Bonneville County, Idaho Real Estate

Bonneville County Economy & Jobs

Bonneville County is the economic center of East Idaho. Idaho National Laboratory is headquartered in Idaho Falls, and its research and engineering workforce supports much of the region's professional employment and housing demand. Idaho Falls is also the area's healthcare and retail hub, drawing shoppers and patients from surrounding counties. Agriculture built the county: potatoes were first sold commercially here in 1888, and a sugar factory began production east of Idaho Falls in 1903, around which the town of Lincoln grew. Farming, food processing and agricultural services remain important across the county's rural areas today.

History of Bonneville County

Bonneville County was created by the Idaho Legislature on February 7, 1911, from the north and east parts of Bingham County, and named for Captain Benjamin Bonneville, the U.S. Army officer who explored the Snake River country in the 1830s. Idaho Falls began as a ferry crossing on the Snake River in the 1860s and was known as Eagle Rock until August 26, 1891, when it was renamed for the falls on the river's west edge. The Utah and Northern Railroad made Eagle Rock a division point, and after the rail shops moved to Pocatello in 1887 irrigation revived the town and made it the leading shipping point between Ogden and Butte. In the county's mountainous east, a short-lived gold rush on Caribou Mountain produced towns such as Keenan and Caribou City around 1870.

Towns & Communities in Bonneville County

Bonneville County includes the cities of Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona, Ucon and Irwin, part of Ririe, and smaller places such as Swan Valley, Bone and Osgood.

• Idaho Falls — The county seat and largest city, with established neighborhoods near downtown and the Snake River Greenbelt, newer subdivisions on the edges of town, and the region's main shopping, hospital and airport services.
• Ammon — A fast-growing city on the east side of Idaho Falls, known for family subdivisions, newer construction and its city-owned fiber-optic network.
• Iona — A small city northeast of Idaho Falls with a quieter, residential feel and larger lots than much of the metro area.
• Ucon — A farming community north of Idaho Falls where buyers often find homes on larger parcels within a short drive of town.
• Swan Valley & Irwin — Mountain-valley communities along the South Fork of the Snake River toward Palisades Reservoir, popular for cabins, recreational land and river access.

Popular Subdivisions in Bonneville County

Neighborhoods in Bonneville County with several homes or lots on the market right now:

Schools in Bonneville County

Most of Bonneville County is served by Idaho Falls School District 91 and Bonneville Joint School District 93, which covers Ammon, Iona, Ucon and much of the unincorporated county. Ririe Joint School District 252, Shelley Joint School District 60 and Swan Valley Elementary School District 92 also serve parts of the county. The College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls offers two-year and technical programs, and Bonneville is the only county in its taxing district.

Commute & Getting Around

Interstate 15 runs north to south through Idaho Falls, and U.S. Highway 20 connects the city to Rigby, Rexburg and the Yellowstone corridor. U.S. 26 runs east through Swan Valley toward Jackson, Wyoming. Idaho Falls Regional Airport is the main commercial airport for East Idaho. Most of the metro area, including Ammon, Iona and Ucon, is within roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive of downtown Idaho Falls.

Recreation & Outdoors in Bonneville County

The Snake River runs through the heart of Idaho Falls, where the Greenbelt trail follows both banks past the falls. Upstream, the South Fork of the Snake below Palisades Dam is a well-known fly-fishing and floating river, and Palisades Reservoir sits on the Wyoming border. Kelly Canyon Ski Area is a short drive east of town, parts of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge lie within the county, and Tautphaus Park and the Idaho Falls Zoo are in-town favorites.

Land, Acreage & Horse Property in Bonneville County

Bonneville County offers more variety in land than most East Idaho counties: small-acreage homes north of Idaho Falls around Ucon and Iona, irrigated farm ground across the valley, and recreational and mountain parcels toward Swan Valley. On Valorie's List a listing is only marked as a horse property when the MLS itself reports livestock permitted, so check that field and the zoning, irrigation and water rights on any acreage you consider.

Cost of Living & Home Prices in Bonneville County

As the region's largest market, Bonneville County has the widest range of price points in East Idaho, from older homes near downtown Idaho Falls to new construction in Ammon and larger acreage properties at the county's edges. Prices in the county seat and its closest suburbs typically run above the more rural counties nearby. See the market snapshot on this page for current figures drawn from active Snake River MLS listings.