Twin Falls, Idaho
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Twin Falls is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of and the largest city in Twin Falls County,
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
, United States. The city had a population of 51,807 as of the 2020 census.Twin Falls (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
(Retrieved January 17, 2012)
In the Magic Valley region, Twin Falls is the largest city in a radius, and is the regional commercial center for south-central Idaho and northeastern It is the principal city of the Twin Falls metropolitan statistical area, which officially includes the entirety of Twin Falls and
Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known ...
The border town resort community of Jackpot, Nevada, south at the state line, is unofficially considered part of the greater Twin Falls area.Twin Falls visitidaho.org
Retrieved May 7, 2007
Located on a broad plain at the south rim of the Snake River Canyon, Twin Falls is where daredevil
Evel Knievel Robert Craig Knievel (October 17, 1938November 30, 2007), known professionally as Evel Knievel (), was an American stunt performer and entertainer. Throughout his career, he attempted List of Evel Knievel career jumps, more than 75 ramp-to-ra ...
attempted to jump across the canyon in 1974 on a steam-powered rocket. The jump site is northeast of central Twin Falls, midway between
Shoshone Falls Shoshone Falls ( ) is a waterfall in the Western United States, western United States, on the Snake River in Magic Valley, south-central Idaho, approximately northeast of the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, Twin Falls. Sometimes called the "Niagara o ...
and the Perrine Bridge.


