10 reasons why NOT to live in Northern Idaho
While North Idaho is an amazing place to live, for reasons we’ve discussed in other blogs, no place is perfect. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the potential downsides to North Idaho living. If you are contemplating a move in this direction, here are 10 things to consider. Also, keep in mind that some of these points are more applicable to the more rural locations.
- Spotty internet connection
A good and consistent internet connection can be a real challenge in North Idaho, especially as you get further away from Coeur D’Alene. However, this obstacle isn’t limited only to those living outside of the city limits. One resident, living less than ten minutes from downtown Sandpoint, Idaho struggled to get decent internet at home. When I asked about her experience, she said “It’s because we were hidden by the mountain, and no company, for some reason, wanted to put any cell towers past the overpass (train bridge) on Pine Street. We called Ting® and cable companies and satellite . . . Everything we could think of. Verizon was the best we could do.” Their family had to do most internet-related work in the front room of the house near the router and often left the house altogether in order to find somewhere with faster wifi. (Update: Starlink has largely fixed this issue, if you can afford it. Check it out here.)
- Human to wild animal interactions
Never forget, when living in North Idaho, that you are in or very near the forest and everything that comes with that. Before you built your log cabin in the woods, that spot was home to bears, wolves, and mountain lions. They didn’t all disappear just because you moved in. Once, we rented a large home on a few acres located only fifteen minutes from Walmart. Our landlord told us they had set up a camera in the backyard once, just to see what was out there at night. When they looked back at the footage, they saw wolves, moose, bear, and a cougar. They kept bear spray in the nightstand beside the bed.
A personal friend of mine often goes huckleberry picking in the mountains and has shared many stories of encounters with bears. She also told of a particularly frightening situation where she was stalked by a cougar while walking with her grandchildren, not far from her daughter’s home.
Also, it’s fun to see deer or the occasional moose in your backyard, but not so fun to hit one, so keep your eyes peeled while driving!
- Too far away from family and friends
Unless you already have friends or family living somewhere in the northwestern region, you’ll likely be traveling quite a bit to see them. North Idaho isn’t Alaska or Hawaii, but it’s still a good distance away from many major cities in the west. Here are the distances from Coeur D’Alene, ID to several large western cities:
- Seattle, WA – 312 miles
- Boise, ID – 378 miles
- San Francisco, CA – 908 miles
- Portland, OR – 388 miles
- Reno, NV – 825 miles
- Jackson, WY – 550 miles
- Billings, MT – 509 miles
- Salt Lake City, UT – 688 miles
- Denver, CO – 1,060 miles
- Phoenix, AZ – 1,349 miles
- If you enjoy the conveniences of living in the city
Unless you live right in Coeur D’Alene, your options for shopping and other resources will be somewhat limited. Coeur D’Alene itself (while there are plenty of stores between CDA and Spokane) is no Los Angeles, CA. If you live north of Coeur D’Alene, say in Sagle, Sandpoint, or Bonners Ferry, you’re a good hour or two from major stores and the airport.
From Sagle to:
- Costco – 37.8 miles
- Trader Joe’s – 64.7 miles
- Kohls – 35.2 miles
- Marshalls – 64.4 miles
- Planet Fitness – 36 miles
- Spokane International Airport – 71.7 miles
From Bonners Ferry to:
- Costco – 75.3 miles
- Trader Joe’s – 102 miles
- Kohls – 72.7 miles
- Marshalls – 102 miles
- Planet Fitness – 73.5 miles
- Spokane International Airport – 109 miles
- Forest fires and the accompanying smoke
Almost every summer, there are forest fires, either in northern Idaho itself or in the surrounding states (Oregon, Washington, California). The smoke from these fires makes the air quality extremely poor while the fires rage. The haze gets so thick that you can barely make out the nearby mountains and (in a pre-covid world) it’s highly advisable to wear a mask or other face-covering if you don’t want to get sick from smoke inhalation. It can be a real downer to miss out on a whole month of summer due to the fires, especially after a long winter. And it can be disheartening to live in such a beautiful place and not be able to enjoy it because you’re stuck indoors due to smoke.
- Cold, snowy winters
Many people retire and head south because they don’t want to deal with cold and snow anymore. Most winters, you will find plenty of both here. With average winter temperatures in the ’20s & ’30s and an average snowfall of anywhere from 50 to 70 inches per year (depending on the town or city), winters can be cold and white. If you’re into snowboarding or skiing, this might not be so bad, but if you’re done with snow after Christmas, you may be ready for a change of scenery by January. I grew up in Alaska and, while our winters up there had more below-zero days, I’ve had winters in North Idaho with just as much snow.
- Not your type of climate
On the flipside to point #6, some northern Idaho winters (like the last couple of years) have more rainfall than snowfall. When winters are warm and rainy, that means more bugs in the summer. And if temperatures don’t drop below a certain freezing point, then the march of pine beetles will continue it’s way North. You may have seen what it’s done to the forests in states like Utah and Colorado.
Believe it or not, some people prefer humid weather. I don’t understand it myself, but I have friends and relatives that are perfectly happy swimming in the high humidity of the southern and eastern states. North Idaho weather is much less humid.
Be sure to check out Troy’s comparison of living in the Denver area to North Idaho. Are you ready to give up 90 days of sunshine and add 10 more inches of annual precipitation?
- Constitutional carry state
Idaho is one of the nation’s most firearm-friendly states. Any Idaho resident 18 years or older (as long as they are not a felon) may carry firearms or other weapons with or without a permit, anywhere in the state. The state’s gun laws have been a topic of controversy in towns like Sandpoint, where the Sandpoint Music Festival gun ban has had many of the local 2nd amendment right supporters up in arms, so to speak. https://www.opb.org/news/article/idaho-sandpoint-music-festival-property-rights-firearms/
If you are not pro-gun or at least comfortable with folks around carrying firearms openly or concealed, this region may not be a good fit.
- No nightlife to speak of
There are restaurants and taverns that stay open pretty late but in general, only the bigger towns like Coeur D’Alene have any semblance of nightlife. In a town like Sandpoint, you might have some music on the weekends, or for a big event like The Sandpoint Music Festival, but in general, the nightlife is practically non-existent.
I’m not a “partier” myself, but I have heard this from folks who moved here or are visiting. So please consider what kind of evening entertainment you enjoy, and realize that it might no be here.
- Property values are skyrocketing
If you’ve been watching Zillow lately, you’ve probably noticed property prices going up and up and up. There are also fewer homes for rent, and the ones that are available are quite expensive. My husband and I moved to Utah for a new job earlier this year and I have been watching these changes with some trepidation. Last year, we rented a 3-bedroom home for $1450 a month. Now, a home that size would easily rent for around $2000 a month. We would love to move back to North Idaho when we’re ready to buy a property. However, at this rate, owning a home in North Idaho sometimes feels a little out of our reach.
The cost of living is going up so much that it’s putting more and more stress on an already depressed and thinly stretched lower income class. Every fast food restaurant has “Help Wanted” signs up all the time. If things continue to go in the same direction, it’s going to be very challenging to find and afford your own little piece of panhandle paradise
Conclusion
I hate to be a “Debbie Downer” and I certainly don’t want to crush anyone’s dreams of rural living. I do want to be honest about the pros and cons though so that those of you who are reading this can make informed and well-educated decisions before you make the big move. Thank you for reading! We welcome your feedback, comments, and suggestions. What other questions do you have about North Idaho living?
About the author:
My name is Kendra. I’m a mom to three sweet and crazy boys. I’m a homeschooler, musician and blogger. I love that writing gives me a creative outlet and allows me to connect with people all over the world. Thank you for reading!