Boise/Eagle Idaho vs Sarasota/Venice Florida

[F313]

We are in our very early 50's and are getting close to being able to retire from our real jobs.....probably about 18 months more and that'll be it.  We want to move out of SoCal after retirement.

We are looking at Boise and Sarasota.  We have friends and family in both places.  Idaho has a state income tax over 7%, Florida has zero.  Aside from the obvious beach vs mountain (we can adapt to recreation at both places), I'd love to hear opinions about both areas from anyone who may have considered either.  One big consideration we have is our middle-teens daughter.  We want to maximize our chances she will settle close to us, so career opportunities for her are a consideration.  Thanks.

[Noodle]

Can't speak to Sarasota, but family lived in the Boise area for a number of years and I spent a couple of summers and many vacations there. I think Boise would be a great retirement location. Although it is hot in the summers and cold in the winters (but the kind of hot where it cools off at night and is seldom sticky), the four seasons were nice to experience. Not super-snowy by New England standards but there is some shoveling and winter-driving involved. State politics are very conservative but Boise seemed to be more moderate and I found people in general to be very friendly and welcoming. Lots of outdoor recreation, and Boise has an arts scene--nothing too mind-boggling on the national scale, but nice if you want to go out for music or a play for date night. I really liked the library too.  Good range of medical care and a decent-sized airport. My retirement plans are to land near family, but if I were just picking based on amenities and how much I liked various places, I'd seriously consider Boise out of the many places I have lived.

In terms of daughter's employment, Boise itself has jobs--but is also reachable from Spokane, Seattle and Portland. Seattle and Portland are very attractive to young people and we knew a lot of young adults who went there for a few years and then came home to Boise for better housing prices.

[FLBiker]

Never been to Boise, but Sarasota is nice.  I live in Tampa.  It's near nice beaches (Bradenton / Anna Maria Island) and has some good theater.  They also have good ballet and opera.

[Bikesy]

I'm admittedly bias because I grew up in Sarasota; however, there is nowhere I'd rather retire.  Best beaches in the U.S., phenomenal fishing, and a quaint/artsy downtown.  It is hot almost all year but it sure beats a freezing winter!

[spokey doke]

We are in our very early 50's and are getting close to being able to retire from our real jobs.....probably about 18 months more and that'll be it.  We want to move out of SoCal after retirement.

We are looking at Boise and Sarasota.  We have friends and family in both places.  Idaho has a state income tax over 7%, Florida has zero.  Aside from the obvious beach vs mountain (we can adapt to recreation at both places), I'd love to hear opinions about both areas from anyone who may have considered either.  One big consideration we have is our middle-teens daughter.  We want to maximize our chances she will settle close to us, so career opportunities for her are a consideration.  Thanks.

Idaho is not at the very top for places to retire, but overall it is usually ranked as one of the better states.

Like Noodle says, very conservative state politics but Boise is a progressive city, great recreation resources in the city, right outside it, and nearby (largest track of roadless area in the lower 48 occupies most of the center of the state).  And the city is just nice, with many good restaurants in a fun downtown, a growing university right across the river from downtown.  Good medical care, reasonable real estate, blah blah.

I think you'd really need to spend time in each place and get a feel for the culture, landscape, and opportunities.

[F313]

Thanks for the responses.  Anyone out there have a feel for the relative cost of home and auto insurance, food, and property taxes (for similarly priced properties), in Boise vs Sarasota?  I'm wondering if lower costs on things like this could offset the state income tax in Idaho...?

[Jeremy E.]

We are in our very early 50's and are getting close to being able to retire from our real jobs.....probably about 18 months more and that'll be it.  We want to move out of SoCal after retirement.

We are looking at Boise and Sarasota.  We have friends and family in both places.  Idaho has a state income tax over 7%, Florida has zero.  Aside from the obvious beach vs mountain (we can adapt to recreation at both places), I'd love to hear opinions about both areas from anyone who may have considered either.  One big consideration we have is our middle-teens daughter.  We want to maximize our chances she will settle close to us, so career opportunities for her are a consideration.  Thanks.

A lot of people from Idaho hate Californians that move in, maybe you should just go to Florida. Idaho is also one of the reddest states in the country.

[startingsmall]

I know nothing about Idaho, but I grew up in Sarasota and constantly kick myself for ever moving away!  So many things to do there... the beach, the arts, the Legacy Trail, bike-friendly roads/neighborhoods, nearby state parks, great restaurants, etc etc.  Career opportunities in Sarasota would depend on your daughter's goals, but Tampa/Orlando/Jacksonville would surely have something to offer and would at least be nearby.

[pbkmaine]

I live in Florida, inland, an hour north of Orlando. Homeowners insurance is expensive here, particularly on the coast. We have torrential rain and high winds, hurricanes and flooding. We are the lightning capital of the world. Oh, and did I mention the sinkholes? Lots of sinkholes. What you would pay would depend on the elevation of your lot and distance from the water, but could easily be in the thousands.

As far as jobs go, with its older population Florida is a great place for healthcare workers, particularly those with geriatric specialties.

[Fuzz]

I'd find an AirBnB for a month in each place. For the kind of decision you're making, I'd visit both and spend some time. You should  *feel* which one is right for you.

[mhlavac]

I currently live in Eagle Idaho after living in both Southern (Riverside) and Northern (Sacramento) CA.

The Boise area is nice.  People are generally friendly and aren't idiots on the road.  Often times they will let you pull out of a driveway, holding up traffic.  I've never observed any anti-California sentiment with the people that I've interacted with - either in Boise or any of the smaller towns.  In terms of the weather, there are 4 distinct seasons.  January is a bit grey because of an inversion where the clouds settle into the valley, but drive up into the hills and you're in the sunshine.  Summers are warm and generally have a couple of weeks of 100+ degree days in July and August.  A large snowstorm will drop 3" in the valley and generally melt within 24 hours.  Ice can sometimes stick around on the roads for a while, but you learn to deal with it.  4-wheel drive vehicles are not required.

Cost of living is significantly less than any part of California.  Eagle is a nice area and a 3000 square foot house in a nice area, near the green belt (great exercise, biking path) will run you between 250k - 400k, depending on the ammenities and age of the house.  Houses tend to run a bit larger here than CA I've noticed as a general rule.  Things like gas, electricity and insurance generally run a little cheaper than California as well.

One of the big advantages of Boise is the ability to go outdoors most of the year.  I've already mentioned the greenbelt, but there are multiple farmers markets, skiing during the winter 30 minutes from downtown, hunting/hiking/camping/ATVing and many other activities.

Some things that I didn't expect coming from CA?  Many things either aren't open on Sunday or close early.  Liberal views are rare in the state, more common in Boise.  College education isn't pushed by many parents here in Idaho - it's available, but many teens and twenty-somethings don't take advantage of it.  Unemployment is low, but many of the jobs that are out there right now are low wage, service sector jobs.  Higher paying jobs are out there, but harder to find because of a smaller population base and more of an emphasis on farming/ranching in the state.  You'll also likely become a Boise State (football) fan.  It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement, go to occasional games and root for a local team that is doing well and getting better.

[F313]

More great info.  Thanks very much.  We visited Boise this summer. Nice town, nice people.  The downtown was lively, clean and a lot of fun. With BSU and the Capitol right there, it had a lot going for it. Eagle was a pretty suburb. Very nice houses under $400k. However, it was about 100 degrees out when we there, which did not thrill my wife.  But hey, it was a dry heat...