History

Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America.BLM.gov
Retrieved January 16, 2010
Later Native American tribes predominant in the area included the Northern
Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ), also known by the endonym Newe, are an Native Americans in the United States, Indigenous people of the United States with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshon ...
and Bannock.Northern Shoshone and Bannock Economy
Retrieved May 7, 2007
The first people of European ancestry to visit the Twin Falls area are believed to be members of a group led by American Wilson Price Hunt, who attempted to blaze an all-water trail westward from
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, to
Astoria, Oregon Astoria is a Port, port city in and the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the ...
, in 1811 and 1812. Hunt's expedition met with disaster; much of his expedition was destroyed and one man was killed in rapids on the
Snake River The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
known as Caldron Linn near present-day Murtaugh. Hunt and the surviving members of his expedition completed the journey to Astoria by land.The Fur Trade Explorers
Retrieved May 7, 2007
In 1812 and 1813, Robert Stuart successfully led an overland expedition eastward from Astoria to St. Louis, which passed through the Twin Falls area. Stuart's route formed the basis of what became the
Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in North America that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail crossed what ...
.The Astorians
Retrieved May 7, 2007
Some 150 years later, Robert Stuart Middle School in Twin Falls was named in his honor. The first permanent settlement in the area was a stage stop established in 1864 at Rock Creek near the present-day townsite.
Retrieved May 7, 2007
By 1890, a handful of successful agricultural operations were in the Snake River Canyon, but the lack of infrastructure and the canyon's geography made irrigating the dry surrounding area improbable at best. To address this issue in 1900, I. B. Perrine founded the Twin Falls Land and Water Company, largely to build an irrigation canal system for the area. After an August 1900 area survey of in October 1900, the company was granted the necessary water rights to begin construction of the irrigation system. Several lots in the surveyed area were set aside specifically for future townsites. These lots eventually became the settlements of Twin Falls, Kimberly, Buhl, Filer, Hansen, and Murtaugh. In 1902, the project nearly failed, as most of the original investors pulled out, with only
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
businessman Stanley Milner maintaining a stake in the company.Smith, Paul
The History of Twin Falls
(Retrieved January 17, 2012)
By 1903, Perrine, who had been a successful farmer and rancher in the Snake River Canyon, had obtained private financing from Milner and others under the provisions of the Carey Act of 1894 to build a dam on the Snake River near Caldron Linn. Completed in 1905, Milner Dam and its accompanying canals made commercial irrigation outside the Snake River Canyon practical for the first time.Ira Burton Perrine
Retrieved May 7, 2007
As a result, Perrine is generally credited as the founder of Twin Falls.Times-News Summer Fun Guide
Retrieved May 7, 2007
A land drawing was held for the future townsite in July 1903, with disappointing results. A much more successful drawing was held in October 1904. Twin Falls city was founded in 1904 as a
planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
, designed by celebrated Franco-American architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, with proceeds from sales of townsite lots going toward construction of irrigation canals. Twin Falls was incorporated as a village on April 12, 1905.Welcome to Twin Falls County, Idaho
(Retrieved January 17, 2012)
The city is named for a nearby waterfall on the Snake River of the same name. In 1907, Twin Falls became the seat of the newly formed Twin Falls County. After Milner Dam was constructed, agricultural production in south-central Idaho increased substantially. In 1909, the privately owned Twin Falls Land and Water Company was reorganized as the shareholder-owned Twin Falls Canal Company. Twin Falls became a major regional economic center serving the agriculture industry, a role which it has sustained to the present day. The city became a processing center for several agricultural commodities, notably
bean A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are traditi ...
s and
sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and that is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together with ...
s. In later years, other food-processing operations augmented the local economy. By 1960, Twin Falls had become one of Idaho's largest cities, though its origins were still within living memory for many. Twin Falls became the center of national attention in September 1974, when daredevil
Evel Knievel Robert Craig Knievel (October 17, 1938November 30, 2007), known professionally as Evel Knievel (), was an American stunt performer and entertainer. Throughout his career, he attempted List of Evel Knievel career jumps, more than 75 ramp-to-ra ...
attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon in a specially modified rocket cycle. Watched by millions on closed-circuit television on a Sunday afternoon, the attempt ultimately failed due to high winds and a premature deployment of Knievel's parachute. The launch ramp's foundation lies on private land on the canyon's south rim. Less than 2 miles west (3 km) of
Shoshone Falls Shoshone Falls ( ) is a waterfall in the Western United States, western United States, on the Snake River in Magic Valley, south-central Idaho, approximately northeast of the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, Twin Falls. Sometimes called the "Niagara o ...
, it is still visible (). During the last quarter of the 20th century, gradual diversification of the agriculture-based economy allowed the city to continue to grow. Major Twin Falls employers in 2006 included
Dell Dell Inc. is an American technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports personal computers (PCs), Server (computing), servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, computer peripherals including printers and webcam ...
, Glanbia and Jayco. In September 2009, Dell announced it would close its Twin Falls facility by January 2010. Later in 2010, the call center company C3 opened a facility in the former Dell location.C3 to Add 300 Jobs in Twin Falls; Company to Expand into Texas, Arizona
'' Times-News'', August 4, 2011. (Retrieved January 17, 2012)
The
College of Southern Idaho College of Southern Idaho (CSI) is a public community college in Twin Falls, Idaho. It also has off-campus programs in Jerome, Hailey, Burley and Gooding. Together with the College of Eastern Idaho, College of Western Idaho and North Ida ...
had administered a refugee program in Twin Falls from 1980 until 2024, when management was taken over by the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.


Government

Twin Falls is one of only three Idaho cities that has a council-manager form of government. The seven-member Twin Falls city council is directly elected in nonpartisan municipal elections to four-year terms. The mayor, who holds little executive power, is periodically selected among current city council members to chair meetings, and is "considered the official representative of the city." City council meetings are usually held on Mondays.Twin Falls, ID - Official Website - City Council
(Retrieved February 25, 2014)
The city's day-to-day operations are overseen by a city manager, who is appointed by the city council. The city government through various citizen boards oversees parks and recreation, planning and zoning, sanitation and garbage collection, street maintenance, and wastewater collection, and maintains police and fire departments. Twin Falls Public Library, Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course and Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport are also under the city's jurisdiction.


