What it's like to live in Blackfoot
Blackfoot is a small city in Idaho with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Blackfoot deals with household incomes below the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Growing population
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Blackfoot compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Blackfoot
Based on Blackfoot's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,678
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,560 a year
- 41% of Blackfoot renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$52,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,250
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 41% below US
$839/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $839 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $262,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $262,500 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bingham County is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bingham County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
328 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 744/100k · Blackfoot Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 16% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (57 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Blackfoot's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($839/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Blackfoot
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