What Is Idaho Known For?
Idaho, which is nestled in the northwest of the United States, has a population of only 1.8 million people. For comparison, 3.75 million people live within the city limits of Los Angeles, and California boasts more than 39 million residents.
Source: Britannica
But Idaho’s space is one of the best things about the state. There is an incredible amount of natural beauty, from hot springs to waterfalls, recreational centers, and so much more. Additionally, the capital city of Boise is full of museums, interesting architecture, and plenty of live jazz.
Idaho’s Population Has Grown by 12% Since 2018
While Idaho is still one of the least populated states in the nation, it has been steadily gaining more residents every year. In fact, the Gem State’s population has grown by more than 12% since 2018.
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The majority of the new Idahoans originally hailed from its western neighbors, California, Washington, and Oregon. And while each person certainly has their own reasons for making the move, one of the most common is Idaho’s politics.
Idaho Is One of the Most Republican States in the Country
Idaho has not voted for a Democratic president since 1964, making it one of the most consistently Republican states in America.
Source: Wikipedia
Idaho certainly bleeds red, and its policies and political leaders reflect that. While its laws and regulations, or rather lack thereof, wouldn’t appeal to everyone, there are many people who believe Idaho is truly the definition of “American.”
The Freedom of the Wild West
Bryan Zielinski, who moved to Idaho from Seattle, Washington, in 2023, told FOXNews what he loves about living in the Gem State.
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Zielinski said, “It’s a very American culture. It’s a culture of the West. Of extreme freedom and prosperity.” What the Idahoan likes about his new home is that he can be “left alone,” specifically by the state’s government.
COVID-19 Restrictions Drove Thousands of People to “Free” Idaho
One of the many reasons Americans like Zielinski decided to move to Idaho over the past few years was its alternative response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In states like Washington and Oregon, the mask mandates continued until March 2022, and schools were closed for years.
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However, in Idaho, businesses and schools were only closed for a few months, and the government never instated any kind of mask mandate. Many Americans who didn’t agree with the government’s decisions to enforce mandatory lockdowns, close businesses, or social distancing saw Idaho as a beacon of light in a dark world.
There Are Essentially No Gun Laws in Idaho
For other Americans, one of the best aspects of living in Idaho is that the state has virtually no gun laws. There are no regulations regulating high-capacity magazines, and residents are even allowed to own machine guns as long as they are registered.
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Additionally, Idaho allows residents to carry concealed and visible firearms. Zielinski, an adamant Second Amendment defender, explained, “You go to Walmart, you’re going to run into 15, 20 people that are open carrying. It’s awesome.”
Idaho Does Have Some Strict Laws
While many people argue that Idaho is the definition of the “home of the free,” the state does implement several laws that other states don’t. For example, Idaho instituted a ban on transition drugs and surgeries for transgender children under the age of 18.
Source: Freepik
Abortion is illegal in Idaho from the moment of fertilization, and a person who performs an abortion could face five years in prison, making it one of the strictest states in the country. Furthermore, possession of more than three ounces of marijuana is illegal and could lead to five years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
Idaho Cut More Than 1,800 Pages of Regulations
With the exception of these few laws, Idaho is hyper-focused on deregulating the state. In 2020, Governor Brad Little announced that he and his administration had cut 1,800 pages of regulations from the state’s bylaws.
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The Mayor of Sandpoint, Idaho, Jeremy Grimm, explained, “Idaho has been cutting regulations statewide while other states such as Washington [and] Oregon have been adding regulations. Although many regulations are good intentioned, they kind of live on forever.”
Some Say Democrats Are More Oppressive Than Conservatives
Even with Idaho’s few strict regulations regarding abortion, transgender rights, and marijuana, many new residents of the state argue that they have far more freedoms in a Red state than they did in a Blue one.
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Nick Kostenborder, who moved from Portland, Oregon, to Idaho in 2020, told the press, “I see the Democrats as being far more oppressive than the conservatives.”
New Residents Say They Won’t Impose West Coast “Garbage” on Idaho
Of course, some new Idaho residents may not agree with the state’s specific laws. However, several of the new residents who spoke to FOXNews explained that they don’t feel it’s their right to try to change the existing residents’ opinions.
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Zielinski said, “We don’t need to impose California, Oregon, and Washington garbage into Idaho. We don’t need it. We’re perfect as we are.” And Kostenborder said, “The last thing I’m going to do is be the libertarian from Portland, show up here and be like, ‘Hey man, this place is way better than where I came from. Now, you know what you knuckle-draggers need to do is start doing things the way we did them in Portland.’”
People Also Love Idaho’s Relaxed and Friendly Vibe
While its lack of regulations is important, many of Idaho’s new residents also explained that their love for the state is based on more than just its politics. They enjoy the fact that people in Idaho say hello to passersby on the street and that the energy is just relaxed and friendly.
Source: Freepik
As Seth Horst, a former California resident, explained, “People want to interact, people want to engage with you. I think that’s what’s missing in a lot of society, and I think that’s why people like it here so much.”