What it's like to live in Lewiston
Lewiston is a small city in Idaho with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, crime rates well 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. Lewiston deals with fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lewiston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lewiston
Based on Lewiston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,054
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,080 a year
- 42% of Lewiston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,740
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,370
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 27% below US
$1,027/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,027 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 $333,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $333,700 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 47% below US
175 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1348/100k · Lewiston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 41% below US
15 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.3 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; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 24% 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
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Nez Perce National Historical Park (58 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lewiston's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,027/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Lewiston
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