What it's like to live in Middleton
Middleton is a small city in Idaho with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Middleton deals with larger class sizes than the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Middleton compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Middleton
Based on Middleton's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$80,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,310
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Canyon County is 3.7%, 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.
Canyon County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 51% below US
162 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 567/100k · Middleton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. 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 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Bottom line
Middleton's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold winters. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Middleton
All Idaho guides →Not sure Middleton is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.