Idaho to New York Moving Guide
Updated June 13, 2025

Planning a 2,491 mile interstate move from Idaho to New York? This moving guide will help you compare living in Idaho vs New York across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like limited job market vs diverse job opportunities), food & health (like Idaho Potatoes vs New York Cheesecake), real estate & housing (ranch, craftsman vs brownstone, high-rise), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New York), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Idaho Potatoes and Idaho Trout, but get your taste buds ready for New York Cheesecake & Buffalo Wings
- New York housing costs are 2% more expensive than they are in Idaho
- Rent in New York is 54.68% more expensive than in Idaho
- Moving from Idaho to New York will cost on average between $2,500 - $9,500
- Our top recommended Idaho to New York movers is JP Urban Moving
Idaho to New York Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Idaho to New York
- Limited job market
- Lack of cultural diversity
- Harsh winters
- Limited public transport
- Few entertainment options
- Diverse job opportunities
- Cultural melting pot
- Milder winters
- Extensive public transit
- Endless entertainment
- Concrete jungle
- High cost of living
- Anonymous city life
- Fast-paced lifestyle
- Limited green space
- Natural beauty
- Low cost of living
- Close-knit communities
- Relaxed lifestyle
- Wide open spaces
Pros of moving from Idaho to New York
- Say goodbye to the limited job market and hello to diverse job opportunities
- Look forward to moving away from the lack of cultural diversity and moving to New York with its cultural melting pot
- Swap the harsh winters of Idaho for milder winters in New York
- Get ready for extensive public transit in New York
Cons of moving from Idaho to New York
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the natural beauty in Idaho to live with the concrete jungle in New York
- You'll lose out on the pro of a low cost of living and have to settle for the con of a high cost of living
- Time to bid farewell to close-knit communities and get used to anonymous city life in New York
- Swap a relaxed lifestyle for a fast-paced lifestyle
Idaho vs. New York: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Idaho Potatoes | New York Cheesecake |
Most popular meat dish | Idaho Trout | Buffalo Wings |
Most popular street food item | Finger Steaks | Hot Dogs (Nathanβs Famous) |
Most popular vegan food | Wild Huckleberry Pie | Bagels with Vegan Cream Cheese |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Idaho to New York, you will be trading the iconic Idaho Potatoes of Idaho for the equally delicious New York Cheesecake of New York. And while the locals in Idaho rave about their flavorful Idaho Trout and sumptuous Finger Steaks, New York residents know they have tasty Buffalo Wings and Hot Dogs (Nathanβs Famous) to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Wild Huckleberry Pie they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Bagels with Vegan Cream Cheese of New York. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Idaho eateries like The Viking Drive-In, Duck Valley Cafe, and Goldy's Breakfast Bistro. After the boxes are unpacked in New York, don't wait too long before making your way to New York's acclaimed eateries like Katz's Delicatessen, Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem, and Di Fara Pizza.
When comparing lifestyles, New York shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Idaho. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New York compared to what you are used to in Idaho. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in New York.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Idaho and New York
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch, Craftsman | Brownstone, High-rise |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Mountain views, "open space" | Proximity to subway, "luxury finishes" |
- The Ranch and Craftsman architecture that Idaho is known for will be replaced with the Brownstone and High-rise architecture typical of New York.
- Compared to Idaho's real estate listings that commonly reference mountain views and 'open space', New York real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to the subway and 'luxury finishes'.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. New York is more walkable than Idaho.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. New York is more bike-friendly than Idaho.
- New York has more of an urban feel than Idaho.
- New York housing costs are 2% more expensive than they are in Idaho, with a median home price of $460,812 compared to Idahoβs $451,298.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New York have increased 36% compared to a 69% increase in Idaho.
- Rent in New York is 54.68% more expensive than in Idaho.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Idaho and New York
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Wildfires, earthquakes | Hurricanes, blizzards |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 50Β°F | 80Β°F / 65Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 30Β°F / 15Β°F | 40Β°F / 20Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 18 | 42 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 60 | 25 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Idaho to New York. New York gets 9% more sunshine days than Idaho.
- New York has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Idaho.
- Say goodbye to the possible wildfires and earthquakes in Idaho, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and blizzards in New York.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in New York is 5 degrees colder than in Idaho.
- The average winter lows in New York are 5 degrees warmer than they are in Idaho.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in New York. New York receives 24 more inches of rain compared to Idaho.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Idaho and New York
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $72,785 | $79,557 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.5 | 102.8 |
State Income Tax | 6.925 | 4 to 10.9 |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.75 | 1.4 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6 | 4 to 8.875 |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Technology, Manufacturing | Finance, Healthcare, Technology |
Affluence | Modest | Diverse |
Poverty | Moderate | Varied |
Homelessness | Low | Significant |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New York tend to earn about 9% more than those in Idaho
- The COLI in New York will be 12% higher than what you are used to living in Idaho
- The state income tax in NY is 4 to 10.9 compared to 6.925 in ID
- The affluence in New York is diverse compared to modest in Idaho
- The poverty level is varied in New York compared to moderate in Idaho
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Idaho and significant in New York
Political and Religious Climate in Idaho vs. New York
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Conservative-leaning | Liberal-leaning |
Local Politics | Local government decisions reflect conservative values | Local government decisions reflect liberal values |
Religion | Higher prevalence of Protestant and LDS (Mormon) | Diverse religious landscape including Catholics, Jews, Muslims |
- Idaho tends to lean conservative in its political climate
- New York, on the other hand, is often described as liberal
- New York's religious environment can be described as a diverse religious landscape including Catholics, Jews, and Muslims
- Idaho's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a higher prevalence of Protestant and LDS (Mormon)
Education Guide When Moving from Idaho to New York
Comparison | Idaho | New York |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Boise State University University of Idaho Idaho State University | New York University Columbia University Cornell University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Pioneer School of the Arts (Meridian) White Pine Elementary (Boise) Adams Elementary (Boise) | Success Academy Charter School-Bronx 2 P.S. 77 Lower Lab School P.S. 172 Beacon School of Excellence (all in New York City) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | North Star Charter School (Eagle) Galileo STEM Academy (Eagle) Heritage Middle School (Meridian) | Lab Middle School for Collaborative Studies NEST+m MS 255 Salk School of Science (all in New York City) |
Top 3 High Schools | Boise High School (Boise) Renaissance High School (Meridian) Coeur d'Alene High School (Coeur d'Alene) | Stuyvesant High School Bronx High School of Science Brooklyn Technical High School (all in New York City) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Ambrose School (Meridian) Bishop Kelly High School (Boise) Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy (Coeur d'Alene) | Horace Mann School Trinity School Collegiate School (all in New York City) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Riverstone International School (Boise) Sun Valley Community School (Sun Valley) The Sage School (Hailey) | The Brearley School The Chapin School Dalton School (all in New York City) |
Top 3 School Districts | Boise School District Blaine County School District Madison School District | Scarsdale Union Free School District Jericho Union Free School District Great Neck Public Schools |
How Much Do Idaho to New York Movers Cost?
Moving 2,491 miles from Idaho to New York will typically cost between $4,000 and $9,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $4,000 - $9,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-7 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Magical Moving & Storage
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,615 | 300 ft3 | $8.72 |
1 Bedroom | $3,900 | 450 ft3 | $8.67 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,462 | 750 ft3 | $8.62 |
3 Bedrooms | $9,422 | 1100 ft3 | $8.57 |
4 Bedrooms | $13,625 | 1600 ft3 | $8.52 |
5+ Bedrooms | $15,238 | 1800 ft3 | $8.47 |
Top Idaho to New York Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Idaho to New York movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.