Is Ponderay, ID a Good Place to Live?
Ponderay is a small town of 1,208 in Idaho, with a median household income of $42,670 and a 6.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Ponderay stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ponderay is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ponderay city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 95.4Ponderay's overall cost of living index is 95.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ponderay costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Ponderay, ID | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $355,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $899 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $42,670 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafePonderay's violent crime rate is 44.6 per 100,000 residents — 88% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ponderay is served primarily by LAKE PEND OREILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ponderay, ID | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | LAKE PEND OREILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 8 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 12.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ponderay sees average highs of 33.6°F in January and 81.8°F in July, with 34.0 inches of annual precipitation and 62.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Ponderay, ID |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.6°F |
| Average High — July | 81.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Ponderay, ID | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,208 | — |
| Median Age | 45.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 13.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 80.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ponderay
Ponderay, ID is covered by 1 ZIP code: