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 County6.
Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statistical
Area, which includes Fremont and Madison Counties.
Geography
Rexburg is located at 43°49′23″N, 111°47′7″W (43.823002,
-111.785321)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 12.8 km² (5.0 mi²). 12.6 km² (4.9 mi²) of that
is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of that is water. The total area is 1.61% water.
Rexburg is close to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the West Entrance of Yellowstone
National Park and the Grand Tetons.
Demographics
Downtown Rexburg, May 2007
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing
in the city. The population density was 1,365.4/km² (3,534.4/mi²). There were 4,533
housing units at an average density of 358.6/km² (928.4/mi²). 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.
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.
Notable
Rexburg is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho, a private
institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. The University began as a small high school-level academy on a site known as Mosquito Bend in
1888. It was later named Ricks Academy and eventually was established as Ricks College, in honor of Mormon pioneer and
city founder, Thomas Edwin Ricks. At one time, Ricks College was the largest private junior college in the United States; it became a four-year college in 2000. The city takes its
name from Ricks, and was initially known as Ricksburg.
The serving of hard liquors has been prohibited since 1947 although for many years, there was a
state owned liquor store one block from main street, and the predominantly LDS culture has left the city with no bars or coffee shops. 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. Beer and wine have always been available at convenience stores. The
High Country Tavern was able to serve liquor, because it was just on the other side of city limits, however, it was recently
demolished and a road is being built where it once stood.
Rexburg hosts the annual International Folk Dance Festival, the city's largest and most
well-known attraction, each summer, where dancers are invited from all over the world to perform dances from their culture, as
well as share other aspects of their culture.
In October 2006, Rexburg was featured in a salon.com article as being the "reddest place in
America,"[1] referring to the area's conservative politics.
In 2004, 93% of Madison County's votes for President went to George W. Bush, or to
candidates running for small, conservative political parties.
The Rexburg Idaho Temple has been under construction since 2004 and will be dedicated in February 2008. When
completed, it will be the third LDS temple in Idaho.
Notable natives
Teton Dam Flood
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. 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.
References
External links
Coordinates:
43.823002° N 111.785321°
W
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