How Does Moscow Compare?

Annual costs, property taxes, fees, and development charges vs Lewiston and Coeur d'Alene

The Three-City Picture

Moscow, Lewiston, and Coeur d'Alene are often compared as Idaho cities of roughly similar scale (20,000-50,000 population). They differ substantially in growth rate, tax base, and infrastructure age. That shapes what residents pay.

Moscow's total annual household cost ($3,367) lands between Lewiston ($4,014) and Coeur d'Alene ($1,932). The big driver of that gap is property taxes: Lewiston's county-level rate is significantly higher (Nez Perce County: $1.40/$100 urban rate vs Latah County: $1.10/$100). CdA benefits from a much larger and faster-growing tax base in Kootenai County ($0.54/$100).

These costs assume a $400K home, 500 CF/month water, 65-gal garbage, standard sewer, and 1 ESU stormwater. Property tax is city-only levy rate, not total county-wide rate. Actual bills vary based on home value, exemptions, and usage.

On building permits, Moscow is competitive with CdA and cheaper than Lewiston at the $25K-$100K valuation range. On land use fees (annexation, variances, plats), Moscow is generally cheaper than CdA. Moscow has no development impact fees, while CdA charges $2.89/SF plus $5,146/dwelling unit for multifamily development.

Annual Household Cost by Category (Moscow vs Lewiston vs CdA)

Source: CITIZEN_COST_ESTIMATE. Assumes typical household: 500 CF/month water, 65-gal garbage, standard residential sewer, 1 ESU stormwater, $400K home. Property tax = city-only levy.

Property Tax on $400K Home by County (2025 Rates)

Source: Idaho State Tax Commission, 2025 Average Property Tax Rates (EPB00129, 11/25/2025). These are total county-wide rates (city + county + school + all other districts combined). annualOn400K = urbanRate * 4000.

Key Fee Comparisons: Building Permits and Land Use

Category Item Moscow Lewiston CdA Unit
Source: FEE_COMPARISON data. Moscow: effective Oct 1, 2025 (Resolution 2025-20). Lewiston: Resolution 2025-39 FY2026. CdA: updated July 15, 2025. "-" = not applicable or not available.

County Property Tax Rates by Location (2025, Total All Districts)

City County Urban Rate (/$100) Annual on $400K Home vs Moscow
Source: Idaho State Tax Commission, EPB00129, 11/25/2025. Rate is per $100 assessed value. Includes all taxing districts (city, county, school, fire, etc.).

Development Fees: Moscow Has an Advantage for Builders

CdA's development impact fees add significant cost to new construction. A 2,000 SF single-family home in CdA pays approximately $5,780 in impact fees (2,000 SF x $2.89). A 50-unit multifamily project pays over $257,000 in impact fees (50 x $5,146). Moscow charges none.

This is a competitive advantage for Moscow development - lower upfront costs for builders can translate to lower housing costs or higher project feasibility. The tradeoff is that Moscow must fund growth-related infrastructure through existing revenues (rates, taxes) rather than charging new development directly.

Moscow's building permit fees at standard residential valuations are the lowest of the three cities. Land use fees (annexation, variances, zone changes) are lower than CdA across the board. An appeal in Moscow costs $300; CdA charges $75 but layers in additional fees.