Priest River, Idaho

Priest River, Idaho
City
Location of Priest River in Bonner County, Idaho.
Coordinates: 48°11′0″N116°54′34″W / 48.18333°N 116.90944°W / 48.18333; -116.90944
Country	United States
State	Idaho
County	Bonner
Government
• Mayor	Jim Martin
Area [1]
• Total	3.70 sq mi (9.58 km2)
• Land	3.55 sq mi (9.20 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2)
Elevation	2,139 ft (652 m)
Population  (2010) [2]
• Total	1,751
• Estimate  (2019) [3]	1,893
• Density	532.64/sq mi (205.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	83856
Area code(s)	208, 986
FIPS code	16-65530
GNIS feature ID	0397069
Website	priestriver-id.gov

Priest River is a city in Bonner County, Idaho. The population was 1,751 at the 2010 census. ^[4] Located in the Idaho Panhandle region of the state, the city is at the mouth of the Priest River on the Pend Oreille River.

Geography

Priest River is located at 48°11′0″N116°54′34″W / 48.18333°N 116.90944°W / 48.18333; -116.90944 (48.183388, -116.909555), ^[5] at an elevation of 2,139 feet (652 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.84 square miles (9.95 km²), of which, 3.69 square miles (9.56 km²) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km²) is water. ^[6]

Priest River is located on the west bank of the Priest River, which drains Priest Lake 68 miles to the north, where the Priest River joins the much larger Pend Oreille River on its north bank. U.S. Route 2 passes through the town from Sandpoint on the east to Newport and the state of Washington on the west. ^[7]

It is 7 miles (11 km) east of the border with Washington at Newport, and less than 60 miles (100 km) south (as the crow flies) of British Columbia, Canada.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Priest River has a warm-summer mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Priest River was 108 °F (42.2 °C) on June 29, 2021, while the coldest temperature recorded was −36 °F (−37.8 °C) on December 30, 1968. ^[8]

Climate data for Priest River, Idaho, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1898–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	52 (11)	57 (14)	73 (23)	88 (31)	97 (36)	108 (42)	105 (41)	105 (41)	97 (36)	83 (28)	64 (18)	57 (14)	108 (42)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	43.2 (6.2)	47.0 (8.3)	60.3 (15.7)	74.0 (23.3)	84.0 (28.9)	88.7 (31.5)	94.8 (34.9)	95.0 (35.0)	86.4 (30.2)	70.7 (21.5)	51.6 (10.9)	42.6 (5.9)	96.6 (35.9)
Average high °F (°C)	31.8 (−0.1)	36.8 (2.7)	46.1 (7.8)	56.7 (13.7)	67.9 (19.9)	73.5 (23.1)	83.2 (28.4)	82.9 (28.3)	71.9 (22.2)	54.0 (12.2)	38.4 (3.6)	30.9 (−0.6)	56.2 (13.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)	26.9 (−2.8)	29.4 (−1.4)	36.3 (2.4)	44.0 (6.7)	53.3 (11.8)	58.9 (14.9)	65.4 (18.6)	64.3 (17.9)	55.5 (13.1)	43.1 (6.2)	32.7 (0.4)	26.5 (−3.1)	44.7 (7.1)
Average low °F (°C)	22.1 (−5.5)	22.0 (−5.6)	26.4 (−3.1)	31.2 (−0.4)	38.8 (3.8)	44.2 (6.8)	47.6 (8.7)	45.8 (7.7)	39.0 (3.9)	32.0 (0.0)	27.1 (−2.7)	22.1 (−5.5)	33.2 (0.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−0.2 (−17.9)	2.7 (−16.3)	11.0 (−11.7)	21.5 (−5.8)	26.5 (−3.1)	33.5 (0.8)	37.5 (3.1)	35.1 (1.7)	26.5 (−3.1)	17.4 (−8.1)	10.1 (−12.2)	2.8 (−16.2)	−8.0 (−22.2)
Record low °F (°C)	−33 (−36)	−35 (−37)	−18 (−28)	−1 (−18)	18 (−8)	24 (−4)	29 (−2)	26 (−3)	16 (−9)	−5 (−21)	−12 (−24)	−36 (−38)	−36 (−38)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.95 (100)	2.59 (66)	3.40 (86)	2.50 (64)	2.76 (70)	2.61 (66)	0.97 (25)	0.87 (22)	1.30 (33)	2.89 (73)	4.19 (106)	4.53 (115)	32.56 (826)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	21.8 (55)	11.3 (29)	5.4 (14)	0.3 (0.76)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.51)	9.2 (23)	25.7 (65)	73.9 (187.27)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)	22.1 (56)	21.1 (54)	17.5 (44)	2.7 (6.9)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	6.1 (15)	16.0 (41)	22.1 (56)	25.3 (64)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	16.4	12.2	13.7	13.0	12.3	11.9	5.6	5.3	7.0	12.0	15.6	16.5	141.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	10.6	6.4	3.6	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	4.7	11.8	37.5
Source 1: NOAA [9]
Source 2: National Weather Service [8]

Highways

• - US 2 - to Sandpoint (northeast) and Spokane, Washington (southwest)
• - SH-57 - to Priest Lake (north)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	248		—
1920	545		119.8%
1930	949		74.1%
1940	1,056		11.3%
1950	1,592		50.8%
1960	1,749		9.9%
1970	1,493		−14.6%
1980	1,639		9.8%
1990	1,560		−4.8%
2000	1,754		12.4%
2010	1,751		−0.2%
2019 (est.)	1,893	[3]	8.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]

2010 census

As of the census ^[2] of 2010, there were 1,751 people, 713 households, and 474 families living in the city. The population density was 474.5 inhabitants per square mile (183.2/km²). There were 798 housing units at an average density of 216.3 per square mile (83.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.3% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 713 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 9.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the city was 38.1 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census ^[11] of 2000, there were 1,754 people, 692 households, and 469 families living in the city. The population density was 1,098.8 inhabitants per square mile (424.2/km²). There were 762 housing units at an average density of 477.4 per square mile (184.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.70% White, 1.43% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.60% of the population.

There were 692 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,765, and the median income for a family was $32,198. Males had a median income of $30,607 versus $16,034 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,125. About 14.0% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

See also

• List of cities in Idaho
• Priest River Lamanna High School

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 18, 2012.
3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
4. Spokesman-Review Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine - 2010 census - Priest River, Idaho - accessed 2011-12-13
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
7. "Priest River Quadrangle". usgs.gov. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
8. "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Spokane". National Weather Service. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
9. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Priest RVR EXP STN, ID". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

• Official website
• Chamber of Commerce - Priest River, Idaho
• West Bonner School District #83 - public schools
• Sandpoint.com - Priest River, Idaho
• Priest River Development Corp.
• Priest River Idaho.com - blog
• AirNav.com - airport - Priest River, Idaho