Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Priest River’s subject grades are an A for walkability and an A− for safety; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. Only 9 of Idaho’s 94 towns score higher on walkability. Priest River’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, against 0.8 in Idaho’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Priest River has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Hotel Charbonneau and Priest River Commercial Core Historic District. Priest River has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Priest River beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Idaho), ordered by how far Priest River is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 248 in 1910, 1,696 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 5 maps from 1901 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Priest River, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Priest River.
At 0 per 1,000 residents, Priest River’s violent crime rate is below both the Idaho town median (2.1) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6).
| Priest River | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.3 per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the West Bonner County District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Priest River Lamanna High, with 396 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priest River Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 356 | B+ |
| Priest River Lamanna HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 396 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ID on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Priest River beats the Idaho average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 31% of Priest River adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Priest River | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 73% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 35% |
| What stands out | Priest River | ID |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 8.3% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 61.6% | 66.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Priest River has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Priest River is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Priest River home is worth about $559,000, up 3.7% in a year, 17% above the Idaho typical home. Priest River’s median rent is $817 a month.
| Priest River | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $817 a month | $1,117 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Priest River for work: only 10% work in town. 5% of residents live below the poverty line in Priest River. Since 2013, Priest River has lost 105 jobs, to 531 in 2023.
| Priest River | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area | — | 5 |
| 2. Priest River City Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Priest River; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Priest River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
4 places in Priest River on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Idaho, United States
Priest River is a city in Bonner County, Idaho. The population was 1,696 at the 2020 census, and 1,751 at the 2010 census. Located in the Idaho Panhandle region of the state, the city is at the mouth of the Priest River on the Pend Oreille River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 8.3 years of the area's median household income ($66,979 across the Sandpoint, ID area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
