Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Idaho?
Only a third of Idahoans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Idaho don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Idaho cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 33 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Gem State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Idaho
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Lewiston is the happiest place in Idaho.
For more Idaho reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Idaho For 2023
/10
Population: 58,872
Poverty Level: 12.1%
Median Home Price $218,100
Married Households 14.0%
Households With Kids 45.63%
More on Caldwell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,099
Poverty Level: 6.4%
Median Home Price $266,300
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 39.24%
More on Rathdrum: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,999
Poverty Level: 13.0%
Median Home Price $160,500
Married Households 8.0%
Households With Kids 30.99%
More on Payette: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 15,863
Poverty Level: 15.2%
Median Home Price $164,100
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 32.81%
More on Mountain Home: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 12,182
Poverty Level: 18.2%
Median Home Price $168,200
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 51.32%
More on Jerome: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 12,106
Poverty Level: 13.9%
Median Home Price $171,700
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 38.51%
More on Blackfoot: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,578
Poverty Level: 16.6%
Median Home Price $129,700
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 32.29%
More on Weiser: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 98,881
Poverty Level: 12.8%
Median Home Price $223,100
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 35.18%
More on Nampa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 23,765
Poverty Level: 7.1%
Median Home Price $267,300
Married Households 17.0%
Households With Kids 51.15%
More on Kuna: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 38,162
Poverty Level: 12.0%
Median Home Price $286,800
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 37.14%
More on Post Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Gem State
To rank the unhappiest places in Idaho, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 33 places in Idaho with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 33 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Idaho.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Idaho.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Idaho
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Idaho is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Idaho, according to science:
- Lewiston
- Sandpoint
- Moscow
For more Idaho reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Idaho
- Cheapest Places To Live In Idaho
- Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho
- Richest Cities In Idaho
- Safest Places In Idaho
- Worst Places To Live In Idaho
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Idaho
Miserable Cities In Idaho For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caldwell, ID | 58,872 | 12.1% | $218,100 | 14.0% | 45.63% |
| 2 | Rathdrum, ID | 9,099 | 6.4% | $266,300 | 15.0% | 39.24% |
| 3 | Payette, ID | 7,999 | 13.0% | $160,500 | 8.0% | 30.99% |
| 4 | Mountain Home, ID | 15,863 | 15.2% | $164,100 | 9.0% | 32.81% |
| 5 | Jerome, ID | 12,182 | 18.2% | $168,200 | 16.0% | 51.32% |
| 6 | Blackfoot, ID | 12,106 | 13.9% | $171,700 | 20.0% | 38.51% |
| 7 | Weiser, ID | 5,578 | 16.6% | $129,700 | 11.0% | 32.29% |
| 8 | Nampa, ID | 98,881 | 12.8% | $223,100 | 16.0% | 35.18% |
| 9 | Kuna, ID | 23,765 | 7.1% | $267,300 | 17.0% | 51.15% |
| 10 | Post Falls, ID | 38,162 | 12.0% | $286,800 | 9.0% | 37.14% |
| 11 | Star, ID | 10,929 | 4.5% | $344,500 | 14.0% | 30.96% |
| 12 | Middleton, ID | 9,091 | 13.8% | $257,400 | 18.0% | 44.04% |
| 13 | Burley, ID | 11,274 | 12.8% | $147,100 | 24.0% | 37.51% |
| 14 | Fruitland, ID | 5,903 | 12.3% | $165,300 | 13.0% | 34.2% |
| 15 | Ammon, ID | 17,401 | 5.5% | $245,300 | 27.0% | 37.84% |
| 16 | Emmett, ID | 7,408 | 16.0% | $161,400 | 19.0% | 34.04% |
| 17 | Rupert, ID | 5,994 | 28.5% | $123,700 | 20.0% | 43.84% |
| 18 | Preston, ID | 5,545 | 19.8% | $201,400 | 18.0% | 34.48% |
| 19 | Hailey, ID | 9,001 | 12.1% | $419,800 | 6.0% | 37.44% |
| 20 | Hayden, ID | 15,316 | 7.4% | $292,300 | 15.0% | 30.77% |
| 21 | Garden City, ID | 12,056 | 11.4% | $254,700 | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| 22 | Idaho Falls, ID | 64,399 | 12.6% | $204,600 | 21.0% | 35.38% |
| 23 | Twin Falls, ID | 51,223 | 13.6% | $192,900 | 22.0% | 33.82% |
| 24 | Coeur D’alene, ID | 53,189 | 10.4% | $309,000 | 9.0% | 25.99% |
| 25 | Meridian, ID | 115,227 | 6.8% | $349,400 | 18.0% | 36.6% |
| 26 | Rexburg, ID | 33,684 | 33.3% | $264,000 | 12.0% | 37.26% |
| 27 | Boise City, ID | 231,537 | 11.6% | $322,300 | 14.0% | 26.1% |
| 28 | Chubbuck, ID | 15,445 | 8.6% | $224,000 | 30.0% | 34.98% |
| 29 | Pocatello, ID | 55,865 | 14.3% | $165,900 | 21.0% | 29.64% |
| 30 | Eagle, ID | 29,665 | 6.1% | $488,500 | 16.0% | 32.93% |
| 31 | Moscow, ID | 25,336 | 21.0% | $251,700 | 10.0% | 20.63% |
| 32 | Sandpoint, ID | 8,448 | 14.0% | $309,900 | 9.0% | 27.97% |
| 33 | Lewiston, ID | 33,964 | 15.2% | $222,000 | 24.0% | 27.82% |
That is NOT a picture of Caldwell!
You got that right!