Idaho is a gem in the northwestern region of the United States. Known as the Potato State, Idaho has a booming agriculture industry in the southern portion of the state and plenty of National Wilderness areas in the northern half. If you want to get away from it all, head north as the majority of the people live in the south. Boise is the capital and largest metropolitan area, followed by Idaho Falls. The Snake River runs east and west and has been harnessed for hydroelectrical power. Don’t forget the historic Oregon Trail passed through Idaho as well.
Idaho has no shortage of beautiful towns. Before moving to Idaho, be sure to check out these areas for their small-town charm, gorgeous landscapes, and endless opportunities.
Rexburg
Near the Wyoming border at 4,865 feet above sea level lies the town of Rexburg. Founded in 1883 by Thomas Edwin Ricks who was a Mormon pioneer who settled the area. Even though it rests on the top of a dormant shield volcano (don’t worry, the last eruption was over 2,000 years ago), 39,500 people make this beautiful town their home. Plenty of hotels and restaurants and lots of independent businesses dot the area. The largest industries are professional services, builders, contractors, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Churches. Another major employer is Madison Memorial Hospital.
Rexburg has a median home price of $518,000. It’s a mostly conservative population. This relatively young population is largely made up of families with school-age children. Those kids attend the Madison School District, which has 6 elementary schools, one junior high school, and 2 high schools – Central High and Madison High School. For those who want to continue their education, Brigham Young University has a satellite campus in Rexburg.
Rexburg has a humid subtropical climate with freezing winters and very warm summers. This weather is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors. Rexburg is close to St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park, and the Teton Mountain Range. Closer to home is the Cress Creek Nature Trail, Legacy Flight Museum, the Rexburg Idaho Temple, Rexburg Nature Park, Rexburg Rapids water park, and the Museum of Rexburg.
Fun facts: Rexburg has the highest number of schnauzers per capita. The Navy Electronics Laboratory oceanographic research ship USS Rexburg is named for the city. Rexburg is also home to the Idaho International Dance Festival.
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Idaho Falls
The county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho is home to a more well-known town called Idaho Falls. This area is the epicenter of the second largest metropolitan area outside of Boise and includes Blackfoot and Rexburg. With a population of 56,813, it is the commercial, cultural, and healthcare hub for Eastern Idaho. The origin of the area is cattle and sheep ranches, and explorers heading west in their search for gold and other precious minerals. Later, hydroelectric power and irrigation from the Snake River turned this area into a productive agricultural region where sugar beets, potatoes, peas, grains, and alfalfa are grown.
Idaho Falls has a median home price of $325,000. Neighborhoods are diverse ranging from the West Side with a small-town feel to Snake River Landing with residential, dining, park, and community space. The Numbered Streets is a planned neighborhood with Kate Curley Park, an Aquatic Center, and Eleventh Street Historic District. Those with school-age children have their choice of 8 public high schools, 4 middle schools, and 26 elementary schools in the Idaho Falls School District. There are also 4 public charter schools and 3 private schools. For continuing education, the College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho State University, and University of Idaho campuses are all in the area. The Idaho National Laboratory runs the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in conjunction with the University system.
Those that want to get outdoors can bike and hike on the River Walk along the Snake River, where you will also see points of interest and art installations. Other attractions in the area are the downtown area with historic buildings, restaurants, plazas, shops, the Museum of Idaho, Colonial Theatre, Art Museum, Idaho Falls Public Library, and the Japanese Friendship Garden. Catch an Idaho Falls Chukars minor league baseball team game.
Fun fact: The Idaho National Laboratory is operated by the US Department of Energy. This was formerly the National Reactor Testing Station opened by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1849.
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Ammon
Located between the Ammon foothills and Idaho Falls and considered a suburb of Idaho Falls Ammon is located at 4,713 feet above sea level. The western border touches Idaho Falls, the foothills and mountains are on the eastern and southern sides. This area is known as the Upper Snake River Valley. With a population of around 15,500, it is essentially the 15th largest city in Idaho. Ammon was founded in 1888 by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is named for a figure in the Book of Mormon.
Homes here have a median price of $360,000. School-age children attend the Bonneville Joint School District with 14 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Ammon is one of the fastest-growing cities in Idaho. As a result, there is a new middle school opening this fall. Lincoln Alternative High School is also in the area.
Ammon is a mecca for those who like to be outdoors. The Caribou National Forest and Blackfoot Mountain Range are 20 miles to the south. The Caribou Mountain Range is 20 miles to the east. Within an hour’s drive, there is boating, rafting, canoeing, hunting, fishing, camping, snow and water skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. In town, 9 parks cover over 62 acres. The largest is McCowin Park with a swimming pool, splash pad, playgrounds, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, walking paths, and ball fields.
