POST FALLS - Each morning Grace Whidden opens the blinds to her balcony window and relishes the mountains south of Post Falls.

When the senior ventures out, she finds friendly people, visits her daughters in the area and enjoys activities such as music in the park.

"I fell in love with the area and had it with Houston's heat and traffic," Whidden said. "And, best of all, my daughters are here."

Another perk, Whidden said, is that Post Falls offers affordable living.

At the Garden Plaza independent living facility, one of the area's newest such places with a plethora of amenities and activities, Whidden pays about $2,200 a month for her apartment. She believes she would be paying more for a similar facility in Houston without the clean mountain air, scenery or as many activities.

"I'm happy here," she said. "It reminds me of the small, quiet town in Pennsylvania that I grew up in."

U.S. News and World Report has taken notice of what Post Falls offers retirees as well.

The publication recently named Post Falls among the nation's top 10 affordable places to retire in the mountains.

"We screened for places in or near the mountains that offer access to plenty of outdoor activities, while still providing affordable housing and a reasonable cost of living," Emily Brandon, an associate editor of the organization and author of the report wrote in an e-mail.

"We also included a few other factors that retirees will need or want in a retirement locale such as access to health care facilities and a low crime rate. The large number of lakes and golf courses near Post Falls give retirees plenty of recreational options, but at the same time you have such convenient access to two bigger cities."

The list of cities, which is not ranked, also includes: Blacksburg, Va.; Bend, Ore.; Boone, N.C.; Bozeman, Mont.; Burlington, Vt.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Redding, Calif.; and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The article noted that Post Falls has experienced recent drops in average housing prices, "which could mean bargains for newcomers."

According to the Coeur d'Alene Multiple Listing Service, the average sold home price in Post Falls for the first six months of this year was $176,164, compared to $179,290 during the same time period last year.

Many seniors move or visit here because their children or grandchildren live here. And, once they taste North Idaho themselves, they are hooked.

Post Falls senior Charles Louks is among them. He agrees that Post Falls is difficult to beat when it comes to retirement communities, based on recreation opportunities, affordability, facility availability, scenery and access to services.

"I originally thought I wouldn't like the winters, but didn't find that to be a problem if you don't go out," he said. "You'll have a hard time finding a nicer place and, compared to California, there's no comparison price-wise."

Roy Abel said he enjoys Post Falls because of available services without having the tall buildings of metro areas.

"We don't have a mall, but it has everything else you need," he said. "I think they keep the city up well."

In addition to Garden Plaza, other senior facilities, including in the Tullamore project along Highway 41, have sprouted up around Post Falls recently to complement the growing medical corridor north of Interstate 90.