Higher education

Twin Falls is home to the
College of Southern Idaho College of Southern Idaho (CSI) is a public community college in Twin Falls, Idaho. It also has off-campus programs in Jerome, Hailey, Burley and Gooding. Together with the College of Eastern Idaho, College of Western Idaho and North Ida ...
(CSI), a large
community college A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...
in the northwestern part of the city. The three state universities (
Boise State University Boise State University (BSU) is a Public university, public research university in Boise, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has b ...
,
Idaho State University Idaho State University (ISU) is a Public university, public research university in Pocatello, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho, Idaho State offers more than 250 programs at its main campus in Pocatello and locations ...
, and the
University of Idaho The University of Idaho (U of I, or UIdaho) is a public land-grant research university in Moscow, Idaho, United States. Established in 1889 and opened three years later, it was the state's sole university for 71 years, until 1963. The un ...
) offer classes on the CSI campus. The nursing program received money from the 2007-2008 state budget to construct a state-of-the-art nursing facility to complement the nursing program. The CSI men's
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team won its third
NJCAA The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, State college (disambiguation), state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 sepa ...
Division I Championship in March 2011.


Primary and secondary schools

Public schools are administered by the Twin Falls School District, including
Twin Falls High School Twin Falls High School is a public secondary school in Twin Falls, Idaho, one of two traditional high schools operated by the Twin Falls School District #411. School history Twin Falls High School was founded in 1907. Citizens passed a bond in ...
, Canyon Ridge High School, the alternative Magic Valley High School, three middle schools, and nine elementary schools. Also, Twin Falls is home to Xavier Charter School and the district was awarded best title 1C district in the state. On March 14, 2006, registered voters approved a bond to build an additional high school. A citywide contest was held to determine the school's nickname. In November 2006, the Twin Falls school board selected "River Hawks", thus officially starting the Canyon Ridge High School River Hawks. Also on the bond were plans to make general improvements to existing school facilities and to convert the junior high schools to
middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
s. These projects were completed for the 2009–10 school year. The addition of Canyon Ridge High School meant that the student population was split nearly in half. Athletics for both schools are designated 4A rather than 5A by
Idaho High School Activities Association The Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) oversees high school athletics and activities in the state of Idaho. Idaho high schools are classified in six categories, based on enrollment, for league competition and state playoffs and champi ...


Elementary schools

* Bickel Elementary School (K-5) * Harrison Developmental Preschool * Harrison Elementary School (K-5) * I.B. Perrine Elementary School (preschool and K-5) * Lincoln Elementary School (K-5) * Morningside Elementary School (K-5) * Oregon Trail Elementary School (K-5) * Pillar Falls Elementary School (K-5) * Sawtooth Elementary School (K-5) * Rock Creek Elementary School (K-5) * St. Edward's Catholic School (K-8)


Middle schools

* O'Leary Middle School (6-8) * Robert Stuart Middle School (6-8) * Bridge Academy (alternative 6-8) * South Hills Middle School (6-8)


High schools

* Canyon Ridge High School (9-12) *
Twin Falls High School Twin Falls High School is a public secondary school in Twin Falls, Idaho, one of two traditional high schools operated by the Twin Falls School District #411. School history Twin Falls High School was founded in 1907. Citizens passed a bond in ...
(9-12)


Alternative high schools

* Magic Valley High School (9-12) Private schools include Lighthouse Christian School, Xavier Charter School, St. Edward's Catholic School, and Twin Falls Christian Academy.


