BANNOCK COUNTY
County Offices
624 East Center
Pocatello 208-236-7333
www.bannockcounty.us
Chamber of Commerce
324 South Main Street
Pocatello 208-233-1525
www.pocatelloidaho.com
Bannock County is dominated by the major city and county seat of Pocatello, which is often referred to as the Pocatello-Chubbuck area in deference to the smaller nearby village to the north. Nestled in southeastern Idaho, Bannock County offers excellent transportation connections that include two interstate highways, railroad service, and a regional airport with commercial airline service. Pocatello Urban Transit offers public bus service in and around the city, providing alternatives to the private automobile for commuters.
Pocatello enjoys a premier location within a two-hour drive of world-class resorts throughout the Northwest like Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, and Park City as well as famous vacation destinations like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Island Park, and Salt Lake City. The presence of Interstates 15 and 86 ensures easy access to all points east, west, south, and north. The Pocatello metropolitan region actually incorporates neighboring Power County and the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Pocatello is well-known as the home of the beautiful campus of Idaho State University and tends to rank along with Idaho Falls as the largest city in eastern Idaho. Founded as an agricultural area, Bannock County has emerged as a thriving urban center as well as a leader in education and high technology.
Services
With highly rated Idaho State University setting the benchmark for educational quality, Bannock County offers outstanding public and private schools. Highlights of the public school system include nationally recognized adult and community education programs and high schools that have been accredited with “merit” status by the state department of education. Idaho State University is growing rapidly, serving students with undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in the colleges of arts and sciences, pharmacy, health-related professions, education, engineering, and business. The college of technology ranks as the largest post-secondary technical institute in the state, providing technical and career-oriented training opportunities to students and employers. Several of its programs translate into bachelor-level degree programs.
Healthcare services and facilities are equally impressive in Bannock County, which serves the routine and advanced medical needs of residents throughout southeastern Idaho. Portneuf Medical Center is second only to Idaho State University as the county’s largest employer. The comprehensive services are expanded by off-site facilities that include an urgent care center, a family practice residency clinic, a home health care center, and a hyperbaric oxygen therapy center. Examples of specialized services include advanced imaging, a newborn intensive care unit, oncology and cancer treatments, and a sleep disorder center. The medical center is also designated as a Level III trauma center and provides 24-hour emergency services that are enhanced by LifeFlight helicopter transit. Bannock County is home to hundreds of skilled professionals in private practice including physicians and dentists, chiropractors, and providers of alternative therapies.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Bannock County will discover a world of recreational, entertainment, and cultural attractions and amenities that enhance an already enviable quality of life. Exciting rodeos and colorful special events, the gaming thrills at local casinos, historical sites, and the stellar performances at the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center are just a few of the highlights in this growing region. The cultural community in Bannock County is enhanced by the powerful and far-reaching presence of Idaho State University with its performance groups, outstanding annual events series, and magnificent venues. Collegiate sports draw enthusiastic fans to wonderful venues like the Holt Arena, claiming the first covered football stadium, the first indoor turf, and the largest indoor flag.
The recreational opportunities in Bannock County are abundant and impressive, with Pocatello boasting a scenic river that meanders through the city and mountain vistas on three sides. Just north of Pocatello, the Portneuf River joins the far more famous Snake River at American Falls Reservoir. Pocatello Zoo is a favorite of children of all ages, a wonderful setting for native birds and animals in natural habitats. The Idaho Museum of Natural History at the university is another popular attraction and includes a hands-on children’s section. Ross Park near the zoo also features the Bannock County Historical Museum and Fort Hall Replica. Regional and local parks are filled with first-class attractions and sports facilities from a skateboard park to a family aquatic center. Multi-purpose trails include miles of the Portneuf Greenway along the riverfront and breathtaking paths up the towering mountains and through scenic foothills. Shopping malls and centers, commercial conveniences, serene neighborhoods, and attractive housing from well-kept older homes to vibrant new construction make Bannock County a truly livable environment.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Chubbuck
Municipal Offices
208-237-2430
https://cityofchubbuck.us
Chamber of Commerce
208-233-1525
www.pocatelloidaho.com
Situated immediately north of Pocatello, Chubbuck has proudly retained its identity as a separate community. Residents have opposed a number of consolidation proposals with Pocatello since the 1960s. However, close proximity to impressive urban amenities including the beautiful campus of Idaho State University has given Chubbuck a real edge in attracting new residents. This progressive city takes pride in delivering a high level of quality services and enjoys being a part of a regional center for shopping, education, medical care, and cultural activities. Clear and sunny weather with low humidity is the norm at an elevation of 4,448 feet and annual precipitation of less than 15 inches. Although the city suffered severe growing pains with explosive growth in the latter decades of the 20th century, planners are working diligently to balance infrastructure upgrades and improved services with the influx of residential and economic development. Local community has a commitment to create a livable and appealing suburban setting where every need can be met close to home.
Pocatello
Municipal Offices
208-234-6582
www.pocatello.us
Chamber of Commerce
208-233-1525
www.pocatelloidaho.com
Nestled in southeastern Idaho, the thriving “college town” and county seat of Pocatello serves as the educational, healthcare, commercial, and economic hub of Bannock County. The city enjoys an ideal climate at an elevation of 4,448 feet in the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains along the Oregon Trail. Residents enjoy an unusually desirable four-season climate that encourages a wealth of outdoor adventures and recreational activities. Scores of lush parks, the Museum of Natural History at Idaho State University, the Fort Hall Replica and Bannock County Historical Museum, Pocatello Zoo, scenic trails, a family aquatic center, and a skate park are just a few of the highlights that draw visitors and new residents to the city. Pocatello is strategically situated at the intersection of Interstates 15 and 86 for efficient links to regional destinations. Leading-edge telecommunications services and an impressive number of high-tech companies complement the powerful presence of Idaho State University. Little wonder that Pocatello is consistently recognized as one of the top small places to relocate and raise a family.
