Boise residents are struggling: New poll reveals who has been hit by rising costs
Boise residents have seen their costs of living increase in recent years. Bigger bills and ever-increasing rent has left many locals with new financial worries as they scramble to pay for even the most basic necessities.
More than two-thirds of Boise and Garden City renters struggle to pay rent each month. Two in five report that making rent each month is “very difficult.” To meet higher costs, more than a third of residents have cut back on health care, while more than half of young people have taken second jobs.
The dire situation of renters stands in sharp contrast to homeowners, where only one in 50 reported that paying the mortgage is “very difficult.”
The findings come in a survey conducted by Embold Research, a new, nonpartisan, nonpolitical division of Change Research, a Bay Area firm that does online-only polling for advocacy groups and Democratic candidates. Embold funded the survey itself as a way to introduce the company to the Boise market.
The company surveyed 924 adults online in Boise and Garden City, Idaho, between Friday, May 7, and Wednesday, May 12.
What bills are Boise residents struggling to pay?
When it comes to how difficult it has been for locals to pay their bills over the past few years, the survey revealed a significant number of people are struggling.
Rising housing costs have been one of the most noticeable changes in the area. Rent has increased by 30.8% since last May alone, according to online rental marketplace Apartment List. The survey asked residents how challenging it has been to pay their monthly rent or mortgage over the past few years. Among respondents, 21% of those in Boise found it very difficult to pay and 23% found it somewhat difficult.
Renters struggle significantly more than homeowners. According to respondents, 71% of Boise and Garden City renters found it at least somewhat difficult to pay rent each month, with 41% finding it very difficult. When it came to homeowners, just 18% reported difficulty in paying their mortgage and only 2% said it was very difficult.
Concerns about paying medical bills are another significant worry for Boise, with 50% of residents saying they have found it difficult to pay health care costs.
Thirty percent of respondents found it difficult to pay for food and 27% had a hard time affording utilities.
Where are Boise residents cutting back?
The poll also examined what kinds of financial adjustments locals have made in recent years.
Fifty-six percent of respondents reported saving less for retirement than they did previously. Fifty-four percent cut back on food or groceries, 51% took on credit card debt, 39% cut back on health care expenses and 12% took on a payday loan.
Forty-eight percent reported working multiple jobs or more hours because of their personal financial situation. Young people are taking the brunt of extra work, with 71% of locals under 35 reporting having worked multiple jobs or extra hours.
Others are making ends meet by moving to more affordable neighborhoods. More than twice as many respondents of color reported relocating to a more affordable neighborhood compared with to white respondents. Thirty-five percent of nonwhite residents having done so in recent years.
Attitudes toward neighbors remain positive
While the population boom may have led to fears of Boise residents becoming less welcoming, the poll shows attitudes to newcomers remain positive. At 74%, the majority of locals consider Boise to be welcoming of new residents. And while not quite as high, 57% of respondents said they feel a sense of belonging to Boise.
Despite the changing nature of the city, Boise residents still trust one another. When asked to rank from 0 to 10 how much they trust people, Boise residents gave an average rating of 5.3. A national poll in March found that the average American adult gave a 4.3 on the same scale.
Top issues, poll methodology
“The overwhelming top issue when it comes to growth and development in Boise is housing affordability,” Embold pollster Nicole Bare said by email. “When asked to pick two from a list of seven, 60% of respondents indicate they are most concerned about lack of affordable housing. This was the top issue for every subgroup, with the exception of seniors, who prioritize their concern about more traffic (47%), and those who supported Trump in the 2020 election, who are most concerned about changing culture and values (54%).”
Embold Research recruited respondents to the survey online and said it made adjustments in age, gender, race/ethnicity, education and geography to match five-year estimates of demographics of Boise and Garden City. The local results are compared with a national survey of 941 adults across the United States between March 18 and March 30.
The poll’s margin of error is 3.4%, Embold said.
This story was originally published June 5, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
