Rexburg

Sister cities

• Rudolstadt

History

The city takes its name from founder Thomas Edwin Ricks. The city was incorporated in 1883. The Navy Electronics Laboratory oceanographic research ship USS Rexburg was named for the city. In June 1976, Rexburg was severely damaged by the Teton Dam Flood. The Teton River flowed 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. The city gained attention after the murders of siblings Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, who went missing in September 2019 and were found dead in June 2020.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Much of the city, including BYU-Idaho and the Rexburg Idaho Temple, rests on top of a shield volcano just north of Rigby. Eruptions are not expected in the near future so far south; Yellowstone National Park and Island Park are thought to be the most likely settings for future volcanic activity in the area. Many different types of volcanoes exist near Rexburg, including cinder cones, spatter cones, other shield volcanoes, and volcanic fissures. There are lava fields to the west and south of Rexburg, the results of open fissure eruptions from about two thousand years ago. The nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument presents the most obvious features of this recent activity. Sediment deposits enriched by volcanism make the surrounding area famous for its production of large starch-rich potatoes. Rexburg is close to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Range.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• MADISON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · REXBURG · 1,278 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• MADISON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  Middle · REXBURG · 1,247 students · 22.7:1 ratio
• MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · REXBURG · 818 students · 21.5:1 ratio
• BURTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · REXBURG · 646 students · 23.1:1 ratio
• SUGAR-SALEM HIGH SCHOOL
  High · SUGAR CITY · 565 students · 20.2:1 ratio
• LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · REXBURG · 394 students · 21.9:1 ratio
• SUGAR-SALEM JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  Middle · SUGAR CITY · 387 students · 17.6:1 ratio
• KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · REXBURG · 351 students · 19.5:1 ratio