City profile · Idaho · Census ACS 2023

Priest River, ID

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

2,058
Residents
$57,712
Median income
$271,500
Median home
$1,257
Median rent (state)

Priest River - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Priest River lands in the 32nd percentile for household income and the 86th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

32nd
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
86th
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: Priest River, ID

Priest River is a small town in Idaho, home to 2,058 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Priest River households earn a median of $57,712 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Typical homes in Priest River are valued around $271,500, and the median resident age is 43.3 years. 9.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 51.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Priest River reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 486.0 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: the state registers 95.5 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,257 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Idaho's average monthly utility costs around $170 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 77.3 out of 100 (High).

Population

2,058 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Idaho

Median Household Income

$57,712 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

95.5 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Idaho average

How does Priest River compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 32% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities
Safety 86% 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, Priest River ranks #9 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

Each percentile compares Priest River 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 places Priest River toward the bottom of Idaho's cities

Among the 215 Idaho cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Priest River ranks #177 - the 17th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Priest River only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#128 of 206
38th percentile in Idaho
Median Gross Rent
#62 of 215
67th percentile in Idaho
Median Home Value
#80 of 204
61st percentile in Idaho
Poverty Rate
#113 of 215
47th percentile in Idaho
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#177 of 215
17th 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.

32ndIncome percentile
86thSafety percentile

32nd percentile nationally for median household income · 86th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Priest River's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Priest River'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 56 Avg. percentile National median
Priest River'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 Priest River's home value compares nationally

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

$271,500 40th percentile more affordable than 40% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Priest River $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 - Priest River, ID Priest River, ID's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Priest River, 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 Priest River, ID median $57,712/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%
Priest River, 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 Priest River, ID. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 9.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.1%

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

Population
2,058
Median Income
$57,712
Median Home Value
$271,500
Median Age
43.3
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
51.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
9.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
486.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
108.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
378.0
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,600 residents1,700 residents1,800 residents1,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,671 residents 1,851 residents ▲ +10.8%
Priest River's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
7.9%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
7.2%
Other
4.2%

Based on 834 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 Priest River sits in

Cost of Living Index
95.5
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,257/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Idaho

Pinehurst
2,014 people
Sugar City
2,011 people
Shoshone
1,985 people
Kellogg
2,232 people
New Plymouth
1,863 people
Parma
1,836 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Priest River's 2,058 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dallas Center, IA
2,058 people
Meyersdale, PA
2,058 people
Millville, DE
2,059 people
Redington Shores, FL
2,057 people
Kentwood, LA
2,057 people
Montrose, MI
2,057 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Priest River's $57,712 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Black River Falls, WI
$57,712 median income
Tonkawa, OK
$57,711 median income
Alton, KS
$57,708 median income
Williamsburg, KS
$57,708 median income
Berwick, LA
$57,708 median income
Custar, OH
$57,708 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Priest River, 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 Priest River, ID - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.4% 11.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.8% White 87.4% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 11.1% 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 Priest River 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
Priest River (this city) 2,058 $57,712
Pinehurst 2,014 $66,447
Sugar City 2,011 $71,944
Shoshone 1,985 $56,050
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ID FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Priest River, ID?

What is the population of Priest River, ID? +

The population of Priest River, ID stands at 2,058 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Priest River, ID? +

Priest River households earn a median of $57,712 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Priest River? +

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

Priest River has a total crime rate of 486.0 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 Priest River, ID? +

The median home value in Priest River is $271,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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