Coeur d'Alene Mission of the Sacred Heart · National Register of Historic Places
De Smet’s story
136 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1890De Smet is settled
De SmetID
This town of 135 people was settled in 1890.
Coeur d'Alene Mission of the Sacred Heart · Photo: Idaho Historical Society · Public domain
Is De Smet a good place to live?
72% of residents live below the poverty line in De Smet, against 12% in Idaho’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Among 60 Idaho towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than De Smet. De Smet has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
135 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to De Smet: who provides what
De Smet is unincorporated, so Benewah County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAvista11.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDesmet water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesBenewah CountyBenewah County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Idaho you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBenewah County ClerkBenewah County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2023
ZIP code8382483824 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in De Smet.
Schools
The schools De Smet’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to Coeur d' Alene Tribal School. Enrollment at De Smet’s public school: 126 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d' Alene Tribal SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 126 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
35% of De Smet’s commuters take transit to work
For half of commuters, work is under 16 miles away. The top destinations are Plummer (30%), St. Maries (7%) and Hayden (4%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In De Smet0%
Plummer30%
St. Maries7%
Hayden4%
Coeur d'Alene4%
16 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in De Smet
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in De Smet is inland flooding, at a high overall level
FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in De Smet than in 76% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 80% come from inland flooding and 7% from cold waves.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is De Smet’s year
The range runs from 24° on a January night to 83° on a July afternoon, with about 41 inches of snow a winter.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–38°
Spring34–57°
Summer47–79°
Fall35–59°
Sep 21
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of De Smet’s adults worry about having enough food than in the typical Idaho or U.S. town
De Smet: 34% of adults feel lonely. CDC measures, 32 in all: De Smet beats Idaho on 1 and trails on 18. Just over a fifth of adults in De Smet report frequent mental distress; 21% smoke cigarettes. Only 5 of the 60 Idaho towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than De Smet.
| De Smet | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Idaho
1 better13 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | De Smet | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6% | 8.3% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 29.1% | 12.8% |
Benewah Community Hospital
20.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about De Smet
16pages on De Smet
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of De Smet; the nearest are
New Saint Andrews CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Moscow28.6 mi$16,800 tuitionUniversity of IdahoUniversity or college · Public · Moscow29 mi$9,084 in-state tuitionNorth Idaho CollegeCommunity college · Public · Coeur d'Alene37.3 mi$3,396 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 De Smet residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave De Smet for work
Where De Smet’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
0jobs based in De Smet
0%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about De Smet
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is De Smet, ID a good place to live?
De Smet has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.