Spencer vs Sugar City
Spencer, Idaho versus Sugar City, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Sugar City edges out Spencer on overall objective livability (53 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Spencer | Sugar City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $47k |
| Home Value | $113k | $271k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $15 | $381 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.29% | 0.49% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.03% | 6.03% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.26% | 10.16% |
| Unemployment | 23.5% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 21°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.2 in | 12.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 47.3 in | 70.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 252 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 38 days | 41 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 54.5 | 69.9 |
| Air Quality | — | 27 AQI |
| School Quality | 75.4 | 18.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1529/100k | 239/100k |
| Property Crime | 1146/100k | 389/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 23 | 2,055 |
| Median Age | 67.2 | 27.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.15 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.84 |
| Political Leaning | R+73 | R+67 |
| White (%) | 56.5% | 86.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 30.4% | 9.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 13.0% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 14 min |
| Walkability | 6.2/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 208 mi | 214 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 61.1% | 91.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 306.57 |
| 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 Spencer or Sugar City more affordable?
- Sugar City has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Spencer's $48k and Sugar City's $47k.
- Is Spencer or Sugar City safer?
- Sugar City has the lower violent crime rate. Spencer reports 1529/100k and Sugar City reports 239/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Spencer or Sugar City?
- The median home value is $113k in Spencer and $271k in Sugar City, so homes are more affordable in Spencer.