Info on the CDA, Idaho area (Post Falls, Sandpoint: how much, employment, neighborhoods)

[Marcie R. Vermilye]

My family is considering a move to CDA from Denver. We've read how beautiful it is there and are planning a trip within the next few weeks to check it out for ourselves. We would love suggestions about areas and schools that are good and ones to avoid. It seems as though employment is somewhat hard to come by. Do people commute to other areas (Spokane) to work? We are tired of the extremely cold temps and snow in Denver. What is the snow like in North Idaho? Thanks for any help with this.

[pacalady]

Marcie:

Coeur d' Alene is really pretty, and a nice town to live in. Being relatively small, and now a 'destination place' for many to visit, there are shops, restaurants, boating, close to skiing etc. The winters have been pretty mild the last 4 winters we've been here. We have about 2-3 weeks of snow generally speaking, 6" to 1'. January we usually get a 'cold snap' where it can dip below zero, but it never lasts very long!! By late Feb the early spring flowers are popping up, and by March/April the robins return. Winter's are definately NOT what they used to be!!

I live in Post Falls, just west of CdA. There are jobs in CdA and in Spokane, which is about a 35 minute drive from CdA. With a new Cabellas opening up this fall, Buck Knives is here, the CdA Resort and housing growth, there are quite a few jobs in the CdA / Post Falls area. It depends on what you do!!
Spokane being a larger town has better work opportunities, and is easy to commute to on I-90.

I don't really know of any bad areas (although I'm sure there are some neighborhoods you'd rather not live in!!); It is a friendly clean town, and I think you'll love it!!

The schools are smaller, and there is opportunity for kids to participate in extra cirricular activities that they might not otherwise be able to in a larger school system. I've not heard anything negative about the schools here, but I don't have kids in school anymore either. I know that the PF High School has gotten awards for excellence!

Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip, and let everyone know your impressions!

PacaLady

[Marcie R. Vermilye]

Thank you for your information. We are very excited to visit this beautiful area soon.

[brokencrayola]

Some people commute to Spokane but I know I wouldn't want to come winter. We start getting snow anywhere from around Halloween to mid-Dec. We usually have snow until March, sometimes April. It varies from years to year as to how much we get and whether it sticks and stays or melts and then snows again. Usually starting in March or April we then get rain until late June or early July. Our summers are generally from early July into Sept. This year we have had a much warmer spring and summer compared to normal.

Jobs are often an issue. There is just not the big industries and businesses you see in some cities, certainly Denver. Most are low paying jobs that make it difficult for people to support themselves, especially with a family.

[IdahoEagle]

I think people are more likely to commute to Sandpoint than to Spokane. There are a lot of nurses that come from Spokane to Cd'A to work. I used to commute to Liberty Lake which is right across the border to work and it wasn't bad.

Most people that I know feel there is an invisible fence at the Idaho border and rarely if ever go to Spokane. North Idaho and Spokane are totally different as far as geography, etc. Spokane seems to be hot, dry, dusty without a lot of trees, etc. In North Idaho all you see are trees, rivers, mountains, lakes, etc.

Spokane has two seasons, Winter and Road Construction...

Our winters have been pretty mild for the last five years or so. if there is more than 6 inches of snow it seems like a lot. Get a #9 Grain Scoop and avoid plastic snow shovels and you will be fine.