Idaho Falls vs Pocatello
Idaho Falls, Idaho versus Pocatello, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Idaho Falls and Pocatello score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Idaho Falls | Pocatello |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $44k |
| Home Value | $267k | $206k |
| Monthly Rent | $931 | $790 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.68% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.53% | 10.94% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5 in | 13.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.7 in | 29.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 252 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 24 days | 23 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.5 | 38.0 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 21.0 | 24.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1111/100k | 1557/100k |
| Property Crime | 1383/100k | 1354/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 65,685 | 56,582 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 32.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | R+23 |
| White (%) | 78.0% | 81.8% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.6% | 9.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 187 mi | 146 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.7% | 87.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 38.52 | 30.40 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Idaho Falls or Pocatello more affordable?
- Pocatello has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Idaho Falls's $50k and Pocatello's $44k. Median rent is $931 in Idaho Falls versus $790 in Pocatello.
- Is Idaho Falls or Pocatello safer?
- Idaho Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Idaho Falls reports 1111/100k and Pocatello reports 1557/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Idaho Falls or Pocatello?
- The median home value is $267k in Idaho Falls and $206k in Pocatello, so homes are more affordable in Pocatello.