Fun Fact: Originally an agricultural center, The City of Ammon builds owns, and operates a system that provides fiber to buildings and boasts the best fiber optic network for miles.
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Shelley
The beautiful town of Shelley, and its 4500 residents, are located in Bingham County Idaho. It is situated on the eastern side of the Snake River facing the Blackfoot Mountains. The area has a good reputation, a low crime rate, and a lower cost of living than much of the United States. The median household income is $57,407 and the average home price is $380,000, although there are larger lots that are close to or over $1 million.
Shelley was established in 1904 and named for John F. Shelley who was an early settler in the area. It is the former home of the Shelley Sugar Beet factory that operated from the early 1900s to the mid-1960s. Another historic landmark is the Virginia Theater which was built in 1918 and features a pipe organ. A fire in the 1940’s shut it down for a while, but now it is being revived and is even used as a haunted house location for Halloween.
A claim to fame in Shelley is the Idaho Annual Spud Day celebration that takes place at Dom Lloyd field. This festival celebrates all things potatoes with a parade, live band, spud-picking contest, and free baked potatoes.
Outdoor recreation areas are scattered throughout the area and include a local swimming pool and athletic fields where soccer, flag football, baseball, and basketball leagues compete. Curt Brinkman Park has walking trails and a skateboarding park.
Fun fact: Shelley High School is nicknamed the Spud Center and has a russet-Burbank potato as its mascot.
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Blackfoot
The Potato Capital of the World is located in the eastern portion of the state, and it’s called Blackfoot. With a population of just under 12,000, Blackfoot has a small-town appeal, but with all of the amenities of a larger area. It is technically a suburb of Idaho Falls. The name Blackfoot comes from the fur traders of long ago.
Blackfoot is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA. Back in 1886, locals planted a large number of shade trees in the area. It was nicknamed Grove City and those trees became a tourist attraction. These trees add to the home values, which average just under $300,000. Children in the area attend the Blackfoot and Snake River School Districts, which operates 10 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools throughout the area.
Fun things to do include Hell’s Half Acre (south Trails) Park, several historic churches, including Harvest Foursquare Church and Ross Fork Episcopal Church, and a museum at the Experimental Breeder Reactor site, which highlights advances and applications in nuclear power. Don’t forget the Eastern Idaho State Fair in the fall.
Fun Facts: Shelley is a Purple Heart City – they are recognized by the Military Order of the Purple Heart that shows gratitude towards service members of the community that have been killed or injured during combat. And of course, as they love their potatoes here, it’s the site of the Idaho Potato Museum, which is home to the world’s largest baked potato and the world’s largest potato chip.
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Rigby
The town of Rigby is the seat of Jefferson County, Idaho. A small town of around 4,000 people at an elevation of 4,865 feet above sea level, Rigby has charm. It was founded by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1884. William F. Rigby was an early settler and member of the church.
Highlights of Rigby include a picturesque main street, a downtown commercial center, two golf courses – Cedar Park Golf Course and Jefferson Hills Golf & Recreation Center, and Heise Hot Springs. Visit the Jefferson County Historical Society and Museum to learn about the history of television. Drive the short distance to Mountain River Ranch for camping, lodging, and a short drive to Yellowstone. In the winter, the Kelly Canyon Ski Resort is in nearby Ririe.
The median home price is $400,000. Many residents commute to nearby Rexburg or Idaho Falls to work for the federal government at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). They send their children to the Jefferson County School District’s 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools. The whole town brags about Rigby High School’s boys’ basketball team, which has won several championships.
Fun Fact: Famous people from Rigby include Philo Farnsworth – an inventor and early television pioneer, and Wayne Quinton – the inventor of the treadmill.
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American Falls
American Falls is a beautiful town of 4,500 in Power County. It is named for a waterfall on the Snake River where American trappers who were headed west on the Oregon Trail to find fame and fortune went over the falls. Later on, the town was moved from its original location when construction was started on the American Falls Dam.
Home prices are lower than some of the other areas mentioned thus far with a median price of $181,100. Schools are 4-star rated.
American Falls is an agricultural area with potatoes, grains, and sugar beets. Tourism and recreation are growing industries. There is a golf course and the Indian Springs resort camping center with naturally heated springs feeding an Olympic-sized swimming pool at a constant 90 degrees. Willow Bay Recreation area has public beaches, camping areas, and boat ramps. In town, there are several parks including Lee Street Park with playgrounds and a skate park, Stebbins Park with a 9-hole Frisbee golf course, and Trenner Park with fishing and great views of the Dam and River.
Fun Fact: There is boating and Oregon Trail Sportsman Access near the American Falls Dam, and of course salmon fishing on the Snake River.
Living in Idaho
These are just a few of the small towns in Idaho that are waiting for you. They are great places to live, work, play, and raise a family. With a multitude of recreation areas close by, you are sure to find your perfect home in small-town Idaho.
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