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What is it like moving to Idaho?
I received the following letter from a friend who moved out of Washington late 2025.
Dear _____,
As you know, my wife and I moved to Northern Idaho in the third quarter of 2025. The long dreaded move came as result of Washington’s increasingly confiscatory tax regime which is certain to get worse. Now nearly six months into the move, we have found the following:
There is a sense of freedom in North Idaho, we have only seen when traveling abroad and visiting with American expats. American travelers express a sense of freedom to speak more directly and openly than they feel at home. This is a common occurrence and often observed by Americans living abroad;
There is a friendliness among our neighbors, all of whom are conservative, most are openly Christian;
County officials are friendly, accommodating and pleasantly communicative;
Contractors and sub-contractors show up at the appointed day and time to do remodel work on the house;
Gasoline prices are consistently one dollar less than across the line into Washington. Food, shelter and clothing are marginally less expensive and the sales tax is 6% versus 8+% in Washington;
There are more churches, of various stripe, per capita, mostly conservative and bible oriented;
Although there is a small, loud LGBT community they are considered a mentally ill element who should be watched cautiously, but are viewed sympathetically as needing treatment;
The public school system has some woke-ism in the curriculum, driven mainly by Progressive teachers but the state appears to be dealing with that problem;
Immigration into the state has changed. Until about five years ago, most refugees were from California but most are now from Washington. Several real estate agents have moved from Washington to Idaho to facilitate moving here, providing contacts with contractors and even assistance with registering vehicles and registering to vote;
Real estate prices are inordinately high due to strong demand by Washingtonians, but taper off marginally the farther one gets out of the Coeur d’Alene general area;
Having grown up, raised a family, owned several businesses in Washington, making the decision to move was difficult for us. We remain in close contact with our circle of friends across Washington and they come to visit us;
We have settled in. Have moved all of our assets out of Washington, except for two pieces of real estate which are going on the market in April; by mid-year we expect to be entirely out from under Washington’s tax regime;
Many people are posting on “X” their wishes, or intentions to move out of state to protect financial assets or to protect their children or grandchildren from the increasingly predatory Child Protective Services.
Everyone has different circumstances. But, until the Washington political scene changes, one’s entire net worth is in jeopardy from the Legislature and, perhaps even more discouraging, the state’s declared war on the parent/child relationship mandates protecting children from predators. Band-aid measures aren’t the solution. Washington needs an entire makeover.
Thanks for posting this note. I hope it is helpful for those sitting on the fence about making a move.
Sincerely,
Tom
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