Is CDA and North Idaho becoming overpopulated and overpriced? (Boise: transplants, crime)

[Green Guy]

I’m considering relocating to CDA, but I have some concerns about the increase in people, traffic, and cost of living.

The basic gist of what I’ve heard several times is that Californians and other transplants are relocating (or at least buying up vacation properties) in significant numbers, which is jacking up the price of housing and general cost of living as well as increasing the traffic in the area.

This concerns me. I’m worried about ever-increasing growth, prices and traffic.

I’ve heard from some that the traffic volume has outgrown CDA’s small-town infrastructure and as such, it now has some traffic issues. People promoting CDA might say, “If you’re from a city that has real traffic like LA, this is nothing”. Screw that. I don’t want traffic problems, period.

The small size of CDA was one of the major selling points for me. If it’s going to keep growing and expereicing more and more “city problems” like traffic, crowding, crime, high cost, etc., then that almost defeats the purpose of going there for me.

If people become priced out of houses, homelessness increases, which can lead to more problems with drugs and crime.

Do you guys think the growth in the CDA/North Idaho area is (or could become) problematic?

[elousv]

You are correct in your assessment. IS

[NW Crow]

CDA grew about 4k per year in 90s, 2.5k per yr in 2000s and in 2010s.

The recent trend is 7 new people per day. Roughly might be 1 new baby, a couple of single persons, 1 family with kids and 1 retired couple move in per day and a few people move out (and someone passes). Or maybe a few more single persons or a second family shows up instead of the retired couple on some days. If that rate of growth is scary or unacceptable, then look some place else. The rate might increase or decrease but the best bet might be about the same for awhile longer.

It does add up and maybe there is a tipping point, sooner for some than others. But 165k doesn't seem that big an issue.

Merging more and more with Spokane might be. Could select to live a bit further north or east or south of CDA for greater distance. Could select to not go into Spokane often.

CDA the city just crossed into 3,000 people per square mile but the surrounding towns are generally 2,000 or less / sq. mi. and the rural area is a lot less. 3,000 people per square mile is about 4 people every 100 feet in the residential areas (and half the land in commercial and other uses).

Decide for yourself what is too much or how to handle.

[volosong]

The Rathdrum Prairie, (CdA, Post Falls, Hayden, Rathdrum, Dalton Gardens), is growing. That's a fact! Has been for a long time and will continue for the foreseeable future. It is an attractive relocation destination because of its natural beauty, friendliness of the current residents, and overall lower cost-of-living.

Is it too big? Yes and no. There are indeed traffic issues at certain times of the day. Otherwise, the infrastructure seems to operate fine. There is an upward pressure on housing prices due to the old economic law of "supply and demand". The demand is there and it is outstripping the current supply. Several cities are embarking on a unrestricted building spree, (e.g., Post Falls, Rathdrum), in an attempt to satisfy this demand. Especially Post Falls. They will gobble up the prairie and put houses on it almost at will. There seems to be no stopping it.

However, in Rathdrum, Hayden, and to a lesser extent, CdA, there is a movement by residents to try to slow down the rate of growth. In the past election, the residents of Rathdrum "threw out" two three-term council members for two political novices who campaigned on a platform of slowing down the rate of growth. Personally, I do not know the attitude of residents of Post Falls, but their government seems to annex, zone, and build as fast as developers submit the required paperwork.

Dalton Gardens is unique. It is surrounded on three sides by Hayden and Coeur d'Alene. And on the fourth side by the national forest. It cannot grow any larger and almost all properties are either one acre or one hectare in size. They very recently recalled several city council members for allowing the subdivision of several properties smaller than that size. I would live there, (if I could afford a property in that area).

Thankfully, there is still plenty of open space outside the prairie. It is no problem to be outside the city and in the wilderness within five or ten minutes from leaving one's home. And those areas will never be developed, (mountain forests, lakes, and rivers).

Personally, I do not expect crime to increase much if at all, probably some. Besides an attitude of general respect for others and their property, you never know who's packing. Most people know this and are not out looking for trouble. Property crime and crimes of violence is relatively low and will probably stay that way. Most crime is drug related. And a lot of it is a spill-over from the Spokane area. Post Falls will get the brunt of that. Close proximity and easy freeway access between Spokane and PF. Stay away from the drug element and everything should be fine.

The previous is just my own personal opinion. Take it with a grain of salt and for what it is worth.

[banjomike]

For a geezer like me, Idaho is looking crowded these days! Not just C c'A- everywhere!

