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I'm loving these suggestions. I'm researching every one and considering all suggestions. I checked out Rathdrum as Volosong and Oregonwoodsmoke suggested, it is a lovely small town, just a little too close to Couer d'Alene than what I'm looking for in terms of being away from the big city, but it's perfect sounding for a lot of families for sure.
I want away from cities due to all the extreme commercialism I've been exposed to, and any kind of hustle and bustle.
Spirit Lake is truly along the lines of what we are looking for, it's what I think of when I say a charming small town, and the photos I've seen of the old buildings make me day dream of spending an afternoon sitting at a mom and pop coffee shop, watching the nice, normal and good natured people walk by with their families and reflecting on what the heck just happened in my life, then retreating to my rustic country home out in the country, and being greeted by chickens (we had free range chickens as a kid, I lived on a farm until I was about 8), and my husband's there with break oil all over his shirt from spending the day turning his wrench on an old beatup Chevy that he's restoring so we have something nice and proper to drive that fits the vibe.
Also I should mention, we want to have kids someday, have a family. I'm only 26 but people have always said I'm years ahead mentally, and the way I look at it, I'll want to home school, not have to worry about my kids being told a bunch of garbage. A lot you can do yourself it seems if you are willing to buy curriculum, but a good homeschooled network of more experienced moms and where my children will have play mates is ideal - a strong community that's united and not fractured by toxic politics, too many different cultures and no common ground, etc. I've seen a lot, too much. I'm not here to talk politics, plus, I don't want to get banned, but I'll say, if the rest of America is on the same path of where I just left, it's time to hunker down and prep. Idaho stands for everything I've come to believe in terms of needing a safe haven, a free people zone where we have enough in common to unite when things go South. But in the mean time, I'm pretty exhausted from phoniness, fake people who are just so plastic.
Both my husband and I are ready to make a drastic quality of life change, we both have blue-collard family members and they admire what we are trying to do and envy us for it; we don't mind living in areas that are blue-collard, we promise to blend right in, you'd never guess we were from Cali and just spent over a half a mil on our home, we'll make good friends from all income levels. I'm pretty grossed out by what I've lived through, how people act like having some flimsy printed green pieces of paper makes them better human beings, when they actually in fact have the worst personality, are completely talentless and have zero grace. I'll never be like that and don't want my future kids to become like that due to bad influences. Plus, American values of the kind my dad taught us (he retired as a construction worker) are cornerstone within working class families, it would be great for our future kids to have friends from all income levels and especially be around kids whose parents are blue-collard.
So, I looked into Wallace, Rathdrum and Spirit Lake, all gorgeous and perfect for someone, each having their own unique feel (based on pictures I 'be seen). I've researched this forum, read online reviews, looked at census and demographic sites, studied the map to see how close/far away from a major metropolitis places were, and read through some other forums online. I realized some of my favorites have been called "backwards" and those were places I felt was up my ally, anyone not wealthy, not drinking a soy latte while spouting off a bunch of garbage they've been programmed to think are "backwards", so I'd be proud to live in one of those "backwards" towns.
Here's my short list, please tell me what you think, and if I'm correct with how I imagine these places to be.
1. Spirit Lake - nice mix of incomes, not filled with a bunch of California colonizers, still resembles the Idaho many of us are craving to be a part of. Not too large, growing probably like everywhere else but still small, classy and American values are still cherished there.
2. Oldtown - large working class population that cherish old fashioned values that I'd be honored to befriend and have my future kids play with theirs. Beautiful scenery and just so green and perfect, a super slowed down pace. This would be so perfect. I'd live maybe 10 or 15 minutes away tops on some acreage, I just need to know if they have a hospital. Voted one of the most "backwards" town by a YouTuber, but doing some research, it's just because they are not rich and are patriotic and conservative, just what I want to be around. I think I passed through there too once, it was so perfect, very green, if I'm thinking of the right place, was a little run down in some parts but that just keeps the rich Californians away .
