#3Montpelier
Bear Lake County · 2,710 peopleStrongest: cost of living A, safety A−·lowest: jobs & income C
ACostA−SafetyBSchoolsB−HealthCJobsB+WalkB−Hazards
Montpelier, #1 on this list · John A. Bagley House · Photo: William R Sterling · CC BY-SA 3.0Idaho rankings · 2026
Best small towns in Idaho
Montpelier ranks first of Idaho’s 32 graded small towns (2,500–9,999 residents), with an A: cost of living (A) and safety (A−) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C) is its lowest. 4 of the 32 (12%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns.
The overall grade, sorted: cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk, from Census, FBI, state, CDC, EPA and FEMA data. How grades work
#3A
#5Ketchum
Blaine County · 3,643 peopleStrongest: walkability A+, health A+·lowest: hazard risk D
CCostBSafetyB+SchoolsA+HealthB+JobsA+WalkDHazards
Lincoln
unincorporated, Bonneville County · 4,002 peopleStrongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: hazard risk C
BCost–SafetyB+SchoolsAHealthB−JobsBWalkCHazards
Where they are: Two of the top 10 are in Bonneville County.
All 32 small towns
Overall score, highest first. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among every U.S. town of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbors on the list often share a letter. Each town links to its page, where the grade sheet shows every subject. The rank is the town’s place among all 58 Idaho towns.
32 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownScoreGradeWhat drives it
3MontpelierBear Lake County · 2,710 people66.1top 14.2%AStrongest: cost of living A, safety A−·lowest: jobs & income C
5KetchumBlaine County · 3,643 people63.7top 19.8%A−Strongest: walkability A+, health A+·lowest: hazard risk D
7Lincolnunincorporated, Bonneville County · 4,002 people62.9top 21.7%A−Strongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: hazard risk C
9IonaBonneville County · 3,179 people61.7top 24.8%A−Strongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: cost of living C+
10FruitlandPayette County · 7,213 people61.6top 25.1%B+Strongest: hazard risk A, safety A−·lowest: health B−
11PrestonFranklin County · 6,177 people61.6top 25.2%B+Strongest: safety A−, walkability B+·lowest: hazard risk C
12ShelleyBingham County · 5,303 people61.6top 25.3%B+Strongest: schools B+, health B+·lowest: jobs & income C+
13KimberlyTwin Falls County · 5,798 people60.9top 27.0%B+Strongest: hazard risk A, safety A−·lowest: cost of living C
16Soda SpringsCaribou County · 3,165 people60.0top 29.5%B+Strongest: safety A, cost of living B·lowest: walkability C−
18RigbyJefferson County · 5,757 people59.3top 31.2%B+Strongest: health A, jobs & income B+·lowest: walkability C+
19BellevueBlaine County · 2,597 people59.2top 31.4%B+Strongest: health A, safety A−·lowest: hazard risk D
22GrangevilleIdaho County · 3,621 people58.3top 33.8%B+Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
23St. AnthonyFremont County · 3,990 people56.3top 39.1%BStrongest: safety A−, walkability A−·lowest: jobs & income D
27VictorTeton County · 2,589 people54.6top 43.7%BStrongest: health A+, walkability B−·lowest: hazard risk C
31American FallsPower County · 4,785 people53.3top 47.2%B−Strongest: hazard risk A, walkability A·lowest: jobs & income C−
34FilerTwin Falls County · 3,026 people51.6bottom 47.9%B−Strongest: hazard risk A+, health B+·lowest: walkability D
38HomedaleOwyhee County · 3,138 people49.0bottom 40.9%C+Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
39EmmettGem County · 8,900 people48.2bottom 38.6%C+Strongest: walkability A−, cost of living B·lowest: hazard risk D
41McCallValley County · 4,133 people47.3bottom 36.2%C+Strongest: schools A, walkability A−·lowest: hazard risk D
42Bonners FerryBoundary County · 2,797 people47.2bottom 35.8%C+Strongest: walkability A−, schools B·lowest: hazard risk C
43BuhlTwin Falls County · 4,801 people46.3bottom 33.6%CStrongest: hazard risk A+, safety A−·lowest: schools C−
45WeiserWashington County · 6,249 people44.9bottom 29.9%CStrongest: walkability A, safety A−·lowest: jobs & income D
46WendellGooding County · 3,090 people44.0bottom 27.7%CStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: schools C−
48GoodingGooding County · 3,855 people42.8bottom 25.0%CStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B·lowest: health D
49HeyburnMinidoka County · 3,783 people42.6bottom 24.5%C−Strongest: health B, cost of living B·lowest: jobs & income C−
51Fort Hallunincorporated, Bannock County · 2,654 people41.9bottom 23.1%C−Strongest: cost of living A, schools B+·lowest: walkability D−
53Mountain Home AFBunincorporated, Elmore County · 3,219 people39.7bottom 18.4%C−Strongest: health A, walkability B+·lowest: cost of living D−
55SalmonLemhi County · 3,286 people38.4bottom 15.9%C−Strongest: walkability B+, health B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
56RupertMinidoka County · 6,460 people38.2bottom 15.4%C−Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: jobs & income D
57PayettePayette County · 8,813 people36.6bottom 12.8%DStrongest: walkability B, cost of living B−·lowest: schools D
58OrofinoClearwater County · 3,259 people27.5bottom 2.9%D−Strongest: walkability B, health B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
Method
How this list is made
Each town’s overall grade blends seven livability grades: cost of living (weight 18), safety (18), schools (16), health (14), jobs & income (12), walkability (8) and hazard risk (4). A town needs 2,500+ residents and three of the first four. Letters are national, so an A here means the same as an A in any state; the list is the same towns in the same order, ranked within Idaho. Towns without their own FBI figures are graded on the rest and their page says why.
Data years: crime 2023–2025 (FBI), Census ACS 2020–2024, CDC PLACES 2025, state school tests. How grades work
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best small town in Idaho?
Among 32 graded towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Montpelier (Bear Lake County) ranks first, with an A; cost of living (A) and safety (A−) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C) is its lowest. Ketchum and Lincoln follow.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades from public data. The letter is national; the rank is within Idaho. The full method is on How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade (32 in Idaho). 35 smaller places have subject grades only; Larger towns are on the best places to live list. Every town is on the Idaho page.
Go deeper
All Idaho rankings →More Idaho lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live58 towns · #1 MeridianMost affordable towns59 towns · #1 MontpelierSafest towns41 towns · #1 Soda SpringsTowns with the best schools59 towns · #1 McCallHealthiest towns59 towns · #1 KetchumBest towns for jobs & income59 towns · #1 EagleMost walkable towns59 towns · #1 KetchumTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk59 towns · #1 JeromeBest towns for the outdoors59 towns · #1 Soda SpringsMost historic towns59 towns · #1 Bonners FerryTowns with the most civic life54 towns · #1 McCallTowns with the least snow50 towns · #1 EmmettDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns50 towns · #1 McCallDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters63 towns · #1 LewistonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers63 towns · #1 Mountain Home and Mountain Home AFBDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers63 towns · #1 DriggsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes59 towns · #1 Hidden SpringsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes58 towns · #1 GrangevilleDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns55 towns · #1 StarDescribed, no letters
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