The Town FilesSugar City, Idaho
City in Madison County · population 1,715 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $350,000
- Household income
- $66,953
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 29.3
Sugar City is a city of 1,715 people in Madison County, Idaho. The median home is worth $350,000, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Idaho towns, better for young professionals than 91% of Idaho towns, better transit than 88% of Idaho towns.
How Sugar City ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sugar City is worth $350,000, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $66,953, which is more affordable than 29% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,330 a month. 61.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sugar City | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $350,000 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $1,330 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $66,953 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.6% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Sugar City
| People | Sugar City | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.4% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 29.8% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 91.2% |
Weather in Sugar City
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 12.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 70.1 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sugar City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 26, 1959 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 1987.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 8, 2016.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
| June 13, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1177: Severe Storms, Snowmelt, Land/Mud Slides, Flooding |
| June 6, 1976 | Flood | DR-505: Dam Collapse, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 17,397 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,345 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Sugar City itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Sugar City
6 public schools with 2,199 students, about 21.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUGAR-SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 591 | 19.1 |
| SUGAR-SALEM ONLINE | K-12 | 570 | 51.8 |
| SUGAR-SALEM JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6-8 | 349 | 14.5 |
| CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-2 | 330 | 17.4 |
| KERSHAW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-5 | 328 | 19.3 |
| VALLEY VIEW ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL | 8-12 | 31 | 15.5 |
Towns near Sugar City
- Rexburg, ID4.1 mi · 39,409 people · home $395,100
- Teton, ID4.1 mi · 787 people · home $249,300
- St. Anthony, ID7.2 mi · 3,606 people · home $231,900
- Menan, ID16.0 mi · 715 people · home $292,700
- Rigby, ID16.1 mi · 5,038 people · home $336,200
- Ririe, ID16.8 mi · 667 people · home $160,700
- Ashton, ID20.4 mi · 949 people · home $221,300
- Roberts, ID21.6 mi · 500 people · home $258,300
Sugar City questions
Is Sugar City, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sugar City scores better for retirees than 53% of Idaho towns and quieter than 7%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Sugar City?
The median owner-occupied home in Sugar City is valued at $350,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,953, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,330 a month.
What is the weather like in Sugar City?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.0 inches of precipitation a year and 70.1 inches of snow.
Does Sugar City get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sugar City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 26, 1959. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)