Rexburg, Idaho

Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 25,484 at the 2010 census, up from 17,257 in 2000.[5] The city is the county seat of Madison County[6] and its largest city.[7] Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Fremont and Madison Counties. The city is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho), a private institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Rexburg, Idaho
City
Motto(s): 
"America's Family Community"[1]
Location of Rexburg in Madison County, Idaho.
Rexburg, Idaho
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 43°49′34″N 111°47′02″W
CountryUnited States
StateIdaho
CountyMadison
Area
 • Total10.10 sq mi (26.15 km2)
 • Land10.01 sq mi (25.93 km2)
 • Water0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)
Elevation
4,865 ft (1,483 m)
Population
 • Total25,484
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
29,400
 • Density2,937.06/sq mi (1,134.01/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
83440, 83441, 83460
Area code(s)208, 986
FIPS code16-67420
GNIS feature ID0374648
Websitewww.rexburg.org

History
Rexburg flooded after the Teton Dam collapse
Rexburg Idaho Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The city takes its name from founder Thomas Edwin Ricks. The city was incorporated in 1883.[8]

The Navy Electronics Laboratory oceanographic research ship USS Rexburg was named for the city.

Rexburg was severely damaged by the Teton Dam Flood in June 1976. The Teton River flowed through northern Rexburg, and left most of the city underwater for several days after the Teton Dam ruptured. A museum dedicated to the Teton Dam Flood and the history of Rexburg and the area, located in the basement of the Rexburg Tabernacle, has been a major city landmark for decades.

Rexburg has been the home of the Idaho International Dance Festival since 1986. During this time hundreds of teams from around the world have stayed with host families and shared ethnic dances and cultural experiences.[9]

When the Rexburg Idaho Temple was dedicated in 2008, Rexburg became the third city in Idaho with an LDS temple.[10]

The city gained attention after the disappearance and deaths of Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, two siblings who went missing in September 2019 and were found dead in June 2020.

Geography

Rexburg is located at 43°49′N 111°47′W,[11] at an elevation of 4,865 feet (1,483 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.84 square miles (25.49 km2), of which 9.76 square miles (25.28 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) is water.[12]

Much of the city, including BYU-Idaho and the LDS Church's Rexburg Idaho Temple, rests on top of a shield volcano just north of Rigby. Eruptions are not expected in the near future so far south; Yellowstone National Park and Island Park are thought to be the most likely settings for future volcanic activity in the area. Many different types of volcanoes exist near Rexburg, including cinder cones, spatter cones, other shield volcanoes, and volcanic fissures. There are lava fields to the west and south of Rexburg, the results of open fissure eruptions from about two thousand years ago. The nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument presents the most obvious features of this recent activity. Sediment deposits enriched by volcanism make the surrounding area famous for its production of large starch-rich potatoes.

Rexburg is close to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Range.

Climate

Rexburg experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with freezing winters and very warm summers – though even in the summer, nights are chilly and frosts have occurred in all months of the year. The climate classification may be inaccurate, as typical rainfall would place the climate as semi-arid. The wettest year has been 1983 with 20.76 inches (527.3 mm) and the driest has been 1988 with 7.48 inches (190.0 mm) including rainless months in July and October, though the wettest month was May 1981 with 4.22 inches (107.2 mm). The average snow cover peaks at around 9 inches (0.23 m), whilst the heaviest snowfall in one month was 43.5 inches (1.10 m) in December 1983.

Climate data for Rexburg, Idaho
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 52
(11)		 60
(16)		 73
(23)		 84
(29)		 91
(33)		 102
(39)		 99
(37)		 99
(37)		 94
(34)		 87
(31)		 70
(21)		 61
(16)		 102
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 29.4
(−1.4)		 33.4
(0.8)		 46.3
(7.9)		 57.3
(14.1)		 65.9
(18.8)		 74.6
(23.7)		 83.5
(28.6)		 84.3
(29.1)		 73.9
(23.3)		 60.3
(15.7)		 41.4
(5.2)		 30.3
(−0.9)		 56.7
(13.7)
Average low °F (°C) 10.7
(−11.8)		 13.8
(−10.1)		 23.5
(−4.7)		 30.6
(−0.8)		 38.6
(3.7)		 44.8
(7.1)		 49.2
(9.6)		 47.2
(8.4)		 38.6
(3.7)		 29.9
(−1.2)		 20.2
(−6.6)		 11.4
(−11.4)		 29.9
(−1.2)
Record low °F (°C) −32
(−36)		 −36
(−38)		 −12
(−24)		 10
(−12)		 16
(−9)		 29
(−2)		 32
(0)		 27
(−3)		 14
(−10)		 6
(−14)		 −13
(−25)		 −31
(−35)		 −36
(−38)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.11
(28)		 1.02
(26)		 1.07
(27)		 1.13
(29)		 1.89
(48)		 1.44
(37)		 0.90
(23)		 0.72
(18)		 0.82
(21)		 1.07
(27)		 1.09
(28)		 1.06
(27)		 13.32
(339)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 13.5
(34)		 10.5
(27)		 4.0
(10)		 2.1
(5.3)		 0.5
(1.3)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.1
(0.25)		 1.0
(2.5)		 7.6
(19)		 15.3
(39)		 54.6
(138.35)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 10 8 8 9 11 8 6 6 5 7 8 9 95
Source: Western Regional Climate Center[13]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19001,081—
19101,89375.1%
19203,56988.5%
19303,048−14.6%
19403,43712.8%
19504,25323.7%
19604,76712.1%
19708,27273.5%
198011,55939.7%
199014,30223.7%
200017,25720.7%
201025,48447.7%
2019 (est.)29,400[4]15.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

City officials have contested the census figures on the grounds that many college students were out of town while census workers were counting Rexburg's population.[15]

It is estimated that 95 percent of Rexburg's population are members of the LDS Church.[16]

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 25,484 people, 7,179 households, and 4,925 families living in the city. The population density was 2,611.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,008.2/km2). There were 7,617 housing units at an average density of 780.4 per square mile (301.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6%.[3]

Of the 7,179 households 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 9.2% of households were one person and 3.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.41 and the average family size was 3.17.

