Hayden Lake home prices top $1 million in Kootenai County

Hayden Lake’s typical home value climbed to $1,076,572, putting the lakeside community above every other city and town in the Coeur d’Alene metro area and underscoring how far Kootenai County’s housing market has moved from local wages. Zillow’s figures, updated through May 31, 2026, show Hayden Lake up 4.0% over the past year and nearly 39.4% over five years.

The metro comparison makes the divide clear. Zillow’s data cover 13 cities and towns, with Pinehurst just over $300,000 on the low end and Hayden Lake above $1 million on the high end. Harrison followed at $991,670, up 6.2% in the past year and 41.0% over five years. Worley reached $846,870, also up 6.2% year over year and 43.1% over five years, the steepest five-year jump in the dataset. Athol stood at $788,667, while Hayden came in at $646,085 and Coeur d’Alene at $607,842.

The numbers put Kootenai County’s affordability squeeze in sharper relief. The county’s average home value was $605,487 as of May 31, 2026, and the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 estimate placed the median value of owner-occupied housing units at $518,700. Those prices are far above the national typical home value of $368,720, leaving many local households priced out even in communities that once served as entry points for working families and first-time buyers.

Population growth has only added to the pressure. The Census Bureau estimated Kootenai County at 191,864 residents on July 1, 2025, up 12.0% from the April 1, 2020 base. County officials also have cited a 2024 estimate of 188,323 residents, with the county’s population up 14% over the last five years. More people chasing a limited number of homes has helped keep prices elevated across the county, not just in the lake communities.

Local housing advocates say the gap between incomes and prices is now wide enough to block much of the workforce. The Housing Solutions Partnership, formed in 2020 by jurisdictions across Kootenai County, says 24 of 30 categories of local workers, including teachers, loan officers, service workers, physical therapists and even CEOs, cannot afford to buy a house in North Idaho. The group estimates the county needs about 2,045 new housing units each year through 2030 to keep up with growth, while Zillow showed just 10 homes for sale in Hayden Lake as of May 31 and Realtor.com listed a median Hayden Lake price of about $1.2 million with 13 active listings in April.