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.

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.

Down paymentRate%

Parker$1,630/mo

Typical home $290K (Census) · tax rate 0.44% · or rent about $1,304/mo · Housing →

Basalt$1,700/mo

Typical home $307K (Census) · tax rate 0.36% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Basalt and Parker.

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

BParkerBetter than 55% of districts in the state –BasaltNot graded

Where they are

49 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ParkerID BasaltID

Parker ↔ Basalt49 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.

Only big differences vs Idaho average

ParkerBasalt

People

Population 607Highest 569Lowest

Median age 34.1±4.5Lowest 9% below ID 37±5.9Highest about the ID average

Basalt and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26%±15.5Lowest ID: 24.1% 30.4%±6.4Highest ID: 24.1%

Basalt and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 9.4%±3.7Lowest ID: 17% 12.1%±5.8Highest ID: 17%

Basalt and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.4%Lowest ID: 31.8% 12.2%Highest ID: 31.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.3%±2.4Highest ID: 6.3% 0.7%±1.1Lowest ID: 6.3%

Parker and Basalt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $93,750±$65kHighest 21% above ID $78,472±$30kLowest about the ID average

Parker and Basalt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $289,600±$84kLowest 31% below ID $306,600±$70kHighest 27% below ID

Basalt and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,304±$177Highest 5% above ID $775±$470Lowest 37% below ID

Parker and Basalt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,279Highest 37% below ID $1,109Lowest 46% below ID

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 33.3%±50Highest ID: 46.9% 3.6%±74.4Lowest ID: 46.9%

Parker and Basalt 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% 1.4%Lowest ID: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.9%Lowest ID: 72.1% 80.7%Highest ID: 72.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1954Lowest 37 yrs older than ID 1971Highest 20 yrs older than ID

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 49 minHighest 126% above ID 29 minLowest 33% above ID

Work from home 5.7%±5.2Lowest ID: 13.3% 13.8%±12.6Highest ID: 13.3%

Basalt and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 3.3%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 14.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Lowest 1.49Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Rexburg (20%)Idaho Falls (27%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BasaltFew work in Parker

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 45.9Lowest 58.7Highest

Schools

School district FREMONT COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT—

High school in town None in town—

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.

Parker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parker’s Town Square.

Basalt neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Basalt’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Parker

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Richfield586 people · $217K homes

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Notus573 people · $287K homes

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Teton877 people · $249K homes

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Dietrich421 people · $225K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Idaho towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Parker vs Basalt

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Parker gets 55 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

49 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Parker

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