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Compare towns

Irwin vs Pierce

308 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (2.5× in Irwin) and average commute (36 min in Pierce).

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Irwin, IDKnown for its schoolsIdaho · 236 people
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Pierce, IDHomes around $196KIdaho · 360 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.

IrwinKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 92%of ID districts All about Irwin →
PierceHomes around $196K
Housing$196K typical home59% below the ID typical home SchoolsBetter than 22%of ID districts All about Pierce →
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.

Home values2.5×
Homes cost more in Irwin
Irwin $433,300Pierce $173,000
Average commute36 min
Pierce has the shorter commute
Irwin 59 minPierce 24 min
Street grid2×
Pierce has the more walkable street grid
Pierce 57.5Irwin 28.5
Typical home built19 yrs
Pierce’s homes are older
Irwin 1984Pierce 1965
Bachelor’s degree++10.6 pts
More adults in Irwin have a degree
Irwin 26.9%Pierce 16.3%
Conserved land+8.3 pts
Pierce has more conserved land
Pierce 8.3%Irwin 0%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,180 more a month in Irwin

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.

Irwin$2,310/mo
Typical home $423K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.27% · Housing →
Pierce$1,130/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · Housing →

The difference: $1,180 a month, about $14,200 a year, between Irwin and Pierce.

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
AIrwinBetter than 92% of districts in the state C−PierceBetter than 22% of districts in the state
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
IrwinPierce
Snow a year—114″
January low—19°F
July high—83°F
Growing season (days)—93d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th92nd
Outdoors & history
IrwinPierce
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land0%8.3%
Settled—1860
National Register places—1
Community
IrwinPierce
Library hours a week12 hrs35 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

308 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IrwinIDPierceID
Irwin ↔ Pierce308 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.

IrwinPierce
People
Population 236Lowest 360Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -8.1% ID: +17.3%
Median age 57.8±8.8Lowest 55% above ID 60.2±6.5Highest 61% above ID
Pierce and Irwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 11.9%±12.7Highest ID: 24.1% 9.4%±6.4Lowest ID: 24.1%
Irwin and Pierce are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 35.2%±8Lowest ID: 17% 36.4%±8.9Highest ID: 17%
Pierce and Irwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.9%Highest ID: 31.8% 16.3%Lowest ID: 31.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±3.8Highest ID: 6.3% 1.9%±5.1Lowest ID: 6.3%
Irwin and Pierce are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $67,500±$17kHighest 13% below ID $53,906±$13kLowest 31% below ID
Irwin and Pierce are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $433,300±$108kHighest 4% above ID $173,000±$15kLowest 59% below ID
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,184Highest 42% below ID $1,128Lowest 45% below ID
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest ID: 46.9% 50%±100Lowest ID: 46.9%
Irwin and Pierce are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.4%Highest ID: 10.6% 9.6%Lowest ID: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 98.4%Highest ID: 72.1% 97.8%Lowest ID: 72.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 7 yrs older than ID 1965Lowest 26 yrs older than ID
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 59 minHighest 175% above ID 24 minLowest 9% above ID
Work from home 13.1%±12.7Highest ID: 13.3% 9.7%±9.5Lowest ID: 13.3%
Irwin and Pierce are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 37.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.85Highest 0.72Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Idaho Falls (45%)Orofino (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PierceFew work in Irwin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 8.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.9 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 2.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 28.5Lowest 57.5Highest
Schools
School district SWAN VALLEY ELEMENTARY DISTRICTOROFINO JOINT DISTRICT
High school in town None in townIdaho Youth Challenge Academy Fall
Students per teacherat that high school — 21.5
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.

Irwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Irwin’s Town Square.

Pierce neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pierce’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Irwin and Pierce

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Bordering Irwin

+ Compare
Swan Valley281 people · $672K homes

Towns like Irwin

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Midvale347 people · $231K homes
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East Hope265 people · $441K homes
C
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Craigmont509 people · $207K homes
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Elk River124 people · $225K homes

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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