City profile · Idaho · Census ACS 2023

Challis, ID

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Challis - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

794
Residents
$50,034
Median income
$168,300
Median home
$1,079
Median rent (state)

Challis - the verdict

Nationally, Challis sits in the 20th percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
27th
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Challis, ID

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 794 residents in Challis, a small town within Idaho. Median household income here is $50,034 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.1%. Home values in Challis run a median of $168,300, and the median resident age is 44.9 years. About 22.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 63.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 14 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1300% from five years earlier. Challis reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1820.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 44.4°F with 6.9 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Idaho run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Idaho scores 95.5 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,079 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Idaho run around $170, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

794 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Idaho

Median Household Income

$50,034 /yr

Poverty 19.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

95.5 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Idaho average

How does Challis compare to other US cities?

Where Challis sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 27% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Idaho alone, Challis ranks #51 of 53 Idaho cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Challis's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Idaho, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

20thIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Challis's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Challis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 42 Avg. percentile National median
Challis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Challis's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$168,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Challis $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Challis, ID Challis, ID's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Challis, ID-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Challis, ID median $50,034/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Challis, ID's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Challis, ID. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
794
Median Income
$50,034
Median Home Value
$168,300
Median Age
44.9
Poverty Rate
19.1%
Labor force participation
63.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1820.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
856.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
963.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.4°F
Annual Precipitation
6.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
880 residents900 residents920 residents940 residents960 residents980 residents 202020212022202320242025 898 residents 959 residents ▲ +6.8%
Challis's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
14
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 3
2021 6
2022 1
2023 5
2024 14

Permit volume increased 1300% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
46.4%
Carpool
35.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
14.5%

Based on 414 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Idaho - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$170
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Idaho state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Idaho state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Challis sits in

Cost of Living Index
95.5
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,079/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
52.4 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Idaho

Teton
786 people
Inkom
810 people
Clifton
774 people
Council
824 people
Athol
830 people
Mullan
758 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Challis's 794 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pocahontas, IL
794 people
Wamac, IL
794 people
Troy, KS
794 people
Preston, MD
794 people
Hopkins, MI
794 people
Battle Lake, MN
794 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Challis's $50,034 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Terra Alta, WV
$50,035 median income
Yelvington, KY
$50,038 median income
Garden, SC
$50,027 median income
Norway, MI
$50,025 median income
Robbins, NC
$50,023 median income
Edwardsville, PA
$50,046 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Challis, ID Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Challis, ID - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.8% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.1% White 83.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.1% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.3% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Challis compares to nearby Idaho cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Challis (this city) 794 $50,034
Teton 786 $77,667
Inkom 810 $81,528
Clifton 774 $97,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ID FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Challis, ID?

What is the population of Challis, ID? +

Challis, ID has a population of 794 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Challis, ID? +

The median household income in Challis is $50,034 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Challis? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Challis; the closest available measure is the Idaho state average, a cost of living index of 95.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Idaho vary by metro area.

Is Challis, ID safe? +

Challis has a total crime rate of 1820.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Challis, ID? +

A typical home in Challis is worth $168,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Challis? +

Climate normals put Challis's yearly average temperature at 44.4°F, 6.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.