Boise City

Not the sleepy, family friendly small city it was 20 years ago, Boise still ranks pretty high in such quality of life features as family friendliness, available outdoor activities, and business. The capital city of Idaho, Boise is at the cross-roads of the Northwest between Salt Lake City (Utah), Reno (Nevada), and Portland (Oregon). Well known for its' parks and abundance of trees throughout the city, Boise features a great abundance of outdoor activities within a short distance of wherever you live. CLIMATE: a very livable arid (high desert) climate means relative low humidity, plenty of sunshine and seasonal temperatures that vary widely from a few degrees below 0 (F) in the winter and up to 105-107 degrees (F) in the summer. Air quality is usually very good with an occasional problem due to inversions. Boise and the Treasure Valley are known as the "banana belt" of Idaho due to the relatively small amount of snow that accumulates in Winter months. ECONOMY: generally excellent, with a low unemployment rate and very attractive climate for business all the way around. Boise employees are high quality, but pay isn't as high as in other capital cities. HEALTH: Excellent. Medical facilities are very adequate and disease rates (both mental and physical) are below natioanal averages. SOCIAL: a relatively cosmopolitan center for Idaho and the western states in general; many races, religions and cultures blend very well together. Live theater availability ranks below average, but there are plenty of social opportunities. The city hosts an AA baseball team (Boise Hawks), an arena football team (Boise Burns) and a hockey team (Boise Blades). A healthy and dominate Christian ethic is obvious in most communities, however tolerance levels of other social norms are relatively high, with small but healthy representation from Jewish, Muslim, pagan and most near and far eastern cultures. GOVERNMENT: While Democrats dominate local city offices, the county and state is overwhelmingly Republican. A vibrant libertarian and independent political philosophy can be found. City services are adequate for the region, and not unduly obtrusive or obstructive. The city police force I would rate as only average in service to the community, but with a very low level of corruption. County and state troopers are generally very well respected. SCHOOLS: a major university (BSU) with an excellent football team not generally found in a city this size. Public schools are above average in comparison with national norms, private educational opportunities are generally excellent, and home schooling is well tolerated. OUTLOOK: Excellent.

Boise is a beautiful city with a fabulous variety of activities for active people. In the summer, you can raft the Boise River, walk or bike ride on the Greenbelt that runs the length of the city along the river, or hike in the foothills. All of these activities are within minutes from any part of town and are very easily accessed. There are many parks for relaxing, a zoo, and a soon to be built aquarium. In the winter, Bogus Basin ski resort is just outside of town with downhill skiing, cross country skiing and a tubing hill. Boise is a great place to raise children and enjoy a quality, active life.