Thinking About Moving to Idaho?

Idaho has many things to offer to Californians looking to relocate. In fact, if you are thinking about moving to Idaho, you may find many familiar things about the state that remind you of what you love about California. However, Idaho offers several benefits that California does not have.

Lower Cost of Living

Your dollars will go much farther in Idaho than in California. Idaho has a cost of living 2.8% lower than the national average, while California's is 49.9% higher.

Contributing to this lower cost of living are the lower prices for utilities, health care, and housing. For instance, in Idaho, the cost of utilities is 10.7% lower than the national average, and health care costs 4.9% less.

Homes in Idaho are also lower in price and a wise investment that will likely grow in value over time. The median home price for the state is $263,000, which is slightly higher than the national average. However, over the last 10 years, the state has experienced an appreciation value of 14%, which is much greater than California's 5.2%. Therefore, buying a home today in Idaho likely means that you will sell it at a profit in the future.

Shorter Commutes

While those who live in more remote regions may have to commute a little longer than city dwellers, across the state, Idahoans have an average commute time of only 20.6 minutes, much less than Californians' time of 28.8 minutes. If sitting in traffic has you thinking about leaving the state, moving to Idaho could be the relief that you need.

Cooler Climate

Idaho can offer you the snowy climate that you crave if you love cold winter weather and winter sports. The state has a higher snowfall average than the rest of the country, with 47.7 inches a year. This snow in the winter comes at the sacrifice of sunny days throughout the year, with slightly fewer sunny days than the national average – 197 days versus 205 days.

However, if you don't like the cold, wait until the summer months when the weather can warm up to have average highs between 70- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit.

Get Help with Moving to Idaho

Thinking about moving to Idaho from California? Find out how much you can get for your home in California to help you get started on your move.