Spokane and Coeur d’Alene are 30 to 40 minutes apart on I-90, and plenty of people live in one and work in the other. The biggest differences are the state tax systems, the size of the city, and what your daily drive looks like. Neither is better across the board, so decide based on where you will work and how you want your weekends to feel.
Washington has no state tax on wages. Idaho has a state income tax. Sales tax and property tax also differ, and which state comes out ahead depends on your income, what you spend and the home you buy. If you would live in one state and work in the other, talk to a tax professional before you choose, because it changes the math.
Spokane is the larger city, with the region’s major hospitals, universities and the airport. Coeur d’Alene is smaller and built around its lake and resort. Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake sit in between and give you a little of each.
Both markets have older in-town homes, newer subdivisions and acreage. Prices in each move week to week, so ask for current numbers for the specific areas you are comparing instead of relying on a general rule.
I-90 is the only practical route between the two. It is an easy drive most days and slower in winter weather and at peak hours. If you will cross the state line daily, drive it at commute time before you commit.
Each side has several school districts, and assignment depends on the exact address. Healthcare is concentrated in Spokane, with a hospital in Coeur d’Alene as well.
I am licensed as a real estate broker in Washington and as a mortgage broker in both Washington and Idaho. So I can help you buy on the Washington side from search to keys, and I can do the loan on either side. If you decide on Idaho, I will connect you with an agent there and still handle your financing if you would like.
Tell me what you are looking for and I will line up homes, run the payment on each one and answer the questions a listing can’t.