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Compare towns

Challis vs Juliaetta

187 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.3× in Juliaetta) and growth since 2010 (+24.4 pts in Juliaetta).

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Challis, IDA history townIdaho · 854 people
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Juliaetta, IDHomes around $349KIdaho · 672 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ChallisA history town
HistorySettled in 187824 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 5%of ID districts Work414 jobsbased in Challis, a regional job hub All about Challis →
JuliaettaHomes around $349K
Housing$349K typical home27% below the ID typical home SchoolsBetter than 33%of ID districts All about Juliaetta →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill2.3×
Tax bills are bigger in Juliaetta
Juliaetta $1,319Challis $585
Growth since 2010+24.4 pts
Juliaetta has grown faster since 2010
Juliaetta +7.8%Challis -16.6%
Jobs per worker3.2×
Challis is more of a job hub
Challis 1.61Juliaetta 0.50
Home values+52%
Homes cost more in Juliaetta
Juliaetta $268,600Challis $176,400
Average commute14 min
Challis has the shorter commute
Juliaetta 27 minChallis 13 min
Work in town+14.7 pts
More of Challis’s workers stay in town
Challis 18.3%Juliaetta 3.6%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Idaho ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
DChallisBetter than 5% of districts in the state CJuliaettaBetter than 33% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Challis$1,860/mo
Typical home $337K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.33% · or rent about $539/mo · Housing →
Juliaetta$1,970/mo
Typical home $349K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $646/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Juliaetta and Challis.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ChallisJuliaetta
Snow a year—18″
January low—28°F
July high—90°F
Growing season (days)—182d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th65th
Outdoors & history
ChallisJuliaetta
Trails8 mi—
Conserved land0.6%—
Settled18781892
National Register places242
Archive photos126
Famous people born here1—
Community
ChallisJuliaetta
Library hours a week23 hrs18 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

187 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ChallisIDJuliaettaID
Challis ↔ Juliaetta187 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ChallisJuliaetta
People
Population 854Highest 672Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -16.6%Lowest ID: +17.3% +7.8%Highest ID: +17.3%
Median age 48.4±8Lowest 30% above ID 50±5.4Highest 34% above ID
Juliaetta and Challis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.6%±9.4Highest ID: 24.1% 19.2%±5.4Lowest ID: 24.1%
Challis and Juliaetta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.8%±8.1Highest ID: 17% 22%±8Lowest ID: 17%
Challis and Juliaetta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.4%Highest ID: 31.8% 17.7%Lowest ID: 31.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±2.9Highest ID: 6.3% 0.3%±1.8Lowest ID: 6.3%
Challis and Juliaetta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $40,750±$19kLowest 48% below ID $52,455±$9kHighest 33% below ID
Juliaetta and Challis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $176,400±$26kLowest 58% below ID $268,600±$40kHighest 36% below ID
Rentmedian gross, monthly $539±$282Lowest 56% below ID $646±$114Highest 48% below ID
Juliaetta and Challis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $585Lowest 71% below ID $1,319Highest 35% below ID
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±18.5Lowest ID: 46.9% 41.7%±22.8Highest ID: 46.9%
Juliaetta and Challis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.3%Highest ID: 10.6% 7.6%Lowest ID: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.2%Lowest ID: 72.1% 63.6%Highest ID: 72.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 12 yrs older than ID 1971Lowest 20 yrs older than ID
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 13 minLowest 41% below ID 27 minHighest 25% above ID
Work from home 20.4%±23.3Highest ID: 13.3% 7.7%±5.5Lowest ID: 13.3%
Challis and Juliaetta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 18.3%Highest 3.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 50.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.61Highest 0.50Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Mackay (14%)Lewiston (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JuliaettaFew work in Challis
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 7.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 56.7Lowest 58.3Highest
Schools
School district CHALLIS JOINT DISTRICTKENDRICK JOINT DISTRICT
High school in town Challis Jr./Sr. High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 8.7 —
Idaho average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Challis neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Challis’s Town Square.

Juliaetta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Juliaetta’s Town Square.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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