American flags are flying high in downtown Coeur d'Alene and around Kootenai County.

Idaho was recently ranked the 13th most patriotic state in the country by the personal finance website WalletHub, and although it didn't make the top 10, Coeur d'Alene and the surrounding community likes to sport the red, white and blue. Some of the flags are on buildings and poles year round, and others are placed on trucks, in flower pots or hanging from porches for the Fourth of July holiday.

Darlene "Dee" Troutman has lived in her house on Front Avenue since 1985 and said she has decorated her home every year for every holiday. For the Fourth, her house is decked out in red, white and blue flags and flag buntings and a cardboard cutout that says "USA" on it.

"I just enjoy doing it," Troutman said. "I wish more people would fly flags."

While most of the red, white and blue will come down after the holiday, the flag pole near the front corner of her yard is up year round. Her husband was in the Air Force and her son was in the Army. She said she put the flag up in 1990 when her youngest went to Saudi Arabia, during the Gulf War, and it has been there ever since. Troutman said she will celebrate the Fourth with all three of her sons who still live in the Coeur d'Alene area, along with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

"I have lived in Idaho for 81 years," Troutman said. "I love my little town here, I love the area I live in here. Like I said, I've been here for awhile."

Two of the key metrics used in the WalletHub study include military and civic engagement. Idaho ranked somewhat low as far as military engagement, coming in at 29th in the country for the number of active-duty military per capita, for example.

But here in North Idaho, the area is a favorite among retired military. Dennis Wheeler, post commander for American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls, said there are more than 19,000 veterans in Kootenai County alone. The Post Falls Post includes about 1,000 members, 600 of which are veterans or "legionnaires." Post Falls is the largest post in the state of Idaho, Wheeler said.

"Patriotism, flag etiquette and anything that goes along with it, we absolutely push it," Wheeler said.

Anything flags is a specialty of the American Legion. Today, for the Fourth of July, there are more than 50 flags up around the post from dawn to dusk. He also said there is not too many places that do proper flag retirement, so the post retires more than 2,000 flags a year by doing a proper ceremony before burning them. Wheeler said there are several veteran organization organizations and clubs in the area that participate in civic engagement, such as motorcycle clubs, the Patriot Guard and the "Quilts of Valor" quilting club, which makes quilts for those who have done something above and beyond the "typical veteran."

"We do a lot of stuff, as far as our post goes, for helping and supporting veterans and their families," Wheeler said.

One thing that helped put Idaho high on the list is the state came in as the second-highest for volunteer rate. If you ask Dani Zibell-Wolfe about Coeur d'Alene volunteers, it just might be the best city in the country. Zibell-Wolfe is the volunteer director for Ironman, one of Coeur d'Alene's biggest events, and also volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club and the Youth of the Year Program. For the recent half-Ironman in Coeur d'Alene she oversaw about 1,500 volunteers and for the full-Ironman held each year there is about 3,800 volunteers. Zibell-Wolfe also travels to events around the country and said she often hears from athletes and others at those events that they love coming to the Coeur d'Alene events because of how "wonderful" the volunteers are.

"People love coming here and part of the reason is not only the scenic beauty, but the volunteers are fabulous," Zibell-Wolfe said.

Visitors to downtown Coeur d'Alene over the Fourth of July weekend enjoyed red, white and blue snow cones, played at the beach where patriotic themed items such beach balls and towels could be spotted. Erin Eisman of Seattle was in town for the weekend vacationing with her family who live in Montana, and said she could see Coeur d'Alene's patriotism as the Fourth of July neared.

"I've noticed a lot of people have flags up in the neighborhood and a lot of Fourth of July decorations," Eisman said, adding that she also noticed a lot of fireworks stands, but she wasn't sure if that counted.

While the number of fireworks stands may or may not count toward the patriotism of Idaho, Ronda Jones and Andy Flournoy of Post Falls run a fireworks stand on Ironwood Drive and said they are all about flying the red, white and blue.

Jones said she is an ex-military wife of 20 years and she flies flags at her home all year long. She even has a room in her home decorated in flags.

"I love my rustic flag, patriotic theme," Jones said, adding that she has a big pallet flag that has remained on her porch since her children gave it to her several years ago.

Jones said they have been running the stand for five years, but it has been in Flournoy's family for more than 20 years in the same location. She said they see a lot of red, white and blue on the Fourth of July, especially with the little ones who are often dressed for the occasion.

While Idaho as a state may not be rated the most patriotic, it seems that the Coeur d'Alene area loves its veterans and the red, white and blue.