Hawaii to Idaho Moving Guide
Updated June 7, 2025

Planning a interstate move from Hawaii to Idaho? This moving guide will help you compare living in Hawaii vs Idaho across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs affordable housing), food & health (like Poke vs Idaho Potatoes), real estate & housing (plantation, modern vs ranch, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Hawaii), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Poke and Kalua Pig, but get your taste buds ready for Idaho Potatoes & Idaho Trout
- Idaho housing costs are 47% less expensive than they are in Hawaii
- Rent in Idaho is 44.91% more affordable than in Hawaii
- Our top recommended Hawaii to Idaho movers is 208 Moving Company
Hawaii to Idaho Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Hawaii to Idaho
- High cost of living
- Limited space
- Heavy traffic
- Island isolation
- Affordable housing
- Spacious landscapes
- Less congestion
- Continental access
- No ocean access
- Cold winters
- Less diversity
- Seasonal activities
- Stunning beaches
- Warm climate
- Cultural diversity
- Year-round activities
Pros of moving from Hawaii to Idaho
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to affordable housing
- Look forward to moving away from limited space and moving to Idaho with spacious landscapes
- Swap the heavy traffic of Hawaii for less congestion in Idaho
- Get ready for continental access in Idaho
Cons of moving from Hawaii to Idaho
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from stunning beaches in Hawaii to live with no ocean access in Idaho
- You'll lose out on the pro of a warm climate and have to settle with the con of cold winters
- Time to bid farewell to cultural diversity and get used to less diversity in Idaho
- Swap year-round activities for seasonal activities
Hawaii vs. Idaho: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Poke | Idaho Potatoes |
Most popular meat dish | Kalua Pig | Idaho Trout |
Most popular street food item | Spam Musubi | Fry Sauce |
Most popular vegan food | Taro dishes | Wild Huckleberries |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 |
Abundance of Food Trucks | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 |
Foodie Scene | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 |
Vegan Friendly | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 |
If you're moving from Hawaii to Idaho, you will be trading the iconic poke of Hawaii for the equally delicious Idaho potatoes of Idaho. And while the locals in Hawaii rave about their flavorful Kalua pig and sumptuous spam musubi, Idaho residents know they have tasty Idaho trout and fry sauce to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the taro dishes they've grown to love, they can get ready for the wild huckleberries of Idaho. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Hawaii eateries like Helena's Hawaiian Food, Leonard's Bakery, and Roy's Hawaii. After the boxes are unpacked in Idaho, don't wait too long before making your way to Idaho's acclaimed eateries like Chandler's, Westside Drive-In, and Boise Fry Company.
When comparing lifestyles, Idaho shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Hawaii. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Idaho compared to what you are used to in Hawaii. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Idaho.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Hawaii and Idaho
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Plantation, Modern | Ranch, Craftsman |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Ocean views, Lanais | Mountain views, Spacious yards |
- The Plantation and Modern architecture that Hawaii is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Craftsman architecture typical of Idaho.
- Compared to Hawaii's real estate listings that commonly reference ocean views and lanais, Idaho real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and spacious yards.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. Idaho is less walkable than Hawaii.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Idaho is more bike-friendly than Hawaii.
- Idaho has less of an urban feel than Hawaii.
- Idaho housing costs are 47% less expensive than they are in Hawaii, with a median home price of $451,298 compared to Hawaii’s $858,106.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Idaho have increased by 69% compared to a 38% increase in Hawaii.
- Rent in Idaho is 44.91% more affordable than in Hawaii.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Hawaii and Idaho
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Volcanoes, Tsunamis | Wildfires, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 85°F / 70°F | 85°F / 50°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 78°F / 63°F | 34°F / 15°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 17-40 | 12-28 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 0 | 18-300 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Hawaii to Idaho. Idaho gets 25% fewer sunshine days than Hawaii.
- Idaho has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Hawaii.
- Say goodbye to the possible volcanoes and tsunamis in Hawaii, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and earthquakes in Idaho.
- The average summer high temperature in Idaho is the same as Hawaii.
- The average winter lows are 48 degrees colder than they are in Hawaii.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Idaho. Idaho receives 5 fewer inches of rain compared to Hawaii.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Hawaii and Idaho
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $92,458 | $72,785 |
Cost of Living Index | 165.7 | 91.5 |
State Income Tax | 8.25% | 6.93% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.28% | 0.69% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 4% | 6% |
Top 3 Industries | Tourism, Defense, Agriculture | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Mining |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | High | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Idaho tend to earn about 21% less than in Hawaii
- The COLI in Idaho is 45% lower than what you are used to living in Hawaii
- The state income tax in ID is 6.93% compared to 8.25% in HI
- The affluence in Idaho is moderate compared to high in Hawaii
- The poverty level is low in Idaho compared to moderate in Hawaii
- In terms of homelessness, it is high in Hawaii and low in Idaho
Political and Religious Climate in Hawaii vs. Idaho
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Mostly Democratic | Primarily Republican |
Local Politics | Liberal Policies | Conservative Values |
Religion | Mixed, with a notable Buddhist and Christian population | Largely Christian, with a strong presence of the Latter-Day Saints |
- Hawaii tends to lean mostly Democratic in its political climate
- Idaho, on the other hand, is often described as primarily Republican
- Idaho's religious environment can be described as largely Christian with a strong presence of the Latter-Day Saints
- Hawaii's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as mixed with a notable Buddhist and Christian population
Education Guide When Moving from Hawaii to Idaho
Comparison | Hawaii | Idaho |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Pacific University Chaminade University of Honolulu | Boise State University University of Idaho Idaho State University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Manoa Elementary (Honolulu) Noelani Elementary (Honolulu) Maemae Elementary School (Honolulu) | Longfellow Elementary (Boise) Adams Elementary (Boise) Roosevelt Elementary (Boise) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Iolani School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) | North Junior High (Boise) Les Bois Junior High (Boise) Lake Hazel Middle School (Boise) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Punahou School (Honolulu) Iolani School (Honolulu) Moanalua High School (Honolulu) | Boise High School (Boise) Renaissance High School (Meridian) Coeur d'Alene High School (Coeur d'Alene) |
Top 3 private high schools | Punahou School (Honolulu) Iolani School (Honolulu) Mid-Pacific Institute (Honolulu) | Bishop Kelly High School (Boise) The Ambrose School (Meridian) Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy (Coeur d'Alene) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Le Jardin Academy (Kailua) Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Kamuela) Punahou School (Honolulu) | The Ambrose School (Meridian) Riverstone International School (Boise) Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy (Coeur d'Alene) |
Top 3 School Districts | Honolulu School District Central Oahu District Windward Oahu District | Boise School District West Ada School District Coeur d'Alene School District |
Top Hawaii to Idaho Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Hawaii to Idaho movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.