Kamiah has been officially identified as the poorest town in Idaho, based on the most recent analysis of economic data. This designation comes from a review of statistics such as median household income and poverty rate, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and multiple independent reports.
Median Household Income and Poverty Rate
Idaho’s national median income is $70,214, which is more than twice as much as Kamiah’s median income of $34,803. There are 22.6% of poor people in the town, which is almost twice the state average. The problems that many Kamiah people have with money are shown by these numbers, which include
- Not many jobs available
- Low pay on average
- More dependence on services that help people
This information fits with what Stacker and other sources have found.
Compared to Other Towns in Idaho
Even though Kamiah is the smallest town in Idaho, many other towns also have big problems with their finances. Glenns Ferry, for instance, has a median income of $29,219 and has trouble with its job and education rates. But Kamiah stands out in the most recent results because it has both a low income and a high rate of poverty.
The Impact of Student Towns on Data
Because they have a lot of students, cities like Rexburg often show up in poverty figures. Most students say they don’t make much money, but these numbers don’t really show how hard things are for them financially in the long run. Because of this, a lot of experts leave college towns like these out of lists of really poor places to live.
Economic Challenges Facing Kamiah
The economic state in Kamiah is similar to problems that are common in rural Idaho. These problems include
- Not enough people can go to college
- Not as many job possibilities
- Public services will be used more.
- Less business growth and equipment
Because of these changes, rural areas in Idaho are still poor and have a lower quality of life generally compared to urban areas.
In conclusion
According to recent ranks of economic hardship, Kamiah is the poorest town in Idaho. It is at the top of both income and poverty lists. Similar problems also happen in Glenns Ferry, but the most recent data shows that Kamiah has the worst conditions. These problems are part of a bigger problem that many rural areas in Idaho are facing.
