The Town FilesSpirit Lake, Idaho
City in Kootenai County · population 2,337 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $436,600
- Household income
- $65,192
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.7
Spirit Lake is a city of 2,337 people in Kootenai County, Idaho. The median home is worth $436,600, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Idaho towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Idaho towns, quieter than 91% of Idaho towns.
How Spirit Lake 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 Spirit Lake is worth $436,600, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $65,192, which is more affordable than 9% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,250 a month. 83.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spirit Lake | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $436,600 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $1,250 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $65,192 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.4% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Spirit Lake
| People | Spirit Lake | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 16.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 91.2% |
Weather in Spirit Lake
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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Spirit Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 10, 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 Spirit Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Spirit Lake
3 public schools with 1,172 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIMBERLAKE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 530 | 17.1 |
| TIMBERLAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 349 | 15.9 |
| SPIRIT LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 293 | 17.2 |
Towns near Spirit Lake
- Athol, ID7.6 mi · 709 people · home $367,700
- Rathdrum, ID11.9 mi · 9,211 people · home $444,100
- Hayden, ID14.0 mi · 15,570 people · home $494,500
- Hayden Lake, ID14.9 mi · 649 people · home $792,700
- Priest River, ID15.2 mi · 1,696 people · home $299,100
- Hauser, ID15.4 mi · 761 people · home $375,700
- Dalton Gardens, ID16.7 mi · 2,537 people · home $803,600
- Post Falls, ID17.0 mi · 38,485 people · home $477,400
Spirit Lake questions
Is Spirit Lake, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spirit Lake scores better for retirees than 50% of Idaho towns and quieter than 91%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).
How much does a house cost in Spirit Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Spirit Lake is valued at $436,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,192, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,250 a month.
What is the weather like in Spirit Lake?
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 Spirit Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Spirit Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)