Coeur d'Alene vs Santa Fe
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $444,900 in Santa Fe and $483,500 in Coeur d'Alene.
- Santa Fe has the warmer winter: January highs of 43°F vs 36°F.
- Coeur d'Alene is growing faster: +6.5% since 2020 vs +2.7%.
Side by side
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | Santa Fe, NM | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 58,179 | 89,837 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6.5% | +2.7% |
| People per square mile | 3,449 | 1,720 |
| Median age | 40.1 | 46.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $72,338 | $73,482 |
| Median home value | $483,500 | $444,900 |
| Home value to income | 6.7× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,468 | $1,463 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.3 | 98.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.6 | 108.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,700 | $74,100 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | 5.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.03% | 7.68% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.1 | 21.0 |
| Work from home | 13% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.9% | 5.1% |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 12.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 36° / 26° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 83° / 57° | 86° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 25 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 27 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 24 |
| Nights below freezing | 120 | 168 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 79.0 | 86.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.5% | +4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.3% | +42% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Coeur d'Alene: May to September. Santa Fe: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Coeur d'Alene weather by month and Santa Fe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,700 in Coeur d'Alene and $74,100 in Santa Fe. Moving from Coeur d'Alene to Santa Fe, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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