City profile · Idaho · Census ACS 2023

Lewiston, ID

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

34,471
Residents
$71,047
Median income
$290,900
Median home
$1,220
Median rent (state)

Lewiston - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Lewiston places in the 51st percentile for household income and the 46th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

51st
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
46th
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: Lewiston, ID

Lewiston is a small city in Idaho, home to 34,471 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Lewiston brings in $71,047 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.4%. Home values in Lewiston run a median of $290,900, and the median resident age is 39.7 years. About 27.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 95 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 42% from five years earlier. Lewiston reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1504.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,220 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $170 across Idaho, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 33.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

34,471 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Idaho

Median Household Income

$71,047 /yr

Poverty 8.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

95.5 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Idaho average

How does Lewiston compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 51% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities
Safety 46% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Idaho and the picture shifts: Lewiston ranks #47 of 53 Idaho cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lewiston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Idaho only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Idaho-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Idaho's city distribution

Among the 215 Idaho cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Lewiston ranks #59 - the 73rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lewiston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#71 of 206
66th percentile in Idaho
Median Gross Rent
#77 of 215
62nd percentile in Idaho
Median Home Value
#65 of 204
68th percentile in Idaho
Poverty Rate
#103 of 215
52nd percentile in Idaho
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#59 of 215
73rd percentile in Idaho

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Idaho only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

51stIncome percentile
46thSafety percentile

51st percentile nationally for median household income · 46th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lewiston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lewiston'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Lewiston'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 Lewiston's home value compares nationally

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

$290,900 36th percentile more affordable than 36% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Lewiston $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 - Lewiston, ID Lewiston, ID's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lewiston, 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 Lewiston, ID median $71,047/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%
Lewiston, 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 Lewiston, ID. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.5%

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

Population
34,471
Median Income
$71,047
Median Home Value
$290,900
Median Age
39.7
Poverty Rate
8.4%
Labor force participation
58.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1504.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
191.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1312.9
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.

Schools

Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
34,000 residents34,200 residents34,400 residents34,600 residents34,800 residents35,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 34,252 residents 34,717 residents ▲ +1.4%
Lewiston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
95
housing units authorized
Single-Family
70
detached homes
Multifamily
25
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 67
2020 68
2021 79
2022 50
2023 60
2024 95

Permit volume increased 42% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
6.7%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
2.9%
Work from Home
7.8%
Other
0.6%

Based on 16,104 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 Lewiston sits in

Cost of Living Index
95.5
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,220/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
33.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Idaho

Eagle
31,490 people
Rexburg
39,589 people
Post Falls
41,716 people
Kuna
25,960 people
Moscow
25,868 people
Ammon
18,496 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lewiston's 34,471 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Meridian, MS
34,466 people
McMinnville, OR
34,493 people
Fairborn, OH
34,506 people
Dalton, GA
34,402 people
College Park, MD
34,397 people
Manitowoc, WI
34,553 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lewiston's $71,047 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Guadalupe, CA
$71,048 median income
Towanda, KS
$71,048 median income
La Tour, MO
$71,050 median income
Onida, SD
$71,050 median income
Aurora, NE
$71,051 median income
Bigelow, AR
$71,042 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lewiston, 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 Lewiston, ID - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 91.2% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 1.0% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 5.3% 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 Lewiston 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
Lewiston (this city) 34,471 $71,047
Eagle 31,490 $118,037
Rexburg 39,589 $50,359
Post Falls 41,716 $73,313
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ID FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lewiston, ID?

What is the population of Lewiston, ID? +

Lewiston, ID counts 34,471 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Lewiston is $71,047 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lewiston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lewiston; 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 Lewiston, ID safe? +

Lewiston has a total crime rate of 1504.1 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 Lewiston, ID? +

A typical home in Lewiston is worth $290,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.