Sun Valley/Hailey vs. Coeur D' Alene? (Boise, Coeur d'Alene: home, rental)

[gc57]

Any opinions as to which one would be better live than the other?

[Sandpointian]

There is no "better" in any absolute sense! What do you value? How much money do you have? If you have kids, what kind of upbringing and exposure do you wish them to have? Do you like the snow? Four seasons? Nature/environment? What kind of profession do you have? What do you seek from your work? Etcetera.

Two very different places.

[gc57]

Money is not an issue or job needed. No kids, I live in the snow now.

[jufrbo]

Originally Posted by gc57

Any opinions as to which one would be better live than the other?

Are you a millionare? If not, Sun Valley may be a tough move. Great place though. CDA is great too, but more of a regular city, than the mini-Aspen that is Sun Valley.

Politically Sun Valley is the most liberal area in the state, and not just by Idaho standards. CDA is more Libertarian/Conservative. I could live with either, but that is a huge deal for some people.

[Torrie]

If I had to pick between the two, I'd pick CDA. You can live in remote wilderness and still have access to amenities if you need them. Spokane is close by and offers more affordable flights should you want to do any traveling. That's a big bonus in my eyes.

[jufrbo]

Ahhh didn't see that money is no issue, escape the droves moving to CDA and go to Sun Valley.

[boi2socal]

Hmmm...Sun Valley is more "posh", "Hollywood", etc. I agree with the others there is no real better place depends on your preferences. Sun Valley is more in the mountains and only has a river. Scenery-wise I don't consider Sun Valley the most beautiful resort town but it is certainly nice. I prefer the views in the Cascade/Tamarack area myself and you're only a little more than a hour from Boise. Coeur d'Alene has a beautiful lake while being more of a real town within close proximity to a decent sized city [Spokane]. Boise is a three hour drive (give or take) from Sun Valley and the Hailey/Sun Valley Airport has limited air service and is often subject to closures due to fog/weather with flights often diverted to Twin Falls and sometimes Boise in winter.

[gc57]

Thanks. All great points to consider. No, not a millionaire. It appears though that the rental home market is bleak in the SV/Hailey area and not that bad in CDA. The airport issue is a big deal and yes, there are delays in SV because of that. Weather wise, there may be more sunshine in SV, not sure of that though.

[Dadof2]

If you prefer sun, no question, Sun Valley...novel huh? CDA is beautiful with the lakes, wildlife, etc., but the lack of sunshine here can drive folks nuts for months on end. To me, sun is important and you just don't get enough in Northern Idaho unfortunately. Also, median income is very low in CDA, not a ton of well paying employment opps here.

Good luck with your decision!

[Torrie]

Here's a comparison chart on the weather. Looks like CDA is warmer than Sun Valley. I couldn't find how they compared in regards to average days of sun. I don't know how accurate this chart is as I haven't lived in either place, but thought it was interesting for comparing the two.

Sun Valley is neat to visit, but I'm personally not enamored by it and wouldn't want to live there. It seems overpriced compared to what you can get in other areas that are equally as beautiful if not better. I think it's a great resort town if you want to "get away" for a few days, I just don't buy into the idea of living there. That's just my opinion, doesn't mean it couldn't work for you or others. I'm sure for some it's heaven on earth.

Climatology Comparison for New York, NY (10034) - weather.com

I know it says New York above- not sure why- but it's a comparison chart for CDA and SunValley.