What's Behind Boise's Success

This article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer looks at the conditions that have made Boise one of the country's most successful and thriving cities.

2 minute read

October 10, 2007, 8:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Downtown Boise has a vibrant, prosperous feel to it, between the new construction and the restored buildings, the landscaped parks along both banks of the Boise River (which features a takeout point in the middle of town for inner-tube float trips) and the sort of urban-lifestyle amenities that used to be considered the exclusive province of major metro areas such as Seattle but are increasingly seen in midsize and small American towns as well."

"In fact, Boise has a couple of amenities that much-larger Seattle hasn't yet achieved -- not one but two Basque-cuisine restaurants (along with a Basque museum, cultural center and grocery store) and a distillery pub that produces its own gin, vodka and rum."

"Such is Boise's economic success that it has prompted the inevitable worries about pressure on traffic and housing prices."

"Statistics tend to back up the windshield and street-level observations. Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was a record low 2.3 percent, the same as for the Boise-Nampa area."

"Boise has also benefited from a triumvirate of relatively stable employment generators -- state government, health care and higher education (Boise State, smurf turf and all, is just across the river from downtown and is the state's largest university, with 18,600 students). It also doesn't hurt to be a relatively large population center far from any others (the closest major cities are Portland and Seattle, both more than 400 miles to the west, and Salt Lake City, more than 300 miles to the southeast)."

Monday, October 8, 2007 in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight