Markets/Athol
US-95 North · Kootenai County, Idaho

AtholCommercial Real Estate Guide

The US-95 and Highway 54 crossroads north of Hayden, between Silverwood and Farragut State Park. Summer tourism, highway frontage, and a small town with simple zoning.

738
Population, 2025
Census
+4.1%
Growth since 2020
Census
$70,250
Median household income
Census ACS
19,500
Vehicles a day on US-95
ITD 2025
1,243
Projected population, 2045
KMPO
Overview

Why Athol

Athol is a small city of about 738 people, but it sits at one of the busiest crossroads in north Kootenai County. US-95 carries about 19,500 vehicles a day just south of the Highway 54 interchange, and Highway 54 runs east to Farragut State Park and Bayview on Lake Pend Oreille.

Silverwood, just south of town, changed hands in March 2026 when Herschend Family Entertainment, the owner of Dollywood, bought it. Farragut drew over 500,000 day visitors in 2025. Between the two, summer brings real demand for lodging, RV, food and fuel, and those uses are permitted outright in Athol's Commercial zone.

The zoning is short and readable: Residential, Commercial and Light Industrial. Athol has city water but no city sewer, so sites run on septic approved by Panhandle Health District, and newly created or annexed parcels are limited to one dwelling equivalent per 5 acres. Land in the Area of City Impact follows Kootenai County zoning.

Market Data · Q3 2026

Athol by the numbers

CoStar does not report Athol as its own submarket, so these are the Kootenai County figures, Q3 2026.

Kootenai County

Industrial
Vacancy2.6%
Market asking rent$10.70/SF
Rent change, 12 mo-0.5%
Net absorption, 12 mo453K SF
Under construction24K SF
Retail
Vacancy1.2%
Market asking rent$18.50/SF
Rent change, 12 mo+0.5%
Net absorption, 12 mo113K SF
Under construction40K SF
Office
Vacancy4.1%
Market asking rent$25.00/SF
Rent change, 12 mo+2.3%
Net absorption, 12 mo31K SF
Under construction0 SF
Investment salesKootenai County
Industrial cap rate8.8%
Retail cap rate7.9%
Office cap rate9.7%
Sales volume, 12 mo$46.8M

What this means

Across Kootenai County, industrial vacancy fell to 2.6% from 6.3% a year ago, and retail sits at 1.2%. Very little of either is under construction. Office is 4.1% vacant with nothing being built. Sales were thin: 37 industrial, 40 retail and 22 office properties traded in the last twelve months.

Full county market report

Source: CoStar, Q3 2026 (from the CoStar pull of early November 2026). Market asking rents are CoStar estimates per SF per year.

Free Download · Q3 2026

Get the Kootenai County Market Report

The full PDF (4 pages): vacancy, rents, leasing, investment sales and cap rates by property type, plus my take on what it means. Tell me where to send it and it will be in your inbox in a minute or two.

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Zoning

Commercial and industrial zones

What you can build or open in each zone, in plain English. Tap a zone to see the details.

C

Commercial

Community and regional serving commercial

Recognizes Athol's historic commercial pattern and allows a mix of community serving and region serving businesses. A stamped drainage plan is required, and open storage must be fully screened.

Max height35 ft
Lot coverage80%
Min lot8,700 SF

Permitted outright

RetailOffices and medicalRestaurants and tavernsHotels and motelsService stations and car washesAuto repairContractor shopsLumber yardsVehicle and farm equipment salesWelding and fabricationDaycare and veterinary

Special use permit

Mini storage (3.5 acre min)RV parks and campgroundsWarehousingLight manufacturingAmusementHospital
LI

Light Industrial

Clean, quiet, safe industry

Industrial uses that are relatively clean, quiet and safe. Residential is not allowed.

Max height35 ft
Lot coverage80%
Min lot15,000 SF

Permitted outright

Warehousing and distributionWholesalingFood processingMini storageResearch and labsInstrument manufacturingLumber remanufacturing

Special use permit

Fuel yardOther manufacturingKennel
Zoning map (PDF) ↗City limits and impact area (PDF) ↗Zoning code, Title 8 ↗City of Athol ↗

Zones from Athol City Code Title 8, Articles 8-8B and 8-8C. Setbacks are 10 ft front and 5 ft side and rear, larger next to residential. Land in Athol's Area of City Impact follows Kootenai County zoning. Always confirm the zone on the specific parcel before you buy or sign a lease.

Building Here

From parcel to certificate of occupancy

  1. 1

    Check the parcel

    Confirm whether the site is inside city limits or in the Area of City Impact, where Kootenai County zoning applies.

  2. 2

    Talk to the city planner

    Athol uses a contract city planner. A quick call before you apply saves time.

