What it's like to live in Chubbuck
Chubbuck is a small city in Idaho with rent below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Chubbuck deals with larger class sizes than the national average, cold winters, heavy snowfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Growing population
The not so good
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Chubbuck compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Chubbuck
Based on Chubbuck's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,096
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,920 a year
- 49% of Chubbuck renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$68,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,170
- 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▼ 26% below US
$1,048/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,048 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices run above average, with a median around $341,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $341,700 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bannock County is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bannock County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 15% below US
280 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 1654/100k · Chubbuck Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 34% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.1 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, 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 (55 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Chubbuck's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,048/mo) equals 15% 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 Chubbuck
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