Rural Fruitland is home to new hospitals and residential construction
Fruitland is a historically rural community on the Oregon-Idaho border, surrounded by farm fields and winding rivers, though it’s garnered attention from developers and potential homebuyers within the last few decades. “Payette County has low taxes, and out of the three small towns in the county, Fruitland has the best sustained growth. There have been two new hospitals,” says Lara Hoch, an associate broker with Hunter of Homes LLC, referring to the St. Alphonsus Fruitland Health Plaza and St. Luke’s Fruitland Medical Plaza. “It’s created a different economy. People working in the hospitals have money to buy houses.” Besides a growing medical industry, Fruitland is home to a strong community that gathers at family-oriented events and unique local restaurants.
A wave of recent constructions adds to Fruitland’s older housing stock
New traditional homes with Craftsman influences that were largely constructed starting in 2000 — and some are as recent as 2025 — make up a considerable portion of Fruitland’s housing stock. These homes largely fetch between $320,000 and $600,000, with monthly HOA fees under $50. Bungalows and ranch-style homes built throughout the 20th century range from $240,000 to $475,000, some on lots as large as a third of an acre. Many of these properties don’t belong to homeowners associations (HOAs), but those that do require monthly fees that rarely surpass $20.
A cluster of townhomes went up between 2023 and 2024 near the center of town, and three-bedroom units usually sell for between $290,000 and $330,000. Manufactured homes, ranging from $55,000 to $150,000, can be found throughout Fruitland as well.
Old schoolhouses-turned-community-parks and river access points
Fruitland Community Park is about the size of a city block in the center of town, where the city’s first public school once stood. A shade structure that welcomes parkgoers to the green space was built to resemble the shape of the school bell that once dismissed eager students from their classes. The park’s playground, horseshoe pits and shaded picnic areas make it a gathering place, and kids can cool down on its splash pad during hot Idaho summers.
Crestview Park also offers a splash pad and a playground, and future development plans include a skate park and a trail leading to the Snake River from the green space. Mesa Park is Fruitland’s main athletic complex — it includes four tennis and pickleball courts, a basketball court, soccer fields and softball fields — while Rudy Park has a boat ramp to the Payette River.
Fruitland Family Fun Day takes place every September
Fruitland Family Fun Day takes over downtown every September with local vendors, food trucks and activities geared toward children, like face painting and bouncy houses. “Fruitland has a really great sense of community,” Hoch says. “Fruitland Family Fun Days is one of the biggest events, but in little towns, the football games on Friday are pretty big, too.”
Unique local restaurants and coffee shops near Whitley Drive
Most of Fruitland’s restaurants and coffee shops surround Whitley Drive, including Ogawa’s Wicked Sushi, Burgers and Bowls. Hand-pressed burgers, teriyaki bowls with yakisoba noodles and sushi rolls are thoughtfully plated, while the restaurant’s Bloody Mary cocktails come decked with bacon, shrimp and other accoutrements. Jack Henry Coffee Roasters offers a standard café menu, though its interior décor is anything but, with retro pencil sharpeners nailed to tabletops and a light fixture fashioned from a wooden surfboard. “It’s a really fun atmosphere,” Hoch says. “It’s really cool, and they have patio seating.” Closer to the center of town, toasted sandwiches come with soup or creamy mac and cheese at The Black Cow Cafe and Mercantile, where patrons can enjoy their food or coffee on a collection of leather couches. The closest grocery stores are Walmart Supercenter in Ontario and Albertsons in Payette.
Easy access to Ontario, via 16th Street, and Boise, via Interstate 84
Northwest 16th Street crosses the Snake River into Ontario, Oregon, which is about 4 miles west of the community. Whitley Drive traverses Fruitland from north to south, connecting it to other rural communities in Oregon and Nevada as U.S. Route 95. Interstate 84 leads southeast to Boise, which is roughly 58 miles away, and its airport; the highway also follows the south bank of the Columbia River northeast of Fruitland. The Snake River Transit Idaho bus departs from Walmart Supercenter in Ontario, looping through Fruitland and the nearby community of Payette.
Dual enrollment and industry-specific courses at Fruitland High
Children in the area may attend Fruitland Elementary School before moving forward to Fruitland Middle School and Fruitland High School. All three schools earn B-minus grades from Niche. Teenagers may get a head start on college credit through the high school’s dual enrollment program with the University of Idaho and Boise State University. They may also take industry-specific courses in agriscience — like advanced greenhouse, zoology, botany or agricultural fabrication — or other fields, such as broadcasting or culinary arts.
