and it's also Idaho's largest city.
Located along the Oregon Trail, it boasts a population of more than 200,000.
People here are described as cheerful and friendly.
And why wouldn't they be? They're in the heart of Idaho's booming economy.
Boise has quaint neighborhoods and an emerging music and art scene.
While the city is rapidly growing, crime is not. Over the last 25 years, crime has
dropped by more than 60 percent. Neighbors look out for each other,
and new communities are being designed with safety in mind.
Better lighting, open landscapes, and sidewalk seating.
All this is designed to foster community spirit and engagement.
In Boise, according to the U.S. census data, the median income was just under 57,000 dollars,
and it had an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent. The median home value was nearly 231,000 dollars,
and the median rent was 910 dollars. Just 140 miles east of Boise is the
much smaller town of Hailey, with a population of just under 9,000.
Hailey is a mix of families who've lived here for generations, and transplants
looking for a hip small town that features great dining and a swinging art scene — all
this without giving up on small town values. Nestled in the Wood River Valley of the central
Rockies, and surrounded by wilderness, you'll find loads of outdoor adventure in Hailey,
including hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding.
Safewise.com ranked Hailey the second safest city in Idaho,
with 1.7 violent crimes per thousand residents, and 2.5 property crimes per thousand residents.
Niche.com also ranked Hailey second overall in the state for its public schools.
In 2019, the median income was 54,330 dollars with a 2.8 percent unemployment rate.
Houses here are pricey. The median home value was nearly 350,000 dollars.
The median gross monthly rent was 813 dollars. Moscow is located in the Idaho panhandle and is
home to more than 25,000 glorious comrades. It is very popular with millennials,
especially those making the exodus from California, Seattle, and Portland.
Home to the university of Idaho, there are lots of restaurants, cafes,
coffee shops, and other places to socialize. In 2019, the median income was just under 40,000.
The unemployment rate was a low 2.3 percent. Houses went for 225,000,
and immediate rent was just 700. Moscow's public school district ranked
fifth in the state, and safewise.com ranked Moscow the number six safest city in Idaho,
with violent crime and property crime rates of 0.5 and 15.5 per 1,000 residents.
From the panhandle, we head east of the fifth largest city in the state.
Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Idaho Falls is shaped by the Snake River,
which literally snakes its way through the city.
The city is known for its fishing, hiking, backpacking, and skiing,
its location allows for easy access to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Park.
Despite its size, it's packed with art galleries, theaters, music venues, and arts festivals.
For those looking to move here, the median income in 2019 was just over 50,000 dollars.
The unemployment rate was at 2.4 percent. Home values were an affordable 153,600 dollars,
and the median rent was $748 dollars. The Idaho Falls school district received
an overall grade of B- from niche.com, and the city was ranked the state's 14th safest city,
with violent and property crime rates of 3.3 and 15.6 per 1,000 residents.
Our last stop is Rexburg, also in eastern Idaho. With a population of under 30,000,
this family-friendly college town offers plenty of year-round outdoor adventure in sports.
If you're a resident, you’ll want to invest $85 dollars for an annual
pass to all the national parks, as both Yellowstone and Grand Teton are close by.
The city has plenty of trendy stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. It was rated the safest
city in Idaho by Safewise, thanks to its low incidence of violent crime and property crime.
The school district ranked 12th in the state, with an overall grade of B+.
The median salary in Rexburg is just under $30,000 and the unemployment rate is a low
1.9 percent meaning home values are just under $200,000, and the median rent is $699 dollars.
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