Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
32% of residents live below the poverty line in Arco, above both the Idaho town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 60 in Idaho we compare has a lower median household income than Arco. Goodale's Cutoff and Arco Baptist Community Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Arco has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Arco beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 322 in 1910, a peak of 1,562 in 1960, 879 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1972 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Arco, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Arco.
The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Arco at 918 residents, up 4.8% since 2020. Children under 18 are 34% of residents (24% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (23% statewide). In Arco, the median age is 34.6 years.
| Arco | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 years | 35.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 25% | 29% |
59% women, 41% men
About 69 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.6 points). Across Idaho, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Arco | ID | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.3% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.8% | 11.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.4% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.6% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.5% | 11.7% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 10.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.2% | 6.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.6% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.9% | 26.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.8% | 24.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.8% | 9.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.7% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Its public schools are run by the Butte County Joint District. The 2 public schools in Arco teach 372 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arco Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 186 | B+ |
| Butte County Middle/High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 186 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
A winter brings about 24 inches of snow, with January nights at 7° and July afternoons at 86°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In Arco, the typical journey to work is 20 minutes. About one in four of the town’s working residents works in town. Jobs in Arco grew by 27 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 435. The top destinations are Idaho Falls (22%), Boise City (4%) and Mackay (2%).
| Arco | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 27% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
For adults in Arco, the share who feel lonely is 29%. Among adults in the town, 14% have diabetes, where Idaho’s towns sit at 10% and U.S. towns at 12%. Only 2 of the 60 Idaho towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Arco. CDC measures, 32 in all: Arco beats Idaho on 1 and trails on 17.
| Arco | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 19% |
| What stands out | Arco | ID |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.7% | 70.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
43% of Arco’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 23%. Compared with 52% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Among households in Arco, 60% live in a home they own.
| Arco | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $564 a month | $1,117 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 60% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Across 1 park or preserve: 0.8 miles of trail. Parks and preserves in Arco: one, of 14 acres. Its density of trails stands at 0.7 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bottolfsen Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Arco; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Arco residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
City in Idaho, United States
Arco is a city in Butte County, Idaho, United States. The population was 879 as of the 2020 United States census, down from 995 at the 2010 census. Arco is the county seat and largest city in Butte County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Arco has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Charles B. Black and Clark Waddoups.
