Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Star vs Hailey

110 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+76.8 pts in Star) and jobs per worker (2.7× in Hailey).

×
Star, IDHomes around $580KIdaho · 14,745 people
×
Hailey, IDHomes around $912KIdaho · 9,665 people
Swap order
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.

StarHomes around $580K
Housing$580K typical home21% above the ID typical home Schools#11 for schools in IDof 63 towns HealthHealthier than 79%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Star →
HaileyHomes around $912K
Housing$912K typical home90% above the ID typical home HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#9 most trails in ID7.0 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves All about Hailey →
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.

Growth since 2010+76.8 pts
Star has grown faster since 2010
Star +91.9%Hailey +15.1%
Jobs per worker2.7×
Hailey is more of a job hub
Hailey 0.93Star 0.34
Work in town+23.9 pts
More of Hailey’s workers stay in town
Hailey 30.2%Star 6.3%
Work from home+10.9 pts
More people work from home in Star
Star 21.2%Hailey 10.3%
Property tax bill+34%
Tax bills are bigger in Star
Star $2,512Hailey $1,876
Average commute9 min
Hailey has the shorter commute
Star 28 minHailey 19 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,750 more a month in Hailey

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.

Star$3,250/mo
Typical home $580K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.45% · or rent about $1,924/mo · Housing →
Hailey$5,000/mo
Typical home $912K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $1,460/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,750 a month, about $21,000 a year, between Hailey and Star.

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

Hailey gets 95 more inches of snow a year

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
StarHailey
Snow a year7″102″
January low23°F8°F
July high92°F80°F
Growing season (days)168d77d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st52nd
Outdoors & history
StarHailey
Trails14 mi7 mi
Conserved land0.6%1.6%
National Register places112
Famous people born here—9
Community
StarHailey
Library hours a week48 hrs50 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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.

Report cards

Hailey places higher on 12 of 21 ID lists

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
A−StarBetter than 78% of districts in the state B−HaileyBetter than 51% of districts in the state
Health
A−StarHealthier than 79% of U.S. towns AHaileyHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns
8Star
12Hailey

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 63 towns #53#1 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 63 towns #4#35 Best schoolsSchools · 63 towns #11#41 Shortest commuteGetting around · 63 towns #57#28 Most new homesHousing · 54 towns #1#25 Fastest growingGrowth · 63 towns #1#27 Most remote workersWork · 62 towns #3#26 Lowest property taxCost of living · 62 towns #54#32

Left end = #1 in Idaho. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Star’s rankings →

Where they are

110 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

StarIDHaileyID
Star ↔ Hailey110 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.

StarHailey
People
Population 14,745Highest 9,665Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +91.9%Highest ID: +17.3% +15.1%Lowest ID: +17.3%
Median age 40.3±3.1Lowest 8% above ID 41.3±5.3Highest 11% above ID
Hailey and Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.7%±3.2Highest ID: 24.1% 24.3%±4Lowest ID: 24.1%
Star and Hailey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.8%±3.6Highest ID: 17% 12.8%±3.4Lowest ID: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 34.9%Lowest ID: 31.8% 39%Highest ID: 31.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.8%±2.1Highest ID: 6.3% 2.9%±2.1Lowest ID: 6.3%
Star and Hailey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $97,936±$13kHighest 26% above ID $90,760±$25kLowest 17% above ID
Star and Hailey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $564,300±$39kLowest 35% above ID $637,800±$79kHighest 52% above ID
Hailey and Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,924±$738Highest 55% above ID $1,460±$274Lowest 18% above ID
Star and Hailey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,512Highest 23% above ID $1,876Lowest 8% below ID
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.5%±24.3Highest ID: 46.9% 36.2%±19.3Lowest ID: 46.9%
Star and Hailey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.8%Lowest ID: 10.6% 7.4%Highest ID: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.7%Highest ID: 72.1% 71%Lowest ID: 72.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2011Highest 20 yrs newer than ID 1994Lowest 3 yrs newer than ID
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 27% above ID 19 minLowest 13% below ID
Work from home 21.2%±4Highest ID: 13.3% 10.3%±3.1Lowest ID: 13.3%
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 30.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 11.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.34Lowest 0.93Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Boise City (37%)Ketchum (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HaileyFew work in Star
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 1.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 13.9 miHighest 7.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miLowest 1.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 10Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 79.2Lowest 108Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #11 of 63 in ID#41 of 63 in ID
School district JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2SYRINGA MOUNTAIN SCHOOL INC. · BLAINE COUNTY DISTRICT
High school in town None in townWood River High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 14.4
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.

Star neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Local History tidbit

1 neighbor in Star can answer.

Hailey neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hailey’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Star and Hailey

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Star

+ Compare
Eagle32,855 people · $773K homes

Towns like Star

H
+ Compare
Hayden16,338 people · $495K homes
+ Compare
Rathdrum10,874 people · $444K homes
+ Compare
Middleton10,649 people · $403K homes
C
+ Compare
Chubbuck16,126 people · $342K 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.

Post to Star

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in