Retirees Captivated By Idaho’s Beauty, Outdoor Recreation

Whenever the Inland Northwest is mentioned in polls and publications that rank America’s best places to live or raise a family or retire, three attributes stand out sharply.

One - extraordinary scenic beauty.

“When National Geographic says that Lake Coeur d’Alene is one of the five most beautiful lakes in the world, you can believe it,” declare retirement writers Lee and Saralee Rosenberg.

Two - a wealth of outdoor recreation.

Here again, the co-authors of “Fifty Fabulous Places to Retire in America” are right on target. The best reasons to retire here, they write in a four-page glowing tribute: “Gorgeous lake country, fabulous skiing, year-round recreation, country club communities, affordable housing and taxes, excellent health care, friendly people.”

Three - we are cheap.

Or at least we used to be cheap, before hoards of newcomers - especially Southern Californians - invaded a few years ago, sending housing costs in larger population centers through the roof.

Even so, smaller, outlying communities less impacted by population pressures continue to combine grandeur and cut-rate costs.

“In Idaho, where the population rose by more than one-third in the last 15 years,” writes researcher David Savageau, “retired newcomers head for the city of Coeur d’Alene, within commuting distance of Spokane, Wash. Or they settle near metropolitan Boise. In Montana, the spectacular but sparsely settled western counties - particularly Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Rivalli - are the ones drawing older newcomers.”

In the current issue of “Money” magazine, my old college town of Madison, Wis., is ranked as the best place in America in which to live. Numero uno.

In the 1995 edition of “Retirement Places Rated,” Savageau ranks 183 places. Madison isn’t even mentioned. Neither is Spokane, except as a service center for Coeur d’Alene.

But Coeur d’Alene finished seventh, and Sandpoint-Priest River, 134th.

Retirement communities are rated according to seven factors: Money matters (income, taxes, food and health care costs), housing expenses, climate, crime, services, jobs for older workers, and leisure living.

On a scale where 100 equals perfection across the board, Las Vegas placed first with a score of 84.47. The Southwest hot spot scored highest in employment opportunities for elders, with a mark of 95, and lowest in money matters, 81. But here’s a surprise - seventh-ranked little-old Coeur d’Alene beat the glitz capital of America for leisure living, 94 to 88. A huge margin at that level of competition.

However, the Lake City fell down on jobs for older workers, with a piddling point total of 65, which pared Coeur d’Alene’s final grade to 82.12 overall.

Other Coeur d’Alene marks, for those who like figures: Money matters, 90; housing, 88; climate, 69; safety, 86; services (drawing heavily on Spokane), 83.

Neighboring Sandpoint-Priest River, with a total of 69.10, got its top mark in money matters, 88. From there on, it was all downhill, with 87 for safety, 86 in housing, 47 in services, and just 45 for work.

But the ratings shortchanged Sandpoint in the area of leisure living. Grades depended on 10 factors: “Good restaurants,” holes of public golf, certified lanes for bowling, movie screens, touring artist bookings, resident opera companies and symphony orchestras, water areas, government recreation areas.

Coeur d’Alene ranked fifth in America for leisure living, with a grade of 94. Sandpoint-Priest River was 70th, with a score of 67. Proximity to Spokane services skewed the score in favor of Coeur d’Alene. The Coeur d’Alene Resort made it no contest.

But when it comes to “good restaurants,” Sandpoint got outright robbed, with only one worthy of mention. Coeur d’Alene rated four. This, although hereabouts, Sandpoint is noted for a surfeit of fine dining.

The rating system referred to the Mobil Travel Guide as its authority on restaurants of star quality.

Hmmmm.

(Next in a series: Western Montana.)

, DataTimes MEMO: Associate Editor Frank Bartel writes on retirement issues each Sunday. He can be reached with ideas for future columns at 459-5467 or fax 459-5482.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Review