A Question for Coeur d'Alene-area (or general North idaho) Residents (Sandpoint: fit in, 2014)

[Clark Fork Fantast]

We used to stay at an Idaho guest ranch in a vey remote area, and when we asked for a key to the cabin the first time we were there, they looked at us sheepishly and said they didn't have any...none of the cabins had locks! I won't mention where that was, just in case some non-member evil scoundrel reads this and gets ideas... We felt positively weird the first few nights, sleeping with a door that wouldn't lock, but when all we heard at night were wild sounds and a train in the distance, we started relaxing. So some places were like that at least until fairly recently...

[Stonestatue27]

I like spending time at Tubbs Hill and the lake near NIC. Spending time on Sherman during the spring and summer is pretty fantastic and relaxing too; not to mention it's fairly easy to incorporate some aspect of nature into whatever you do. It wouldn't really be Coeur d'Alene if you couldn't.

I also love the fact Cda seems so much busier now than it did in 2008 when I went across the country for college. Highway 95 from Moscow to Cda and Hayden toward Sandpoint isn't such crap now either! I think the area being brought together into the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene Metro Area is pretty exciting as well. Being ranked within the top 100 metro areas in the US will bring in more sought after shops and businesses. I can see why not everyone would like it ,though. Especially, because it links Cda to crappy Spokane, but whatever. I missed this place. /Happpppy face.

[elkotronics]

CDA is a slap-hap-hap-happy place, indeed!

[Jolier]

Wow..I've never read a thread that was so positive about where they were living!!. this is great.

whats the winter like? and How hot does the summer get. I'm from Long Island - only thing thats good here is the weather and my job.

[SS454ElCamino]

WOW this is a great thread topic. I can't wait to get there based on all the great comments. Our neighbors have also been super friendly, and helpful with our transition up there. I hope I can get to know the people on this forum.

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by Jolier

Wow..I've never read a thread that was so positive about where they were living!!. this is great.

whats the winter like? and How hot does the summer get. I'm from Long Island - only thing thats good here is the weather and my job.

Jolier,

Do some searching...plenty of threads about the weather in CDA. I like the weather here a lot better than NYC-area weather from when I've visited the city. A lot less muggy in the summers (rarely goes above 92'ish even in August, and generally not humid except for during a good summer thunderstorm). Winters are long, cold, and dark. But less ice storms and more "good snow" than the east coast from what I've seen. So we have some great skiing at our nationally ranked local resorts, all within an easy hour drive of CDA (Schweitzer is a little over an hour to the north, Silver Mountain is about 45 minutes east).

[Seeker5in1]

Could one of you please DM me with the name of a good buyers agent for Couer d'Alene? Thanks!

[Seeker5in1]

Please forgive another question, but are there any General Practioners (doctors) that accept new Medicare patients in the CdA area? Thanks very much!

[Seeker5in1]

And yet another question! I see that according to CD stats, CdA has a median family income of $41k. Is that accurate? Would a couple be able to live on that amount OK?

[lovecda]

Originally Posted by Seeker5in1

And yet another question! I see that according to CD stats, CdA has a median family income of $41k. Is that accurate? Would a couple be able to live on that amount OK?

$41k sounds about right, and yes, it is possible to live comfortably on that amount as long as you're able to keep lifestyle expenses under control. Idaho has a fairly low cost of living, though Coeur d'Alene's COL is slightly higher than the rest of the state. We have a lot of retirees from richer areas of the nation and one of our primary industries is tourism, both of which inflate our cost of living somewhat.

I'll put it this way: I supported a two adult and one cat household living in a modest two-bed, one-bath apartment for five years making less than $20k gross/year. It took some doing in the budgeting, and we went without many things we wanted, but just couldn't afford. But we made it on that budget just fine and never once had to (or even considered) going on any sort of government assistance or racking up any sort of debt. It's very possible, though not always easy, to live here at an extremely low cost.