What it's like to live in Rexburg
Rexburg is a small city in Idaho with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Rexburg deals with household incomes below the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and cold, harsh winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 70" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Rexburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Rexburg
Based on Rexburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,008
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,160 a year
- 48% of Rexburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$79,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,510
- Homes cost 7.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 29% below US
$1,004/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,004 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 $395,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $395,100 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 85% below US
49 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 464/100k · Rexburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 42% below US
15 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.2 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 14°F. 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. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 17% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Grand Teton National Park (54 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Rexburg's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,004/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more 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 dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Rexburg
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