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Hansen vs Arco

91 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.5× in Arco) and work in town (+24 pts in Arco).

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Hansen, IDOne of the healthiest townsIdaho · 1,225 people
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Arco, IDA history townIdaho · 850 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.

HansenOne of the healthiest towns
Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$343K typical home28% below the ID typical home All about Hansen →
ArcoA history town
History18 archive photos & papers1 place on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 65%of ID districts All about Arco →
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.

Jobs per worker4.5×
Arco is more of a job hub
Arco 1.34Hansen 0.30
Work in town+24 pts
More of Arco’s workers stay in town
Arco 27.2%Hansen 3.2%
Street grid+95%
Hansen has the more walkable street grid
Hansen 135Arco 69.3
Growth since 2010+6.6 pts
Hansen has grown faster since 2010
Hansen -5.1%Arco -11.7%
Property tax bill+20%
Tax bills are bigger in Hansen
Hansen $1,302Arco $1,087
Bachelor’s degree++9.9 pts
More adults in Arco have a degree
Arco 23.9%Hansen 14%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $870 more a month in Hansen

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.

Hansen$1,970/mo
Typical home $343K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $788/mo · Housing →
Arco$1,100/mo
Typical home $192K (Census) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $564/mo · Housing →

The difference: $870 a month, about $10,400 a year, between Hansen and Arco.

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.

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
B−HansenBetter than 47% of districts in the state B+ArcoBetter than 65% of districts in the state
Health
C−HansenHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns –ArcoNot graded
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
HansenArco
Snow a year24″24″
January low22°F7°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)150d119d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)12th52nd
Outdoors & history
HansenArco
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
National Register places—1
Archive photos118
Famous people born here—2
Community
HansenArco
Library hours a week18 hrs36 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

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HansenIDArcoID
Hansen ↔ Arco91 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.

HansenArco
People
Population 1,225Highest 850Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.1%Highest ID: +17.3% -11.7%Lowest ID: +17.3%
Median age 35.6±4.3Highest 5% below ID 34.6±5.4Lowest 7% below ID
Hansen and Arco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.6%±5.2Lowest ID: 24.1% 34.1%±8.4Highest ID: 24.1%
Arco and Hansen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.2%±1.6Lowest ID: 17% 18.5%±4.2Highest ID: 17%
Arco and Hansen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14%Lowest ID: 31.8% 23.9%Highest ID: 31.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.4%±1.9Lowest ID: 6.3% 4.4%±3.9Highest ID: 6.3%
Arco and Hansen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $50,083±$11kHighest 36% below ID $37,644±$8kLowest 52% below ID
Hansen and Arco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $220,200±$18kHighest 47% below ID $192,000±$45kLowest 54% below ID
Hansen and Arco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $788±$254Highest 36% below ID $564±$235Lowest 54% below ID
Hansen and Arco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,302Highest 36% below ID $1,087Lowest 47% below ID
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 18.3%±24.6Lowest ID: 46.9% 54%±25Highest ID: 46.9%
Arco and Hansen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 29.8%Lowest ID: 10.6% 31.9%Highest ID: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.4%Highest ID: 72.1% 60.2%Lowest ID: 72.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 16 yrs older than ID 1963Lowest 28 yrs older than ID
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 12% above ID 20 minLowest 8% below ID
Work from home 7.6%±6.8Lowest ID: 13.3% 9.7%±7.1Highest ID: 13.3%
Arco and Hansen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.2%Lowest 27.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 62.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.30Lowest 1.34Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Twin Falls (42%)Idaho Falls (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ArcoFew work in Hansen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 135Highest 69.3Lowest
Schools
School district HANSEN DISTRICTBUTTE COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT
High school in town Hansen Jr./Sr. High SchoolButte County Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.3Highest 11.2Lowest
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.

Hansen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hansen’s Town Square.

Arco neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arco’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hansen and Arco

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Towns like Hansen

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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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