Rathdrum receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rathdrum
Hayden
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs62 · Top 28%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Schools
75 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 24%
Access
76 · Bottom 18%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
62 · Top 47%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Rathdrum | Hayden | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,874 | 16,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,563 | $82,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,731 | $39,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,564/sq mi | 1,551/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $444,100 | $494,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,459 | $1,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 75.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 26.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 211 | 112 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 19.4 | 6.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.9% | -31.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.4" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.98 | 18.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.6% | 48.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.5% | 62.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 26.2% | 32.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Rathdrum, ID · Hayden, ID · How this is calculated: methodology