Rigby, Idaho

Geography

Rigby is located at 43°40′26″N 111°54′59″W (43.673842, -111.916310), at an elevation of 4,856 feet (1,480 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.36 square miles (6.11 km²), of which, 2.35 square miles (6.09 km²) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) is water.

Community information

Rigby was founded by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1884 and incorporated in 1903. The community was named after William F. Rigby, a prominent early settler and member of the LDS church. A significant majority of Rigby's residents, as well as those of the outlying communities, are members of the LDS faith. Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran faiths also have current local congregations.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,945 people, 1,328 households, and 994 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,678.7 inhabitants per square mile (648.1/km²). There were 1,428 housing units at an average density of 607.7 per square mile (234.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.8% of the population.

There were 1,328 households of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.43.

The median age in the city was 27.6 years. 34.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.5% were from 25 to 44; 16.5% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,998 people, 1,051 households, and 789 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,935.3 people per square mile (1,134.8/km²). There were 1,107 housing units at an average density of 1,083.9 per square mile (419.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.16% White, 0.43% African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5.64% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.67% of the population.

There were 1,051 households out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the city, the population was spread out with 33.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,192, and the median income for a family was $36,417. Males had a median income of $32,316 versus $18,269 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,795. About 10.5% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Rigby High School is the only high school within the city. Its mascot is the "Trojans," and its colors are maroon, gold, and white. The community supports five elementary schools: Philo T. Farnsworth Elementary, Midway Elementary, South Fork Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, and Harwood Elementary; and Rigby Middle School, and Rigby High School. The schools are affiliated with the Jefferson County School District. These schools also serve residents from neighboring areas such as Menan and Roberts, Idaho. Rigby has a long-standing rivalry with Madison.

Notable people

Rigby is most famous for being the "birthplace of television", a title the city can attribute to a high school student named Philo Taylor Farnsworth. Farnsworth drew up his first blue-prints of a television while he was a Jefferson County resident. Later he invented the vacuum tube television display. Original tubes from Farnsworth's early experiments were on display at the Rigby High School for many years. They are now held by the Jefferson County Museum in Rigby. A section of the former Yellowstone highway, passing through the community, has been named in Farnsworth's honor.

Rigby is the birthplace of Larry Wilson, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played safety for 13 seasons (1960–72) for the Arizona Cardinals (the St. Louis Cardinals at that time) and was an eight-time All-Pro. Wilson is a 1956 graduate of Rigby High School and played college football at Utah in Salt Lake City.

Vardis Fisher, a famous and influential atheist author, is from the rural Annis area near Rigby. He attended and graduated from Rigby High School.

Rigby is also the home of Wayne Quinton, who invented the treadmill and over thirty biomedical devices, and the birthplace of Hyrum Rex Lee, governor of American Samoa (1961–67, 1977–78).

SPC Jimmy 'Jim' Nakayama, Army Specialist who served in the first battle of the Vietnam War known as the Battle of la Drang. After previously serving in the Idaho Army National Guard as a second lieutenant, he transitioned over to the regular Army and gave up his commission as an officer. He was assigned to C Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st Calvary Division out of Fort Hood, Texas. During the battle, he along with a few other soldiers were accidentally caught in a napalm strike in which he suffered severe burns across most of his body and died two days later. He was survived by his wife and child, who was born a week later.