About Idaho Falls
Situated along the Snake River at the western edge of the world famous Rocky Mountains, Idaho Falls has all the features of big city living, but still embraces a small town charm. Idaho Falls is the third-largest metropolitan area in the state, and serves as a regional hub for health care, travel and businesses in southeast Idaho. The community’s economy was mostly agriculturally focused until the Atomic Energy Commission opened the National Reactor Testing Station in the nearby desert in 1949. The town subsequently became largely dependent on high-income jobs from “The Site”, official called the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In May 2006, Inc. magazine ranked Idaho Falls eighth on its list of “Hottest Small Cities” in the U.S. based on the region’s job growth rate over the prior 10 years. Idaho Falls was also listed number two on MSN Real Estate’s list of top ten best smaller cities in America, in terms of job prospects, quality of life and cost of living.
Idaho Falls has established itself as a regional cultural destination. The Willards Art Center, The Colonial Theatre and Civic Auditorium are home to year-round, diverse musical concerts, plays, and events. The greenbelt along the Snake River hosts many community events, such as Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, the Roaring Youth Jam, Farmer’s Market, among others. The successful Museum of Idaho is a regional attraction which showcases local artifacts and history, but also makes use of traveling exhibits bringing such things as dinosaur bones, ancient documents, and primitive guns to town.
