Ashton vs Spencer
Ashton, Idaho versus Spencer, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Ashton and Spencer score about the same overall (47 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ashton | Spencer |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $48k |
| Home Value | $172k | $113k |
| Monthly Rent | $781 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $316 | $15 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.72% | 0.29% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.76% | 8.26% |
| Unemployment | 8.8% | 23.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 21°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7 in | 12.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 70.1 in | 47.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 252 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 28 days | 38 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 82.6 | 54.5 |
| Air Quality | 17 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 28.7 | 75.4 |
| Violent Crime | 313/100k | 1529/100k |
| Property Crime | 1149/100k | 1146/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,367 | 23 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 67.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.22 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+70 | R+73 |
| White (%) | 80.8% | 56.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.4% | 30.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.1% | 13.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 6.4/20 | 6.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 229 mi | 208 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.5% | 61.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 73.15 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ashton or Spencer more affordable?
- Ashton has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Ashton's $45k and Spencer's $48k.
- Is Ashton or Spencer safer?
- Ashton has the lower violent crime rate. Ashton reports 313/100k and Spencer reports 1529/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ashton or Spencer?
- The median home value is $172k in Ashton and $113k in Spencer, so homes are more affordable in Spencer.