Rexburg, Idaho
Rexburg, Idaho | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Rexburg, May 2007 | |
 Location of Rexburg, Idaho | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho |
| County | Madison |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.0 sq mi (12.9 km2) |
| • Land | 4.9 sq mi (12.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,865 ft (1,483 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 17,257 |
| • Density | 3,534.4/sq mi (1,364.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes | 83440, 83441, 83460 |
| Area code | 208 |
| FIPS code | 16-67420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0374648 |
Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,257. The city is the county seat of Madison CountyTemplate:GR.
Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Fremont and Madison Counties.
Geography
Rexburg is located at Latitude 43° 50' 2" N, and Longitude 111° 48' 18" W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.0 square miles (12.8 km²), of which, 4.9 square miles (12.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.
Much of Rexburg, including BYU-Idaho and the Rexburg, Idaho LDS Temple, rests atop 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.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR 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/sq mi (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.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8,272 | — | |
| 1980 | 11,559 | 39.7% | |
| 1990 | 14,302 | 23.7% | |
| 2000 | 17,257 | 20.7% |
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,"[1] 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[2] and George W. Bush in 2004.[3] John McCain came close to this level in 2008, drawing 85 percent of the vote.[4]
Rexburg obtained the national news spotlight with reports of a busload of children chanting "Assassinate Obama" following the election of Barack Obama in November of 2008. The mayor apologized for the children's behavior.[5] News websites on the internet ran stories featuring video of the school buses on which students chanted their wishes that the president-elect be killed. [6]
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 self-dependency and community cooperation of the people. 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.
Upon its dedication in February 2008, the Rexburg Idaho Temple made Rexburg the third city in Idaho with an LDS temple.
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. [7]
The public high school is Madison High School, which has the bobcat as its mascot.
Notable natives
- Matt Lindstrom, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins
- Clayton Mortensen, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
References
- ^ http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/24/reddest_state/index.html
- ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
- ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
- ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
- ^ 2News TV, Boise, Idaho Online
- ^ Rawstory.com
- ^ http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/46189/Rexburg-unique-in-all-the-world.html
External links
Media related to Rexburg, Idaho at Wikimedia Commons- Teton Dam Flood Museum, Rexburg, Idaho
- Rexburg Road Issues, etc.
- Brigham Young University-Idaho
- REXBURBIA: Local Online Magazine
Municipalities and communities of Madison County, Idaho, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
