When you’re considering relocating to a new city this is one of the first questions that comes to mind – is it safe? People usually move to another city because job prospects are better or the cost of living is lower, or indeed because they want their children to grow up in a different environment. Many people come to Boise because the real estate market is hot and you can get yourself a great home at a decent price, but of course, they want to know if they and their family will be safe.
The answer is YES! Boise is a great place to live as crime is low not only in this city but all over the beautiful state of Idaho. You don’t have to take our word for it, we have compiled some hard figures to help you understand why Idahoans don’t worry much about crime.
According to a 2020 report on the safest cities in Idaho, Boise was ranked in the top 20 which says quite a lot as the Gem State is generally considered safe by its residents. Idahoans worry about their safety less than people in other states. Only 35% of the people in Idaho worry about crime on a daily basis, which is 11 percentage points below the national average.
Basically, Boise is one of the safest cities in a very safe state.
What are Idahoans most worried about?
This is one of the most surprising findings of the survey we mentioned – the people of Idaho worry most about mass shootings, even though there’s never been one in the state! That can be explained by the fact that they have little reason to worry about violent or property crimes in their state, so they can afford the luxury of being concerned about something they’ve only seen on TV so far. If you look at national figures, you’ll see that 40% of Americans list physical assault by a stranger as their top safety concern. In Idaho, only 25% of the people are worried about that.
Also, in Idaho, the violent crime rate is significantly lower than the national average: 2.3 incidents per 1,000 people, as compared to 3.7, which is the national average.
Boise is one of the safest cities in the world
With a population of approximately 225,000 residents, Boise has little to no crime, which is why in 2017, it was voted number 8 on the list of the safest cities in the world. Only one other US city made it to the list, Salt Lake City in Utah, which came in at #49. Boise got an overall safety index of 82.29, which means kids can walk home from school without worry, and many people still leave their doors unlocked.
In order to assess how safe residents and visitors feel, people were asked to answer questions such as “How safe do you feel walking alone in the city during the night?”, “How worried are you about being mugged/robbed?”, and “How worried are you about having things stolen from your car?”. Since Boise got such a high ranking you can pretty much guess residents answered they’re not worried about being victims of a violent crime.
Just to give you an idea of how Idahoans feel about property crime, burglaries and theft – one survey showed people are more afraid of having their digital data stolen than of someone stealing their car.
There’s so little concern over crime in Idaho, that only 15% of its residents use a home security system (compared to 24% nationally). The most common form of protection is a guard dog, with 41%, followed by firearms at 40%.
Boise residents volunteer for the Community Emergency Response Team
One of the main reasons the people of Boise aren’t very concerned about their safety is that they have a well-organized Community Emergency Response Team, ready to act in case of a terrorist attack or natural disasters. A Community Emergency Response Team relies on volunteers – individuals, organizations, and businesses trained to assist local and federal agencies and first responders in case of emergency.
Each CERT member completes 20 hours of training on disaster preparedness, basic medical operations in an emergency situation, fire safety, light search, and rescue so they can intervene when emergency services and first responders are overwhelmed.
Boise residents take safety quite seriously so that even teenagers are encouraged to take part in CERT programs. Volunteers learn how to intervene in all sorts of emergency – from earthquakes to fires, especially wildfires.
Best neighborhoods in the City of Trees
Over the past decade, the city of Boise has become a magnet for people looking for a tight-knit community, great job opportunities, and easy access to the great outdoors. Despite the rapid growth in population, new residents quickly adapt to local standards, which are quite tough on crimes of any sort. It’s not just law enforcement agencies that take crime pretty serious, it’s the residents as well. Like throughout the state, the people in Boise are generally armed, which is a great crime deterrent.
One of the best areas to live in Boise is North End, which is located just a bit north of the city’s downtown. This is an area with many historic buildings and houses dating back to the 19th century, peaceful streets, and parks where children can play with the parents having to worry about their safety.
Other great residential areas in the City of Trees are Northwest Boise, Southeast Boise, and, of course, East End, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city.
Quick recap: Boise is one of the safest cities in the Gem State, generally recognized as one of the best places to live in the Western part of the US. Violent and property crime rates are well below national averages, and in many parts of Boise, you will find that many people feel confident enough to leave their doors unlocked. One of the reasons Boise residents feel safe is that they take a great interest in ensuring their own safety and many volunteer for their local Community Emergency Response Team. Should anything happen to their wonderful city, the people of Boise are ready!
