Rexburg, Idaho

Rexburg, Idaho
—  City  —
Downtown Rexburg, May 2007
Location of Rexburg, Idaho
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Idaho
County Madison
Area
 • Total 9.9 sq mi (25.6 km2)
 • Land 9.8 sq mi (25.4 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation 4,865 ft (1,483 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 25,484
 • Density 2,610/sq mi (1,007.7/km2)
Time zone Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP codes 83440, 83441, 83460
Area code(s) 208
FIPS code 16-67420
GNIS feature ID 0374648
Website rexburg.org

Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 25,484 at the 2010 census, up from 17,257 in 2000.[1] The city is the county seat of Madison County,[2] and its largest city.

Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Fremont and Madison Counties.

Contents

Geography

Nampa is located at ,[3] at an elevation of 4,865 feet (1,483 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13 km2), of which, 4.9 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.61%) is water.

Much of Rexburg, including BYU-Idaho and the Rexburg, Idaho LDS Temple, rests on top of a shield volcano just north of Rigby, ID. Eruptions are not expected in the near future this far south; besides Yellowstone, Island Park is the most likely setting for future volcanic activity in this area. Many different types of volcanoes exist near Rexburg, including cinder cones, spatter cones, other shield volcanoes, and volcanic fissures. There are lava fields to the west and south of Rexburg, the results of open fissure eruptions from about two thousand years ago. Nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument presents the most obvious features of this recent activity. Sediment deposits enriched by volcanism make the surrounding area famous for its production of large starch-rich potatoes.

Rexburg is close to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Range.

Climate

Rexburg experiences a continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb).

Climate data for Rexburg
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 29
(−2)
34
(1)
45
(7)
57
(14)
66
(19)
75
(24)
84
(29)
84
(29)
74
(23)
60
(16)
41
(5)
30
(−1)
57
(14)
Daily mean °F (°C) 19
(−7)
24
(−4)
34
(1)
43
(6)
52
(11)
60
(16)
66
(19)
65
(18)
56
(13)
44
(7)
30
(−1)
20
(−7)
43
(6)
Average low °F (°C) 10
(−12)
15
(−9)
22
(−6)
30
(−1)
38
(3)
45
(7)
49
(9)
46
(8)
38
(3)
29
(−2)
20
(−7)
10
(−12)
29
(−2)
Precipitation inches (mm) 1.28
(32.5)
1.02
(25.9)
1.11
(28.2)
1.12
(28.4)
1.90
(48.3)
1.49
(37.8)
0.92
(23.4)
0.72
(18.3)
0.87
(22.1)
1.11
(28.2)
1.22
(31)
1.09
(27.7)
13.85
(351.8)
Source: Weather Channel[4]

Demographics

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile (1,365.4/km²). There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile (358.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.20% White, 0.30% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 2.23% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.04% of the population.

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1890 293
1900 1,081 268.9%
1910 1,893 75.1%
1920 3,569 88.5%
1930 3,048 −14.6%
1940 3,437 12.8%
1950 4,253 23.7%
1960 4,767 12.1%
1970 8,272 73.5%
1980 11,559 39.7%
1990 14,302 23.7%
2000 17,257 20.7%
2010 25,484 47.7%
source:[1][6]

There were 4,274 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.0% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.71 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the city the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 57.3% from 18 to 24, 11.9% from 25 to 44, 7.5% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 20 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,965, and the median income for a family was $36,047. Males had a median income of $27,280 versus $17,592 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,173. About 13.2% of families and 44.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Rexburg has been referred to as the "reddest place in America,"[7] owing to the area's strong conservative majority and political trends. Since 1980 no Republican presidential candidate has failed to carry the county with less than 59 percent of the vote. In that same period Republican presidential candidates polled more than 90 percent of the county's vote on two occasions, Ronald Reagan in 1984[8] and George W. Bush in 2004.[9] John McCain came close to this level in 2008, drawing 85 percent of the vote.[10]

Rexburg obtained the national news spotlight with reports of a few children on a bus chanting "Assassinate Obama" following the election of Barack Obama in November 2008. The mayor apologized for the children's behavior.[11]

History

The city takes its name from Ricks, the German form of which is "Rex".

Rexburg was severely damaged by the Teton Dam Flood of June 1976. The Teton River flows through northern Rexburg, and left most of the city underwater for several days after the Teton Dam ruptured. The recovery was quickened due to the cooperation of the people within the community. A museum dedicated to the Teton Dam Flood and the history of Rexburg and the area, located in the basement of the Rexburg Tabernacle, has been a major city landmark for decades.

Rexburg is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho, a private institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The university began as a small high school-level academy in 1888 and was eventually established as Ricks College, in honor of Mormon pioneer and city founder, Thomas Edwin Ricks. On August 10, 2001 it officially became a four-year college and assumed the name Brigham Young University-Idaho.[12]

Upon its dedication in February 2008, the Rexburg Idaho Temple made Rexburg the third city in Idaho with an LDS temple.[13]

Culture

Restrictions on sales of alcohol have recently been eased as the city has grown, and it is now possible to purchase beer and wine at some restaurants.

Rexburg hosts the annual International Folk Dance Festival, the city's largest and most well-known attraction. Each summer, dancers are invited from all over the world to perform dances and share other aspects of their cultures.

Rexburg also has an estimated 95% LDS population.[14]

The public high school is Madison High School, which has the bobcat as its mascot.

Media

Television

Radio

Newspapers

Notable natives

References

  1. ^ a b "Quickfacts: Rexburg, Idaho". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2010. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16/1667420.html. Retrieved 2011-12-11. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  4. ^ Weather Channel - Monthly Averages for Rexburg, ID—[1]. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  6. ^ Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 97.
  7. ^ http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/24/reddest_state/index.html
  8. ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
  9. ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
  10. ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
  11. ^ 2News TV, Boise, Idaho Online
  12. ^ http://www.byui.edu/pr/general/byuihistory.htm
  13. ^ http://www.jacobsenconstruction.com/portfolio/projects.cgi?j=501
  14. ^ http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/46189/Rexburg-unique-in-all-the-world.html

External links