Economy

Twin Falls, the state's seventh-largest city, is the fastest growing city in south-central Idaho. As of April 2011, unemployment in Twin Falls County stood at 9.5%, below Idaho's average of 9.6%. From 1998 to 2007, the unemployment rate was steadily decreasing, to a low of just under 2%. Then, in tandem with the national economy, the unemployment rate increased to nearly 9.5% as of April 2011. Twin Falls is the home of cheese producer Glanbia Foods, a major American division of Irish food company Glanbia plc. Falls Brand, another award-winning food company, is located in the southern part of Twin Falls. In early 2011, Falls Brands' Old Fashioned Basque Chorizo sausage won the "Hold the Mustard" award presented by the National Meat Association (NMA) every year during their annual NMA Annual Gourmet Sausagefest. Another mainstay is the
College of Southern Idaho College of Southern Idaho (CSI) is a public community college in Twin Falls, Idaho. It also has off-campus programs in Jerome, Hailey, Burley and Gooding. Together with the College of Eastern Idaho, College of Western Idaho and North Ida ...
(CSI). Boasting a student population of 3,433, this junior college is an alternative for students not yet ready to attend a four-year university. Many students are from out-of-state and live in CSI's residential halls. Other large employers include Amalgamated Sugar Company, makers of White Satin sugar; and Lamb Weston, which has a food-processing plant located in west Twin Falls. It employs 500 and its annual revenue is about $100 million. In spite of a troubled national economy, Twin Falls has seen rapid development since 2006. Many major retail outlets opened stores in Twin Falls between 2006 and 2011. In November 2009, a new
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
Supercenter opened, bringing to the region an estimated 100 additional jobs. In October 2010, C3, a customer call center, opened in the former Dell facility. This gave a large boost to an already busy economy, providing close to 1,000 jobs. In July 2011, C3 announced it was filling another 300 C3 jobs in Twin Falls due to brisk business. Creating 40-50 new jobs, Magic Valley Cinema 13 constructed a new theater equipped with D-BAG seating. The new entertainment center was developed in association with the unprecedented growth in the Magic Valley.Regional theater chain to build new cinema complex in Magic Valley Mall
magicvalley.com Retrieved June 13, 2011
In response to a growing population base, Twin Falls County voters voted to construct a new hospital in the northwest section of Twin Falls to replace the city's existing hospital. In spring 2011, the new 700,000-sq-ft facility, St. Luke's Magic Valley, was opened. All 186 rooms are private with family accommodations. China Mountain Wind, LLC in 2011 had proposed to construct a wind farm after the environmental impact is weighed. Twin Falls County was expected to generate $33.4 million in tax revenues. Local schools and services were receive a portion of the tax revenue. The construction of the wind farm was to bring to the area 400-750 full- and part-time jobs during construction and 24-46 new jobs to maintain the facility. In 2012, Twin Falls hosted the
Idaho Republican Party The Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) is the Idaho state affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Boise. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling both of I ...
convention, which was expected to create more positive economic activity. Chobani Yogurt Company, in 2012, opened the world's largest yogurt manufacturing plant, providing an additional 300 jobs to the Twin Falls community.


Media

The ''Times-News'' is a local daily morning newspaper based in Twin Falls. Over-the-air television stations include: * KMVT ( CBS) and ( CW) * KSVT-LD ( FOX) and (
MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (stylized as mynetworkTV; unofficially abbreviated MNT or MNTV) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its Fox Television Stations ...
(digital substation) * KIPT ( PBS) * KXTF ( TCT) * KTFT ( NBC, semi-satellite of
KTVB KTVB (channel 7) is a television station in Boise, Idaho, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on West Fairview Avenue (off I-184) in Boise, and its transmitter is located on Deer Point in u ...
, Boise) * KSAW-LD ( ABC, semi-satellite of KIVI-TV, Boise) * KYTL (independent) Cable television subscribers also receive stations from Boise and Salt Lake City, Utah. A number of radio stations broadcast in the Twin Falls area, including: * 88.1 KTFY - The Bridge (Christian Worship Music) * 88.9 KEFX - The
Effect Radio Effect Radio is a network of radio stations airing a Christian Rock format. The network is owned by The River Christian Fellowship, formerly Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, Idaho, United States. It is a sister network to the more widely distribute ...
Network (Modern Christian rock with over 60 stations nationwide) * 89.9 KAWZ - CSN International (Biblical teaching with over 400 stations nationwide) * 92.7 KTPZ - The Music Monster (
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
) * 95.7 KEZJ - Idaho Country (Country) * 96.5 KLIX-FM - Kool Oldies (Oldies) * 98.3 KSNQ - The Snake (Classic Rock) * 99.1 KXTA - La Perrona (
Regional Mexican Regional Mexican music refers collectively to the regional subgenres of the country music of Mexico and its derivatives from the Southwestern United States. Each subgenre is representative of a certain region and its popularity also varies by ...
) * 99.9 KZDX - Hot 100 FM (
Adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
/
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
) * 102.1 KIRQ - IRock (
Modern rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. ...
) * 103.1 KEDJ - The Edge ( Rock) * 103.7 KSKI (
Modern rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. ...
) * 103.9 KDKI-LP (
Adult standards Adult standards (also sometimes known as the nostalgia or Big Band format) is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations. Adult standards started in the 1950s and is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly tho ...
/
Big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
/
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
) * 104.7 KIKX ( Adult hits) * 106.1 KKMV - Kat Kountry (
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
) * 106.7 KYUN - Canyon Country (
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
) * 970 KFTA - Juan 970 (
Regional Mexican Regional Mexican music refers collectively to the regional subgenres of the country music of Mexico and its derivatives from the Southwestern United States. Each subgenre is representative of a certain region and its popularity also varies by ...
) * 1310 KLIX - News and Talk