But that's me. I can remember C d'A when it had about 25,000 people living there and nothing at all around it.
Back then, Boise had maybe 60,000 people or less, and my hometown of Idaho Falls was about the same size as Coeur d'Alene.

All that was a half-century ago. 50 years ago, the Interstate was not finished anywhere in Idaho, and construction on I-90 hadn't even begun.

Things have changed. Things should be expected to change as they always do. Nothing ever goes back to how it once was in the past.

So for someone who isn't like me and doesn't now the changes that time has wrought, what you see today is what will be your initial memory 50 years from now. Will C d'A be more congested in 50 years? Will property cost more? Will it be more California than Idaho?

If anyone can answer any of those questions accurately, they must have a crystal ball. I don't, and from my perspective, all I can do is say "Yes" to all the OP's questions.

Yes. Housing is a lot more expensive.
Yes. It's becoming crowded here.
Yes. There are lots and lots of former Californians living here now.

But not just in NID. Everything is the same in Boise, Idaho Falls, and dinky little places like Athol, Buhl, and Fruitland too.

Has Idaho changed? Hell, yes it has! Many, many changes, some good, some bad, some meh.

But that's me- I've been here all along, so I've seen the changes come over many years. If someone moves in today, then today is their starting point in the memory bank, not mine. My memory bank has a much earlier starting point.

I know what the changes are, and the newbie doesn't. The changes make more difference to me because I know what changed, but a newbie won't ever now them.

So what difference does it make? Pulling up roots someplace and thinking you can set those roots down in a new place with no disturbance is nonsensical.

We all bring our lives with us wherever we go. When I lived in California, I was an Idahoan in California. There weren't enough of us there to make a Little Idaho for ourselves.

I wasn't there long enough to lose any of my Idaho. But old friends from here have lost theirs, after many years of life in California. When I run into one, they look, sound and act like Californians to me.

So what? If they were friends 50 years ago, they're still friends. I expect people will change as time goes by. Time changes everything. Gotta take a place for what it is when you walk into it.

So if you don't like Idaho's high prices, its congestion or all it's Californians, go find another state that suits better.

[FrankLeeSpeaking]

Yes, its growing, and yes, it will keep growing. Whether that growth is too much, too fast is a matter of perception (where you're coming from, where you've lived, what you can tolerate, etc.).

But it is a fact that Idaho is outgrowing its infrastructure, services, and resources... both North Idaho and the Boise area.

It has resulted in a dramatic change in the politics. See here: https://www.hcn.org/issues/45.8/how-...ed-north-idaho

[oregonwoodsmoke]

The favorite pastime in North Idaho is to get in the car and drive up and down, up and down for hours. It must be, because the amount of traffic is way out of line with the size of the population.

Sorry, but the area will change with the influx of incomers who bring their ideas from the area they have come from and they want their new home to have aspects they are comfortable with. After a few years, they turn their lovely new home into the cesspool they moved to escape.

[jlud]

So I found myself seriously contemplating the move from the sound to Eastern Wash or Idaho as it works well for work currently and with my wife's wishes. If you don't mind me partially highjacking this thread a bit, may I ask as to the overall cost of living vs eastern wash (liberty lake area or something similar)? I know the state income tax....but I want to be free of the reach of Seattle politics. Luckily my house hasn't been annexed yet by CHOP or whatever it is now....

How much more does it cost to live on Idaho side vs EW? Is it a tangible difference outside of the laws?

This all started because of recent events in the world...we went to Montana and it was a great reminder of the freedoms we have lost lately in Western Washington. My wife is never political, absolutely loves where we live, but said we are moving to somewhere more conservative and rural.

Thanks and sorry....

[volosong]

Originally Posted by jlud

How much more does it cost to live on Idaho side vs EW? Is it a tangible difference outside of the laws?

Can't offer much as there is no way anyone could get me to live in Washington. I detest even going over there for my Sea Cadet duties.

Anyway, according to the data side of City-Data, they show the "cost of living index" of Post Falls, (the closest city to the border and Liberty Lake), to be 93.3, (the average for the entire U.S. is 100). They show Liberty Lake with a "cost of living index" of 94.0, so basically the same.

[Green Guy]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

After a few years, they turn their lovely new home into the cesspool they moved to escape.

This is the very thing that I fear.

When you're uprooting your life and hoping to put down roots in a place that's over 2,000 miles away, it's really unsettling to think that the area you're relocating to is likely to change very significantly in the next 5-10 years.