It's fitting that this scenic town--one of the last areas to be explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition--was assigned the highest mainland US ZIP code. Give it up for the 99403, everybody!
Settled in 1862, this city of 7,200 is directly across the border from its Idaho sister city of Lewiston
It's fitting that this scenic town--one of the last areas to be explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition--was assigned the highest mainland US ZIP code. Give it up for the 99403, everybody!
Settled in 1862, this city of 7,200 is directly across the border from its Idaho sister city of Lewiston. As the gateway to Hells Canyon, you can be sure that Clarkston takes plenty of pride in its abundant natural beauties and bustling metropolitan amenities. Though the entirety of its land area would likely comprise a single neighborhood in many larger cities, Clarkston manages to fit an entire city's worth of activity within its bounds. From a shopping district to an active shipping port and plenty of scenic parks along the Snake River, most residents believe that Clarkston truly has it all.
An Active, Affordable Market for Rental Apartments
Unsurprisingly, the sister cities area has an extremely active rental market. From a 1 bedroom apartment to 3 bedroom houses for rent, housing options abound. Though most properties within the city limits are detached single-unit homes, plenty of multi-unit buildings also exist. Chestnut Street, Highland Avenue, and Poplar Street are particularly good places to start when you're looking at renting an apartment.
Don't Get Complacent, Start an Early Search
Though there's never a shortage of vacancies available, the bustling nature of the market can work against you if you've delayed your search. With several universities and colleges in the area, there are plenty of students and young professionals around who are typically living under shorter-term leases that keep the landscape for available openings volatile. Rental markets in cities like this tend to work in waves, and the last thing you want to do is start looking for apartments with paid utilities that you need to move into immediately, only to find that you've picked a time of year when the city's students are moving back for the semester, and listings have tightened up. Accordingly, if you're considering relocation to Clarkston, do yourself a favor and start the search immediately. There are scores of knowledgeable real estate brokers in the area, most of them with long ties to the region and reputations to uphold. There's no excuse not to seek out their services to guarantee you find the luxury apartments of your dreams.
The small city of Clarkston is roughly divided up into two main sections, though both are easily driveable from one to the other. Check out as many properties as possible and before deciding which area suits you best, as no one likes renter's remorse!
Clarkston Proper: This neighborhood in the northeastern quadrant of the city is centered on the bustling heart of the local economy. Both the Clarkston and Westgate Shopping Centers, as well as the famed port, are sited within these borders. The expansive Beachview Park on its eastern edge provides plenty of opportunities for bucolic weekend afternoons on the Snake River. This hood also provides the quickest access to sister city Lewiston, with the Main Street bridge making a trip to the other side a matter of mere moments.
West Clarkston-Highland: Bleeding into the neighboring Clarkston Heights-Vineland, this neighborhood is more purely residential than the rest of the city. With the areas directly bordering it quickly becoming much less dense than Clarkston itself, the chances for finding nice single-unit rental homes on a sizable lot in this neighborhood are good. Though it's more residential, remember that we're talking about two square miles here, so all the nearby centers of commerce are still quickly and conveniently accessed.
Most residents would consider this the best of all worlds. With all the energy and activity of a large city sitting alongside the expansive landscapes of America's West, there are few needs that Clarkston can't meet.
Reap the Benefits of Sister Cities
In truth, Clarkston is primarily its own entity due entirely to the border between Washington and Idaho on its western terminus. Consider it a bureaucratic designation more than a pragmatic one. The reality is that life in Clarkston is intimately entwined with life in the larger Idaho city of Lewiston, and its residents regularly and frequently make that city an integrated part of their daily routine. Though Clarkston is admirably complete in terms of retail and commerce needs, any minor shortcomings in that area are quickly remedied with a short jaunt over the Main Street or Southway bridges.
A Park on Every Corner and a Corner on Every Park
While that may be overstating things a bit, it is true that Clarkston manages to pack five parks into its two square miles of land area. Only the furthest northwestern homes don't have a park within a few blocks, so it's fitting that many residents jokingly refer to the city as "The Picnic Capital of the World."
Ample Employment Opportunities
Though the Clarkston/Lewiston metropolitan area is smaller than other metropolises around the region, it's by far the largest in the immediate area, and accordingly serves as a focal point for business activity. It also has the distinction of hosting the busiest inland port in the western United States, and its residents take full advantage of the employment opportunities that its bustling shipping industry provides. With a large shopping center, several big box stores, and even its own Basalt Cellars winery, the chances of finding employment within the city limits are notably greater in Clarkston than in many comparably sized burghs. Capping off this rosy career outlook, any job prospects that can't be found in Clarkston can almost certainly be found in neighboring Lewiston and its outlying areas.
Enjoy Quick Access to Regional Powerhouses
Though the Lewiston/Clarkston Metropolitan Area is a notable metroplex in its own right, its convenient location on Highway 195 and Highway 95 makes it an easy day-trip to the region's largest cities. Moscow, Coeur d'Alene, and Spokane, are all within two hours drive, and with access to those larger cities, there are few amenities and concerns of even the largest metropolises that can't be reached.
