The Town FilesAthol, Idaho
City in Kootenai County · population 709 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $367,700
- Household income
- $70,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 42.9
Athol is a city of 709 people in Kootenai County, Idaho. The median home is worth $367,700, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of Idaho towns, easier by car than 88% of Idaho towns, better for retirees than 83% of Idaho towns.
How Athol ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Athol is worth $367,700, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $70,250, which is more affordable than 29% of Idaho towns. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Athol | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $367,700 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | — | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $70,250 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Athol
| People | Athol | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 91.2% |
Weather in Athol
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 24.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.2 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Athol since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1997 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 13, 2023.
Severe weather in Kootenai County since 1996
Kootenai County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4917: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4905: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4589: Straight-Line Winds |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kootenai County
Kootenai County had 71,068 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,888 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Athol itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Athol
1 public school with 302 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATHOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 302 | 16.8 |
Towns near Athol
- Spirit Lake, ID7.6 mi · 2,337 people · home $436,600
- Hayden Lake, ID12.8 mi · 649 people · home $792,700
- Hayden, ID13.1 mi · 15,570 people · home $494,500
- Rathdrum, ID13.6 mi · 9,211 people · home $444,100
- Dalton Gardens, ID15.0 mi · 2,537 people · home $803,600
- Coeur d'Alene, ID17.4 mi · 54,628 people · home $483,500
- Priest River, ID18.8 mi · 1,696 people · home $299,100
- Post Falls, ID18.8 mi · 38,485 people · home $477,400
Athol questions
Is Athol, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Athol scores better for retirees than 83% of Idaho towns and quieter than 72%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Athol?
The median owner-occupied home in Athol is valued at $367,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,250, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Athol?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.6 inches of precipitation a year and 27.2 inches of snow.
Does Athol get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Athol since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1997. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)