  3. 3

    Entitlements, if needed

    A special use permit or zone change goes to a public hearing. The fee is $400 plus costs for either one.

  4. 4

    Site plan review

    Commercial site plans are reviewed for parking, landscaping and stormwater, $150 for the first review.

  5. 5

    Location and site permits

    The city issues a building location and land use permit with a plot plan, plus a site disturbance permit, $250 for commercial.

  6. 6

    Water and septic

    City water costs a $1,200 availability fee plus a $5,000 (1 inch) or $8,000 (2 inch) tap. Septic goes through Panhandle Health District.

  7. 7

    Impact fees and license

    Timberlake Fire's impact fee is $1.42/SF for commercial space, plus $0.07/SF for EMS. A business license is a one time $40.

Permits

Commercial building permits in Athol

Athol issues a building location and land use permit for new commercial buildings but does not post a list of issued permits. City Hall is the place to ask.

City documents

The building location and land use permit application and fee schedule.

Open city documents ↗
Utilities and Services

Who serves the site

Water

City of Athol, from three wells on the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. Line extensions are paid by the landowner.

208-683-1130

Sewer

No city sewer. Sites use septic approved by Panhandle Health District.

208-415-5220

Power

Kootenai Electric Cooperative.

Natural gas

Avista.

Fiber and internet

Intermax has built fiber along the Highway 54 corridor, and Frontier serves the area.

Fire

Timberlake Fire Protection District, with its main station on Highway 54 in Athol.

208-683-3333

Law enforcement

Kootenai County Sheriff.

Incentives

Ways to lower the cost of the deal

Idaho state incentives

  • 3% investment tax credit on new equipment
  • Business personal property tax exempt up to $250,000 per county
  • No property tax on business inventory
  • Tax Reimbursement Incentive: up to 30% back on income, payroll and sales taxes for 15 years (20+ new jobs in rural areas)
  • Sales tax exemption on manufacturing equipment and raw materials
  • 5.3% corporate income tax rate
Corridors and Traffic

Where the cars are

Average vehicles per day, Idaho Transportation Department 2025 counts.

US-95 (Chilco to Bunco Rd)
21,500
US-95 (Bunco Rd to Athol)
19,500
US-95 (Athol to Bayview Rd)
13,000
US-95 (Bayview Rd to Southside School Rd)
12,000
SH-54 (Railroad St to US-95)
5,900
SH-54 (Spirit Lake to Athol)
5,700
US-95 northbound exit at SH-54
4,300
SH-54 (US-95 to Farragut)
3,900
Growth

Where Athol is headed

Population, 2010 to 2050

69220107092020738202594220301,02020351,11920401,24320451,3872050

2010 to 2025: US Census. 2030 to 2050: KMPO projections, February 2026.

Acquired 2026

Silverwood under new owners

Herschend Family Entertainment, the owner of Dollywood, bought the roughly 400 acre Silverwood and Boulder Beach parks in March 2026 and kept the name and team.

Finishing 2026

SH-54 reconstruction

ITD is rebuilding SH-54 from Spirit Lake to Athol with turn lanes, wider shoulders and lighting.

Opened 2026

Farragut State Park

A $6.3M group camp with 20 full hookup RV sites and cabins opened in May 2026, plus a new central entrance and underpass on SH-54.

Available Now

7Fold listings in Athol

All Listings

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FAQ

Athol questions we get

Does Athol have city sewer?
No. Sites use septic systems approved by Panhandle Health District, and newly created or annexed parcels are limited to one dwelling equivalent per 5 acres. Higher intensity commercial needs a private treatment system.
What commercial zoning does Athol have?
Commercial (C) and Light Industrial (LI). Commercial allows most retail, restaurant, lodging, office and auto uses. Light Industrial allows warehousing, distribution and clean manufacturing. Both cap height at 35 ft and lot coverage at 80%.
Who do I talk to about a project in Athol?
Start with City Hall at 208-683-2101 and the contract city planner. Land outside city limits in the impact area follows Kootenai County zoning.
What does it cost to hook up to Athol water?
A $1,200 availability fee plus a $5,000 tap for a 1 inch line or $8,000 for 2 inch. Larger taps need City Council approval, and line extensions are on the landowner.
How much traffic passes Athol?
About 19,500 vehicles a day on US-95 south of the SH-54 interchange and 13,000 north of it, plus about 5,900 on SH-54 into town, per ITD's 2025 counts. Summer traffic to Silverwood and Farragut runs higher.

Buying, leasing or building in Athol?

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Get in touch208-758-7539

Sources

Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed. Verify zoning, utilities and incentives for your specific parcel. Page updated October 2026.