Transportation

Twin Falls is the largest city in Idaho that is not directly on the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
; it is served by several major highways, including U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 93. Access to nearby Interstate 84 is across the
canyon A canyon (; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), gorge or chasm, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency t ...
via the Perrine Bridge (U.S. 93); the junction is about north, in Jerome County. State Highway 74 provides direct access from downtown Twin Falls to southbound locations on U.S. 93, including Hollister and Rogerson, then crosses into
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
at Jackpot and continues to a junction with
Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
at Wells. Limited commercial air service is provided at Magic Valley Regional Airport, also known as Joslin Field. As of August 2017, daily flights to
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
are available from
Delta Connection Delta Connection is a brand name under which Delta Air Lines has air service agreements with domestic regional air carriers that feed traffic to their network by serving passengers primarily in small and medium-sized cities in the domestic mark ...
(fulfilled by
SkyWest Airlines SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah. SkyWest operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by four partner Mainline (air travel), mainline airlines. The comp ...
) using the Canadair CRJ200. Twice-weekly service to
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
was previously operated by
Allegiant Air Allegiant Air is an American ultra low-cost carrier, ultra-low cost airline headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The airline focuses on serving leisure traffic from small and medium-sized cities which it considers to be underserved, using an ult ...
, but the airline discontinued the route in January 2012, citing insufficient ticket prices. When Twin Falls surpassed a population of 50,000, it became federally required to provide a public transportation system for its citizens. (Read Metropolitan planning organization for more information.) On July 1, 2023, the city of Twin Falls launched a microtransit system known as Ride TFT (Twin Falls Transit). It was initially launched as a pilot program and was to run for two years. However, in late January 2024, it was found to have quickly become a success in the community. While officials expected around 2,000 riders per month. In its first month, it had a ridership of 3,200. It has consistently gone up since, nearly tripling initial projections during the month of December 2023. Typical fare is $3.00 a ride within the city of Twin Falls boundary.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is covered by water. The Snake River Canyon forms the city's northern limits, separating it from Jerome County. Three
waterfall A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in seve ...
s are in the immediate area.
Shoshone Falls Shoshone Falls ( ) is a waterfall in the Western United States, western United States, on the Snake River in Magic Valley, south-central Idaho, approximately northeast of the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, Twin Falls. Sometimes called the "Niagara o ...
is located about east of Twin Falls city. Pillar Falls is located roughly upstream from the Perrine Bridge, while Twin Falls, the city's namesake, is located upstream of Shoshone Falls. Shoshone Falls stands at , which is higher than
Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...
. The Perrine Bridge, which spans the Snake River Canyon immediately north of the city, is one of only a handful of artificial structures worldwide where
BASE jumping BASE jumping () is the recreational sport of jumping from fixed objects, using a parachute to descend to the ground. BASE is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antenna (radio), antenna ...
is legal. In September 2005, Miles Daisher of Twin Falls set a BASE-jumping world record by jumping off Perrine Bridge 57 times in a 24-hour period. In July 2006, Dan Schilling jumped off the bridge 201 times in 21 hours to raise money for charity. Unlike Daisher, Schilling was hoisted to the top of the bridge by a crane after every jump.


