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Compare towns

Juliaetta vs Challis

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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Juliaetta, IDHomes around $349KIdaho · 672 people
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Challis, IDA history townIdaho · 854 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.

JuliaettaHomes around $349K
Housing$349K typical home27% below the ID typical home SchoolsBetter than 33%of ID districts All about Juliaetta →
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 →
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
CJuliaettaBetter than 33% of districts in the state DChallisBetter than 5% 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.

Juliaetta$1,970/mo
Typical home $349K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $646/mo · Housing →
Challis$1,860/mo
Typical home $337K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.33% · or rent about $539/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
JuliaettaChallis
Snow a year18″—
January low28°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)182d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)65th87th
Outdoors & history
JuliaettaChallis
Trails—8 mi
Conserved land—0.6%
Settled18921878
National Register places224
Archive photos612
Famous people born here—1
Community
JuliaettaChallis
Library hours a week18 hrs23 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.

JuliaettaIDChallisID
Juliaetta ↔ Challis187 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.

JuliaettaChallis
People
Population 672Lowest 854Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.8%Highest ID: +17.3% -16.6%Lowest ID: +17.3%
Median age 50±5.4Highest 34% above ID 48.4±8Lowest 30% 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 19.2%±5.4Lowest ID: 24.1% 19.6%±9.4Highest 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%±8Lowest ID: 17% 22.8%±8.1Highest 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+ 17.7%Lowest ID: 31.8% 18.4%Highest ID: 31.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.3%±1.8Lowest ID: 6.3% 1.6%±2.9Highest 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 $52,455±$9kHighest 33% below ID $40,750±$19kLowest 48% 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 $268,600±$40kHighest 36% below ID $176,400±$26kLowest 58% below ID
Rentmedian gross, monthly $646±$114Highest 48% below ID $539±$282Lowest 56% 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 $1,319Highest 35% below ID $585Lowest 71% below ID
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.7%±22.8Highest ID: 46.9% 34.4%±18.5Lowest 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 7.6%Lowest ID: 10.6% 21.3%Highest ID: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.6%Highest ID: 72.1% 59.2%Lowest ID: 72.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 20 yrs older than ID 1979Highest 12 yrs older than ID
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 25% above ID 13 minLowest 41% below ID
Work from home 7.7%±5.5Lowest ID: 13.3% 20.4%±23.3Highest 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 3.6%Lowest 18.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 50.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.50Lowest 1.61Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Lewiston (19%)Mackay (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ChallisFew work in Juliaetta
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 7.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 3.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.3Highest 56.7Lowest
Schools
School district KENDRICK JOINT DISTRICTCHALLIS JOINT DISTRICT
High school in town None in townChallis Jr./Sr. High School
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.

Juliaetta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Juliaetta’s Town Square.

Challis neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Challis’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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