|
Tucked Away in Rural, Northwestern
Idaho, Moscow Charms with its Mellow Way of Life and Beautiful
Surroundings
Cost of Living: Meets the
National Average
| Up in rural northwestern Idaho,
along the Idaho/Washington border and about 90
minutes southeast of Spokane, sits the very laid
back town of Moscow, Idaho (population 22,000),
home to the University of Idaho and a mellow
way-of-life where bicycles are prevalent, the
food co-op is a hoppin' place and locally owned
coffeeshops have a steady following.
Moscow is a rather youthful spot (14% of the
population is age 45 to 64, and 8% is age
65 or better) and has an educated citizenry,
thanks primarily to the University (11,000
students). It also has an appealing, if
somewhat hippy-ish,'60s feeling, something many
baby boomers can appreciate. |
|
|
|
|
|
Moscow's
cost-of-living (utilities, food, etc.) is about 5%
below the national average, but the average
single-family home price is $255,000, so overall,
the cost of living is about average when compared to
the rest of the country. Everything from cute
bungalows to rambling ranch-style homes to country
dwellings are available for sale, and these days many newer,
energy-efficient homes are popping up. Town
homes and condominiums are not plentiful, but the
ones that are for sale start in the
mid-$100,000s. Manufactured homes and mobile
home parks can be found in and around the outskirts
of town; prices start under $35,000.
|
|
|
Idaho has a homeowner's exemption for owner-occupied homes,
including manufactured homes, which are primary dwellings.
This exempts 50% or $100,938, whichever is less, of the value of a
home and up to an acre of land. Taxes are computed at 1.67%
on the remaining value. The annual property taxes on a
$250,000 home would be $2,489. Further tax
breaks for those 65 and above may apply, depending on
income. The sales tax rate is 5%. Social Security is
not taxed.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs to zoom in
and out.
Moscow is located in a truly beautiful
farming region, characterized by miles and miles of treeless,
rolling hills, known as The Palouse. Reminiscent of Tuscany,
Italy, some hills to the east are very steep (and have cows on
top of them) while others roll like ocean waves and stretch as far
as the eye can see. In the evenings when the sun begins to
fade, the light turns the hills to magical shades of blue, purple,
yellow and orange and transforms pasturelands into carpets of emerald
green. It is kind of amazing that more people do not know
about this captivating region; it is still wide open, unspoiled and a
beautiful place to call home.
Moscow, Idaho,
Continued...
Great Retirement Spots Newsletter is
published weekly by Webwerxx, Inc., 2770 S. Elmira St.,
#152, Denver, CO 80231. (303) 358-0512. Copyright ©
2006-2008 All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be
reproduced without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc. All
attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained
in this bulletin, but some information may have changed since
publication. Webwerxx, Inc. cannot be held responsible for information
that has changed since this publication appeared online. Please contact us at staff@greatretirementspots.com
if you have questions or comments. To
unsubscribe or change your subscription information, click
here.
|
|
