Why I Love Living in Nampa, Idaho — and You Will, Too
Originally from Reno, NV, Maddie Huff moved to Boise to attend Boise State University in 2016 and loved it so much she decided to stay and make the Treasure Valley her permanent home. Her husband’s family is from Nampa, and the couple resides in nearby Meridian. She is a business development representative and branding specialist for Pioneer Title Co. in Nampa and has also participated in the Leadership Nampa program. Through her work, Huff is actively involved in the Nampa community. Read on to learn about why she’s happy to call the region home.
What are you enjoying most about Nampa so far?
One of the things that I love about Nampa is the community. Everyone cares about what’s happening and cares about people. I’m the president-elect of the Kiwanis Club, and one of the things that really showed that sense of community is adopting our annual Christmas family and just seeing the donations and the care that people give to those in need.
Could you describe your experience with the Nampa job market? Specifically, what was it like finding a job there?
It was relatively easy for me because I just moved from Meridian to Nampa with the same company, but once I started getting involved in the community and getting to know people, things were super easy. Everyone’s so welcoming, and it’s not hard to break into the community here.
We have a lot of bigger, industrial companies here, like Autovol, which is automated volumetric manufacturing. They basically build apartment-like units with robots and are able to ship them to places like California, where it’s more expensive to physically build apartments. They’ve created a whole bunch of jobs. Amazon also opened a second same-day delivery facility here, and that created a few hundred jobs, too.
Do you have any favorite restaurants or coffee shops that you’d recommend?
There are so many! Brick 29 Bistro is a very popular one; it’s one of the higher-end restaurants in town. Jalapenos Bar & Grill is locally owned and is fabulous as well. Also, they’re bringing more life to downtown Nampa, so there are a couple of new up-and-coming bars. One is called The Syringa, an another is The Sick Stag. As far as coffee, I go to Flying M Coffee a lot.
What are some of the best places to see live music?
Nampa has the Ford Idaho Center, which attracts a lot of big-name performers. They just passed the Nampa Auditorium District tax, which doesn’t affect the people living here, but people who are visiting and staying in hotels.
Hopefully, with that tax, they can improve the acts they get, even though they’re great now, and get even bigger names. But the Ford Idaho Center is fabulous for live music.
How would you spend your perfect Saturday in Nampa?
It depends on the time of year. In the summer, the Nampa Farmers Market is great and close to downtown. I’d do that in the morning. Then, grab lunch downtown and poke around in the shops around there, too.
Ideally, I’d end with a concert in the evening at the Ford Idaho Center. In the winter, the town does a big Christmas Tree Lighting the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is a great community get-together. It’s free and really fun.
What’s something you think more people should know about Nampa?
I feel like most people think of Idaho and think of Boise, but Nampa, Caldwell and the surrounding areas are so great and the people are so welcoming, too. It’s been nice to get to know people here not only on a professional level but also on a personal level. Nampa isn’t necessarily where people think to settle down, but I wish they would.
When I first moved to Boise in 2016, I thought Nampa was a whole other world, when in reality it’s just 20 minutes away.
Get Plugged in With Leadership Nampa
For the past 30 years, Leadership Nampa has been shaping tomorrow’s leaders. The Nampa Chamber of Commerce facilitates the nine-month program, providing participants the chance to learn about the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the community while making new connections.
“It lets you see what goes on behind the scenes and gives you an inside look at what other people’s jobs look like in Nampa, which I thought was really cool. The cohort is about 30 people who you get to know well and keep in touch with after. They’re great to know personally and professionally,” says Maddie Huff, who is a former cohort member.
Huff, a business development representative and branding specialist for Pioneer Title Co., explains that the program is split in two parts. The first half focuses on leadership development, while the rest of the program is more hands-on as the cohort spends time touring local businesses, government buildings, and the police and fire departments.
Similarly, the City of Nampa and Nampa Police Department each host a Citizen’s Academy. These multiweek programs are created to educate residents about how their city functions. For example, with the City of Nampa, participants learn about the responsibilities of mayor and city council, planning and zoning, and parks and rec.
hear from other residents
Meet more people who say that they love to live and work in Nampa at livability.com/id/nampa.