Climate

Twin Falls experiences a
semiarid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''BSk''). Highs reach on average 22.7 days per year, but very rarely exceed . Winter snowfall averages per year, though much heavier amounts have fallen. In Twin Falls proper, an average snowfall uncommonly exceeds 6 inches of snow. Summer and autumn are very dry in Twin Falls, with less than of precipitation falling each month between June and October. Fast moving, intense electrical storms common in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. are uncommon here.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, 44,125 people, 16,744 households, and 11,011 families reside in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . The 18,033 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.5% White, 0.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.7% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 13.1% of the population. Of the 16,744 households, 35.1% had children under 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were not families. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58. and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 31.9 years; 27% of residents were under 18; 11.7% were between 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 21.4% were from 45 to 64; and 13.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.


Rankings

On the Livability.com list of "Best 10 Places to Defy Death",Top Ten Cities to Defy Death Announced by Livability.com
newswire.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019
Twin Falls ranked number one.


Notable people

*
Bruce Bastian Bruce Wayne Bastian (March 23, 1948 – June 16, 2024) was an American computer programmer, businessperson, and philanthropist. He co-founded WordPerfect (originally known as Satellite Software International) with Alan Ashton in 1978. Early l ...
(born 1948), computer programmer and co-founder of the
WordPerfect WordPerfect (WP) is a word processing application, now owned by Alludo, with a long history on multiple personal computer platforms. At the height of its popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was the market leader of word processors, disp ...
Software Company * Gary L. Bennett (born 1940), former
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
scientist and engineer and science-fiction writer * Jim Boatwright (1951–2013), basketball player * Dorothy Custer (1911–2015), comedian, harmonicist, and centenarian * W. Mark Felt (1913–2008), informant in the
Watergate scandal The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the Presidency of Richard Nixon, administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Resignation of Richard Nixon, Nix ...
known as Deep Throat * Christina Hendricks (born 1975), actress, grew up in Twin Falls * Damon Jones (born 1994), professional baseball pitcher * Chuck LaMar (born c. 1956), first general manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays * William J. Lanting (1918–1998), Idaho State Representative (1959–1975) and Speaker of Idaho House (1969–1975) * Craig Hart Neilsen (1941–2006), founder of the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to fund scientific research for spinal cord injuries * Volara Romanza Nelson (1892–1921), first Idaho woman to hold a pilot's license * Hannah Newhouse (born 1997), racing driver * Dallin H. Oaks (born 1932), jurist and senior leader of the LDS Church *
Melvin Schwartz Melvin Schwartz ( ; November 2, 1932 – August 28, 2006) was an American physicist. He shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics with Leon M. Lederman and Jack Steinberger for their development of the neutrino beam method and their demonstra ...
(1932–2006), Nobel Prize-winning experimental physicist and co-discoverer of the
muon neutrino The muon neutrino is an elementary particle which has the symbol and zero electric charge. Together with the muon it forms the second generation of leptons, hence the name muon neutrino. It was discovered in 1962 by Leon Lederman, Melvin Schwa ...
* Addison T. Smith (1862–1956), U.S. Congressman (1913–1933); namesake of Addison AvenueMatthews, Mychel
"BLOG: Addison T. Smith and His Legacies in Twin Falls"
'' Times-News'', December 31, 2014. (accessed 21 June 2015)
* Lyda Southard (1892–1958), serial killer Notable musicians who spent parts of their childhood in the Twin Falls area include Gary Puckett, Paul Durham of Black Lab,
Nikki Sixx Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.; December 11, 1958) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and radio personality, best known as the co-founder, bassist, primary songwriter, and only constant member of the hea ...
of
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
, and Doug Martsch of Built to Spill.


References


External links


City of Twin Falls

Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

Twin Falls Idaho Community Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Twin Falls, Idaho Cities in Idaho Cities in Twin Falls County, Idaho County seats in Idaho Planned communities in the United States Populated places established in 1904 Twin Falls, Idaho metropolitan area