What locals in America’s best state to live REALLY think about the influx of West Coast refugees surging to live among its pristine beauty, low crime rates, and affordability

Americans have long dreamed of moving to the Big Apple or settling down on California’s sandy beaches, but a recent analysis found the Potato State may be the best place to set up camp.

WalletHub, a financial planning app and website, released a report earlier this month ranking Idaho as the top state to settle down. 

Although the finding may seem unlikely to some, Jeff Martel, a real estate broker with Better Homes & Gardens, told the Daily Mail that life in Idaho is ‘unmatched.’ 

‘It’s truly a lifestyle that you just don’t get other places,’ he explained. 

Martel chalked up the state’s newfound popularity to affordability, low crime rates, family-oriented communities and unparalleled access to the great outdoors.

WalletHub gave Idaho a total score of 60.15, with an affordability rank of 10, an economic rank of seven, an education and health rank of 22, a quality-of-life rank of 31, and a safety rank of three. 

The analysis stated that Idaho has one of the lowest median real estate tax rates in the country and a high homeownership rate. 

The Gem State also has low tax rates, high median household income growth, low commute times, the 14th-lowest violent crime rate and the lowest property crime rate. 

Martel noted that Idaho differed from its neighboring Western states because there was a greater sense of wealth equality. 

‘When I visit San Francisco, you can be walking down the street, a Lamborghini’s gonna drive by, and there’s a homeless guy passed out on the street next to it,’ Martel said.

‘Here, you wouldn’t know who has money and who doesn’t. Everyone’s just doing well, and the guy in the beat-up old pickup truck and dirty overalls probably has the most money.’

Martel grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but relocated with his wife over two decades ago for a ‘different way of life.’ 

They settled on Idaho and immediately had ‘reverse sticker shock,’ which motivated Martel to pursue a career in real estate. 

Martel and his family live in Eagle, a suburb outside of Boise. He praised the capital city’s cleanliness and safety.  

‘When someone comes and visits from, say, LA, they’re just blown away by how clean it is, how vibrant it is, how safe it is, and that’s what attracts people,’ he said.

‘It’s just all the good parts of having a big city without the bad parts.’

‘Crime is incredibly low here. You don’t lock your doors, you don’t have to lock your car, you don’t have to worry about any of that,’ he added, joking that ‘police are bored,’ he added.

US News and World Report also ranks Idaho third in public safety. There are only 231 violent criminal offenders for every 100,000 residents, which is lower than the national average of 359. 

‘People feel safe moving here and that’s what attracts them versus what they’re dealing with maybe in places like Portland or Seattle or San Francisco where they have to watch everything all the time,’ Martel said. 

Washington ranks 26th for crime and corrections, while California is 36th, according to US News & World Report. 

WalletHub also gave the Western states low safety scores, with Washington at 46 for highest crime rates and California at 38. 

Martel also noted that Idaho residents who have moved from another state are likely from Washington or California. 

He said that California was once the top influx state for Idaho, but migration has recently shifted to Washington. 

‘It’s very expensive in Washington, the Seattle area. The tax structure is changing there, which is the impetus for why people are wanting to move. We see a steady flow of people coming here,’ Martel said. 

Data compiled by Redfin supports a similar narrative, with the top outbound cities to Idaho listed as New York, New York; Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California.

Martel described those moving to the Gem State as ‘either political or economic refugees.’ 

Idaho is a deeply conservative state and is one of the reddest in the country. It has a Republican trifecta, with the party controlling the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general and both chambers of the state legislature. 

‘It’s just a lot of like-minded people who move here. It’s more of a conservative state. They’re conservative in terms of politics, conservative in terms of regulation, and it’s very family-oriented.’ 

Martel also dispelled the notion that Idaho does not have much to do, pointing to the ski culture and public lands. 

Others are seemingly taking note to what Idaho offers, as the state ranked second in the nation last year for population growth rate, according to the US Census Bureau’s recent estimates.

Following Idaho on WalletHub’s rankings were New Jersey, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which rounded out the top five. 

The last ranked states were Arkansas, Alaska, Mississippi, Louisiana and lastly, New Mexico.