3. Blanchard - a nice community of working class families, right? Good patriotic and Christian values, antique buildings, low tourism during the off season, like not like Standpoint, right, not a tourist town? I love the pictures I've seen.
4. Saint Marie's - I had an easier time finding info about this town than I did Blanchard, looks beautiful and perfect, and I can't think of a single liberal I know who would ever dream of stepping foot in a logging town, they would be like: "like, they chop wood, oh my god, seriously? Like no way". Definitely at the top for where I want to visit first.
5. Not really in the Idaho Panhandle, but it's still very green looking, there's a little town I found in my research called Elk River. So beautiful and it being in Idaho and a small town, I can guess that I'll be around like minded people that I can build a community with. I discovered this accidentally when looking at a map and just saw how green it was - any town like this that has at least a hospital in driving distance would be perfect
Last edited by Genevieveporkchop; 09-19-2022 at 10:59 PM..
OP-
I fully understand your concerns. And applaud you on being pro-active, and doing something about it.
Remember this:
No matter where you are, there you are.
The first thing you’ll notice, when arriving in Idaho, is you’ll have liberty, once again.
Adding Potlatch to my short list, would love to hear from some native Idahoans who are familiar with any of the small towns I've mentioned, in terms of whether or not you think they'd be a good fit.
Thanks for your awesome reply, North Flatz! My dad and I have talked a lot about Chris and I settling down in Idaho, he thinks we are going to fit right in. I hope I'm surrounded by people like you, everywhere I go!
Some people just really despise the poor. They are the same people who looked down on my pa for all the years he had to work kitchen jobs at night and construction just so we could live in a safe neighborhood. They laughed at my pa for flying the American flag and for speaking up about gun ownership rights and things like that. I used to be emberrassed of my dad when I was younger, but now I see that he's full of love and would never insult anyone, even if they looked down on him, it would go against his code of honor and would be un-Christian. There just aren't enough people like my dad left in Cali, the whole state is going down, so fast and horribly. I'll miss the beach, but it's not even safe anymore to go, unless you are super rich and have your own private beach.
Well, hopefully I'll be able to stay on topic, this is a big decision we are making but we know it's right, especially since we want kids and want them to grow up right, around people with good, patriotic and Christian values. Lastly, my hubby is a Christian like myself but sort of like a new Christian, I'd love for him to be surrounded by a lot of Christian men who are like my dad, would be good for my man to be around good men all the time to encourage him, so anyways. I need to see these places in person too, along with my hubby. Please let me know what you think, and thanks!
Blanchard or Spirit Lake, you'll be running into Rathdrum for stuff. CDA or Sandpoint maybe on occasion.
St. Maries, being somewhat bigger, you might not have to venture off as much. CDA when you do.
Potlatch, it would be Moscow for almost everything beyond the very most basic.
For most people, when picking a small town, you are picking it AND the next town / city.
You might prefer Rathdrum as your second city over the others.
Elk River has 120 people and is an hour to Moscow, in decent weather.
Blanchard went from about 200 people in 2000 to 400 in 2010 and now back to 250. Can you get your money back on property there in 2-5-10 years? I dunno but I'd think about it.
Spirit Lake might have some folks from Spokane, Seattle, California. Might have to scratch the surface to find out more on origins.
Hi, Genevieve...
If closeness to a hospital is a concern, I suggest making it a priority in your search.
You're unlikely to find a hospital in any town smaller than 1,000 people here, and even then, it will be a stretch to find anything more than a very small clinic. Forget dentists or anything like an average Emergency Center like those that are so common in big cities- they simply don't exist here outside of our own 'big' cities.
If you liked Oldtown, I think moving across the border to live in Newport would be better. Newport is in Washington, so your taxes would be much lower, and Oldtown is nothing but a suburb that has a population of around 100. All the services and population live in Newport. Land in E. Washington is cheaper than in Idaho.
