What it's like to live in Twin Falls
Twin Falls is a smaller city in Idaho with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Twin Falls deals with household incomes below 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
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Twin Falls compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Twin Falls
Based on Twin Falls's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,164
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,280 a year
- 53% of Twin Falls renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,130
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,082/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,082 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $321,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $321,300 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
359 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 1027/100k · Twin Falls Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 40% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.7 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; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 32% 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
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Minidoka National Historic Site (13 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Twin Falls's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,082/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Twin Falls
All Idaho guides →Moving to Mountain Home →
74 mi away · pop. 16,493
Rent $1,155/mo · Income $63,125
Compare with Twin Falls →Moving to Pocatello →
104 mi away · pop. 57,635
Rent $948/mo · Income $60,418
Compare with Twin Falls →Not sure Twin Falls is the one?
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