Californians flee to Montana, Idaho for off-grid homes with doomsday bunkers

Key Points:

• Many Californians are relocating to safer, rural states like Idaho and Montana, seeking affordable homes on large plots of land often equipped with underground bunkers and stocked with weapons for security.
• Relocation consultant Todd Savage reports that 80% of his clients are from California, motivated by high taxes, rising crime, and restrictive gun laws, with many desiring more personal freedom and safer environments to raise families.
• The demographic of those moving has shifted to younger adults aged 30-50, moving away from previous retirees, reflecting growing concerns about crime and self-defense limitations in California.
• Savage highlights northern Idaho as an attractive destination offering natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and fewer regulations, contrasting it with California's urban challenges and high cost of living.
• Increasing distrust in government and concerns over food supply stability are driving demand for off-grid, self-sustaining lifestyles, while criticism is leveled at California’s ineffective spending on homelessness and deteriorating urban safety.