I have an long-time lady friend who moved to Idaho after she married. Her husband worked for the BLM a a wildlife biologist, and they settled in Elk City.
They divorced 11 months later. He loved his work, and they both loved the outdoors, but in the daily routine of life, she found herself alone so much she spent more time talking to her German Shepherd than her husband.
She could never make any women friends there, she said, and attributed it to the fact she had never lived in such a small town before and had never lived in a place so remote and wild. It wasn't local hostility; the other wives there had lived there for a long time, and they simply didn't have very much in common with a younger newcomer who was a city girl all her life. Since her husband loved his job, they divorced agreeably.
She has lived in Eagle for over 30 years now quite happily and has a place large enough to keep a couple of horses there.
This is not to say you wouldn't do use fine in Elk City. But there are very good reasons why small towns here stay small, and other small towns have grown into larger.
City size here is on a much smaller scale than in most other states. Our very largest cities only have a population of 100,000, and there are only 3-4 that large, all in the Boise area.
All the others, even the hub cities that have all the services and serve large surrounding areas, are much smaller.
You haven't mentioned what type of work you and your husband might need to pursue. I'm assuming it might be remote work you are doing, so you are likely to only need good reliable internet. Make sure Starlink is available on any of the rural properties your investigate. That is likely your best bet for high speed internet. DSL might be miles away from a switchbox if available at at all, so it's speeds are usually much slower than in the city. Cell phone hotspots are "spotty" at best and really depend on your carrier and specific property... if they work at all. Home internet from a cell company likely won't be an option either, and cable internet either. If it's not remote work, then the type of work you two are pursuing will certainly drive your small town location. Just something to think about as you plan this move. Good luck!!
Oh, and don't wait until spring/summer for your visit. Try coming up in late Nov to early Mar. Fly up to Spokane and rent your vehicle and drive all these small towns in the winter months. That will give you an idea how easy access will be to any potential properties, what the roads are like between towns that you investigate, and how truly quiet these small towns can be in the dead of winter. Likely no families/couples to see outside that quaint coffee shop strolling down the street in the winter months. Heck, that coffee shop might be seasonal and not be open at all.
If I were staying in NI it would be Boundary County only. Bonners Ferry is a lovely town with a hospital and two grocery stores. Weather is generally milder than further south but still gets snow and low temps. People are wonderful and there's plenty of small acreages with homes or without to buy.
But alas we sold out after 17 years in NI and bought in western WA.
You haven't mentioned what type of work you and your husband might need to pursue. I'm assuming it might be remote work you are doing, so you are likely to only need good reliable internet. Make sure Starlink is available on any of the rural properties your investigate. That is likely your best bet for high speed internet. DSL might be miles away from a switchbox if available at at all, so it's speeds are usually much slower than in the city. Cell phone hotspots are "spotty" at best and really depend on your carrier and specific property... if they work at all. Home internet from a cell company likely won't be an option either, and cable internet either. If it's not remote work, then the type of work you two are pursuing will certainly drive your small town location. Just something to think about as you plan this move. Good luck!!
Oh, and don't wait until spring/summer for your visit. Try coming up in late Nov to early Mar. Fly up to Spokane and rent your vehicle and drive all these small towns in the winter months. That will give you an idea how easy access will be to any potential properties, what the roads are like between towns that you investigate, and how truly quiet these small towns can be in the dead of winter. Likely no families/couples to see outside that quaint coffee shop strolling down the street in the winter months. Heck, that coffee shop might be seasonal and not be open at all.
LOL, all of this is the best advice!!! I'm laughing about the coffee shop example, that is too funny, but hey, if it's part of country living I'm all for it. My hubby will be remote working and I've not decided what I'll do, but I do hope to join a church and meet others for some socializing, I promise not to bring bad driving and other negative things associated with the California migration. Thanks again
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