The median age was 22.3 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 49.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.9% were from 25 to 44; 7% were from 45 to 64; and 3.7% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families living in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile (1,365.4/km2). There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile (358.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.20% White, 0.30% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 2.23% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.04%.[17]

Of the 4,274 households 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.0% were non-families. 12.7% of households were one person and 5.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.71 and the average family size was 3.45.

The age distribution was 18.3% under the age of 18, 57.3% from 18 to 24, 11.9% from 25 to 44, 7.5% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% 65 or older. The median age was 20 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median household income was $26,965 and the median family income was $36,047. Males had a median income of $27,280 versus $17,592 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,173. About 13.2% of families and 44.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Politics

Rexburg has been referred to as the "reddest place in America,"[18] owing to the area's strong conservative majority and political trends. Some political experts have considered Rexburg, Idaho, the true antithesis of San Francisco, America's liberal bastion.[18] Since 1980, no Republican presidential candidate has won less than 57 percent of the county vote. In that same period, Republican presidential candidates polled more than 90 percent of the county's vote on three occasions: Ronald Reagan in 1984,[19] George W. Bush in 2004[20] and Mitt Romney in 2012.[21] John McCain came close to this level in 2008, drawing 85 percent of the vote.[22]

Education

Public schools
Monument located at Brigham Young University-Idaho

Madison School District 321 is the local school district.

The city supports 6 elementary schools; Adams, Burton, Hibbard, Kennedy, Lincoln, and South Fork. Madison Middle School follows the elementary school, serving grades 5–6. Madison Junior High School serves grades 7–9. The two high schools within the city limits are Central High and Madison High School, which has the bobcat as its mascot.


Higher education

Rexburg is home to BYU-Idaho, a private institution operated by the LDS Church. The university began as a small high school-level academy in 1888 and was eventually established as Ricks College, in honor of Mormon pioneer and city founder, Thomas E. Ricks. On August 10, 2001, it officially became a four-year university and assumed the name BYU-Idaho.[23]

Madison Memorial Hospital

The City of Rexburg and the surrounding areas are serviced by Madison Memorial Hospital located just east of the city's downtown area. The hospital offers regular classes in an attempt to educate the community on such things as preparing for childbirth and first aid for children,[24] as well as holding Conferences and Health Fairs.[25] In 2012, Rachel Gonzales - Madison's CEO, was ranked among the "50 Rural Hospital CEO's to Know" by Becker's Hospital Review.[26] In 2013, Madison was ranked the healthiest county in Idaho.[27] In 2014, the Leapfrog Group shared the results of a study which indicates that Madison Memorial Hospital received an A in comparison to other hospitals in the United States.[28]

Media

Rexburg is part of the Idaho Falls–Pocatello media market, which includes southeastern Idaho and parts of northwestern Wyoming. Media outlets licensed to or located in Rexburg include:

Television

  • K51KL, channel 51

Radio

Newspapers

  • Rexburg Standard Journal
  • BYU-Idaho Scroll
  • Explore Rexburg
  • Ennui Magazine
  • Rexburg is mentioned in the 9th verse of the song "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash.[29]
  • The nearby St. Anthony sand dunes are referenced in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, as the location where Kip and Napoleon's grandma breaks her coccyx.[30]
  • Supernatural Season 9, Episode 5, "Heaven Can Wait," was supposed to take place in Rexburg. Cass is working a grocery store as Steve and Dean looks for the cause of Pink Explosion. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3112656/

Notable people

References
  1. "City of Rexburg, Idaho". City of Rexburg, Idaho. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. "Quickfacts: Rexburg, Idaho". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2010. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. "Profile for Rexburg, Idaho, ID". ePodunk. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  8. "Rexburg, Idaho". City-Data.com. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  9. "Idaho International Dance Festival". idahointernationaldancefestival.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  10. "404 Not found". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  12. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  13. REXBURG RICKS COLLEGE, IDAHO (107644). Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  14. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. "BYU-Idaho student count at root of Rexburg's census challenge". Standard Journal. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  16. "LDS Church News - Rexburg: 'unique in all the world'". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  17. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  18. "The reddest place in America". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  19. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  20. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  21. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - State Data". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  22. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  23. "Our Story". www.byui.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  24. madisonmemorial.org https://madisonmemorial.org/education-classes/%5B%5D. Retrieved 2020-08-04. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. "Community Wellness Fair". madisonmemorial.org. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  26. Heather Punke. "50 Rural Hospital CEOs to Know". beckershospitalreview.com. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  27. KTVB, KTVB.COM (21 March 2013). "Report ranks Madison County as Idaho's healthiest". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  28. "Madison Memorial receives 'A'". Standard Journal. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  29. Johnny Cash – I've Been Everywhere, retrieved 2020-10-06
  30. "Filming Locations for Napoleon Dynamite (2004), in Preston, Idaho". The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  31. "Christian Jacobs". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 2, 2012.


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