Boise, Idaho is the capital and most populous city of the state of Idaho. The population of the city itself is over 220,000. The metropolitan area extends over five different counties and encompasses over 600,000 people. This makes it the third largest metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest region. The job market in Boise is continuously growing as the city continues to get bigger and bigger. The biggest employers in Boise are the hospital system, Micron Technology, Boise State University, and Hewlett-Packard, the famous computer hardware and software company.
Living in Boise runs a little cheaper on average than it does in other cities in the United States. Eating out, going to the movies, and other popular attractions tend to be cheaper than they would be in bigger, more expensive cities like New York City or Los Angeles. Finding a place to live is very reasonable. This is especially true in the less expensive neighborhoods, in which buying or renting a place to live is still incredibly affordable. People on many budgets can find a place in Boise. People who live in Boise enjoy spending a lot of time outside in the Boise National Forest and near Boise Greenbelt, the local river. The Idaho State Capitol Building is another popular landmark. People enjoy spending time in all the big parks in the city, including the Julia Davis park which is right on the riverfront.
Not very many people use public transportation in the city, but those that do use Valley Regional Transit, the local bus system. This bus system has lots of stops throughout the city and its surrounding area. The system is somewhat limited right now, but the city has plans for expansion in the future.
Weather in Boise is pretty tolerable and the city definitely experiences all four seasons. They have warm summers that get up into the low 90's and winters that dip into the low 30's. Boise gets plenty of snow in the winter, which is why so many people love skiing and snowboarding. There are resorts as close as 16 miles from the city, so it has become a big part of the culture to hit the slopes often!
If you've been thinking about making the move to Boise, use AreaVibes to find out what part of the city you should look into. We give you access to crucial information like crime rates, job growth, local amenities, renting costs, etc. You can customize what criteria are important to you and find the areas that meet your unique desires and needs.