Pocatello, Idaho

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.38 square miles (83.86 km²), of which, 32.22 square miles (83.45 km²) is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) is water.

Climate

Pocatello experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), with winters that are moderately long and cold, and hot, dry summers.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 54,255 people, 20,832 households, and 13,253 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,683.9 inhabitants per square mile (650.2/km²). There were 22,404 housing units at an average density of 695.3 per square mile (268.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.5% White, 1.0% African American, 1.7% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.2% of the population.

There were 20,832 households of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.4% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 30.2 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 21.8% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 51,466 people, 19,334 households, and 12,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,822.5 people per square mile (703.7/km²). There were 20,627 housing units at an average density of 730.4 per square mile (282.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.32% White, 0.72% African American, 1.35% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 2.18% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.94% of the population. The top 5 ethnic groups in Pocatello are: English – 21%, German – 16%, Irish – 9%, Danish – 4% and Swedish – 4%.

There were 19,334 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 16.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,326, and the median income for a family was $41,884. Males had a median income of $33,984 versus $22,962 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,425. About 10.7% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The religious affiliation is as follows:

Gateway to the Northwest

Founded in 1889, Pocatello was known as the "Gateway to the Northwest." As pioneers, gold miners and settlers traveled the Oregon Trail, they passed through the Portneuf Gap south of town. Stage and freight lines and the railroad soon followed, turning the community into a trade center and transportation junction.

Indigenous Tribes

The name "Pocatello" comes from an Indian chief of the Shoshone tribe who granted the railroad a right-of-way through the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

Shoshone and Bannock Indian tribes inhabited southeastern Idaho for hundreds of years before the epic trek by Lewis and Clark across Idaho in 1805. Their reports of the many riches of the region attracted fur trappers and traders to southeastern Idaho.

Permanent Settlements

Nathaniel Wyeth of Massachusetts established one of the first permanent settlements at Fort Hall in 1834, which is only a few miles northeast of Pocatello. When over-trapping and a shift in fashion to silk hats put an end to the fur trade, Fort Hall became a supply point for immigrants traveling the Oregon Trail.

Although thousands of immigrants passed through Idaho, it was not until the discovery of gold in 1860 that attracted settlers in large numbers to Idaho. The gold rush brought a need for goods and services to many towns, and the Portneuf Valley, home of Pocatello, was the corridor initially used by stage and freight lines. The coming of the railroad provided further development of Idaho's mineral resources and "Pocatello junction" became an important transportation crossroads as the Union Pacific Railroad expanded its service.

Gold Rush & Agriculture

After the gold rush played out, the settlers who remained turned to agriculture. With the help of irrigation from the nearby Snake River, the region became a large supplier of potatoes, grain and other crops. Residential and commercial development gradually appeared by 1882.

Rankings and recognition

Pocatello still carries on this tradition with air, rail, and ground transportation at the intersection of I-15 and I-86. Pocatello has been recognized by Forbes as a "Best Small Place for Business" 6 years in a row. Most recently Pocatello was ranked 2nd on Forbes Cost of Doing Business index. In addition, Pocatello has been ranked 1 of the top 10 small places to move and raise a family according to Primary Relocation and World ERC. Pocatello has also been ranked by the AARP as one of the top cities in the U.S. to retire and one of the Best Small Cities in America by NerdWallet.

Government and infrastructure

Idaho Department of Correction operates the Pocatello Women's Correctional Center (PWCC) in Pocatello.

The United States Postal Service operates the Pocatello, Bannock, and Gateway Station post offices.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is building a data center in Pocatello as part of an initiative to consolidate operations into three enterprise data centers.

Higher Education

Idaho State University (ISU) is a public university operated by the state of Idaho. Originally an auxiliary campus of the University of Idaho and then a state college, it became the second university in the state in 1963. The ISU campus is in Pocatello, with outreach programs in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Twin Falls. The university's crown jewel is the 123,000-square-foot (11,400 m²) L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center, which occupies a prominent location overlooking Pocatello and the lower Portneuf River Valley. The center's three venues provide state-of-the-art performance space, including the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall. Idaho State's athletics teams compete in the Big Sky Conference, the football and basketball teams play in Holt Arena.

Primary and Secondary Education

Pocatello is served by the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District #25. The district is home to three public high schools. Feeding the high schools are four public middle schools, thirteen public elementary schools, two public charter schools, and various alternative and church-based private schools and academies.

High schools (9th-12th)

Middle schools (6th-8th)

Elementary schools (K-5th)

Top employers

According to Pocatello's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Transportation

Commercial air service is available via Pocatello Regional Airport. Pocatello Regional Transit provides bus service on five hourly routes, Monday through Saturday. There is currently no evening or weekend service.

Flag

The Pocatello flag is considered by the North American Vexillological Association as the worst city flag in North America. In April 2016, the city's newly created flag design committee met for the first time. Attending the meeting was Roman Mars - whose 2015 TED Talk made Pocatello's flag famous.

Sports

Pocatello is home to Holt Arena, a multipurpose indoor stadium which opened in 1970 on the ISU campus. Known as the "Minidome" until 1988, Holt Arena was the home of the Real Dairy Bowl, a junior college football Bowl game. Holt Arena also plays host to the Simplot Games, the nation's largest indoor high school track-and-field meet.

The Pocatello Marathon and Half Marathon are held annually. Times from the course may be used to qualify for the Boston and New York marathons.

Outdoor sports, both winter and summer, play an important role in the culture of Pocatello. Pebble Creek, Idaho is a ski resort located just south of Pocatello and offers skiing and snowboarding.

Notable people

Television