Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Settled in 1903, this town now has 2,485 residents.
The best of Spirit Lake’s subject grades is an A for health; the weakest is a C for hazard risk. Spirit Lake’s average commute is 33 minutes, against 20 minutes in Idaho’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only one of the 60 Idaho towns we compare has a lower typical July afternoon high than Spirit Lake. Spirit Lake’s trail density is 2.8 miles per square mile, where Idaho’s towns sit at 0.8 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Spirit Lake Historic District and Upper Twin Lakes School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Spirit Lake has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Spirit Lake beats most towns.
| Widest gap | Spirit Lake | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 10.7% |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Lake Elementary School | PK–5 | 290 |
| Timberlake Middle School | 6–8 | 412 |
| Timberlake Senior High School | 9–12 | 519 |
1,945 counted in 2010 and 2,337 in 2020; an estimated 2,485 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Idaho), ordered by how far Spirit Lake is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1911.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spirit Lake, 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 Spirit Lake.
In Spirit Lake, 8.7% of adults have diabetes. Among 60 Idaho towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who worry about having enough food than Spirit Lake. 28% of adults here have high blood pressure; 18% binge drink.
| Spirit Lake | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 23% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Spirit Lake | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 10.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.9% | 12.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Of its 3 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. The largest public high school is Timberlake Senior High School, with 519 students. The public schools here belong to the Lakeland District.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timberlake Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 412 | B+ |
| Timberlake Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 519 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ID on state tests and graduation
The top destinations are Coeur d'Alene (20%), Post Falls (9%) and Rathdrum (7%). Only 4% of working residents stay in Spirit Lake for work; the rest commute out. Employers in Spirit Lake added 96 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 342. Half the trips to work are shorter than 18 miles.
| Spirit Lake | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 22% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Home values are up 3.4% over the year to September 2026. Only 6 of the 60 Idaho towns we compare have a higher owner-occupancy rate than Spirit Lake. A home in Spirit Lake typically sold within 13 days of listing.
| Spirit Lake | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,250 a month | $1,117 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Summer afternoons peak near 80° in July, and January nights bottom out around 24°; snowfall runs to about 27 inches a winter. Spirit Lake has chilly winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
On expected storm and flood damage, Spirit Lake sits above 67% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 82% come from inland flooding and 11% from cold waves.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Spirit Lake's reported crime rate is close to Idaho's. 6 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Spirit Lake | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 2.4 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 7.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Among 57 Idaho towns, just 2 have a lower share of conserved land than Spirit Lake. 6.7 miles of trail wind through 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Volunteer Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Spirit Lake City Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Spirit Lake; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Spirit Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
Where Spirit Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Idaho, United States
Spirit Lake is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho. As of the 2020 census, Spirit Lake had a population of 2,337. It is part of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entire county.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 7.2 years of the area's median household income ($81,861 across the Coeur d'Alene, ID metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.