Burley () is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in southern Idaho, United States. The population was 11,704 at the 2020 census, up from 10,345 in 2010. The city is the county seat of Cassia County.
Burley is the principal city of the Burley, Idaho, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which comprises Cassia and Minidoka counties. Burley is the largest city in Cassia and Minidoka counties (collectively called the “Mini-Cassia” area), and the third-largest city in Idaho's Magic Valley region, after Twin Falls and Jerome.
History The first human inhabitants of the area were Paleo Indians, who first settled the area 15 to 16,000 years ago. Later, the Northern ShoshoneHistory Repeating: Mini-Cassia’s first residents. Weekly Mailer. Jan 24, 2017. and Northern Paiute peoples established communities in the area.Cassia County History, cassia county.org. Accessed April 8, 2023.
Oregon Trail passed through what is now Burley,Burley: Idaho's Heart. Zion's Bank Community Magazine. Amelia Nielson-Stowell. Aug 14, 2018. Accessed April 22, 2023. and the California Trail passed just south, through the City of Rocks nearby. (The “parting of the ways” trail junction was at the convergence of the Raft and Snake rivers in eastern Cassia county.) The Oregon Short Line Railroad was constructed through what is now Burley, following the Oregon Trail, in the late 1800s.A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD'S, IDAHO DIVISION. Union Pacific Railroad.
A post office called Burley has been in operation since 1905. The community was named after David Ellsworth Burley, the local railroad agent. The town was incorporated in 1909, and became the seat of Cassia County in 1918.
In 1984, the Lower Goose Creek Reservoir (Oakley Reservoir) came very close to overtopping its dam after historic rain and snowfall. Burley was considered to be at risk of flooding if the reservoir was breached. To provide a safe water outlet, hundreds of local volunteers and the Army Corps of Engineers dug a 17-mile long, 70-foot wide diversion channel across private property in 4 days. The possible flood and diversion efforts were covered by the national news program, The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour (now PBS NewsHour) and The Washington Post.History Repeating: A flood happened here. Weekly Mailer, February 21, 2017.1984: The Oakley Miracle. Weekly Mailer. April 17, 2014.Burley Reflects on Flood of 1984. Magicvalley.com. April 24, 2014.Weather Eye on Dam, Idaho Town Makes Plans to Evacuate. Washington Post. May 21, 1984.
A Simplot potato-processing plant in nearby Heyburn employed about 650 residents in the area and was a mainstay of the local economy, from its opening in 1960, through its closure in 2003. After the plant's closure, the city of Burley took ownership of the property. It currently operates an industrial park there.Timeline of Simplot's Heyburn potato plant. Magicvalley.com. In the aftermath of the plant closure, voters in Burley, Rupert, and Heyburn approved bond issues to expand and upgrade wastewater infrastructure. This allowed other food processing companies to come to the area, which in turn stabilized and diversified the local economy.Magicvalley.com. January 29, 2017.
In 2008, a group of local farmers sued the Idaho BLM (Bureau of Land Management) because pesticides that the Burley BLM office sprayed on their lands were carried by a wind storm onto farmers’ lands, effectively destroying crops.Hundreds of Idaho farmers face BLM in lost-crop lawsuit. Deseret News. June 6, 2009. Accessed April 22, 2023.
Economy Agriculture and food processing play a critical role in the economy of Burley and the surrounding area. Burley is part of the broader Magic Valley region, known for its dairy and crop production.Southern Idaho Economic Development: https://www.southernidaho.org/ McCain Foods, a leading producer of frozen potato products, has a processing plant in Burley.McCain Foods USA announces expansion of Burley, Idaho facility. McCain Foods. 03 May 2017. Accessed April 22, 2023. The Amalgamated Sugar Company, which processes sugar beets, also runs a plant outside of nearby Paul, while Dot Foods operates a distribution plant in Burley. High Desert Milk, a Burley-based cooperative, is one of Idaho's leading dairy processors; in 2021, they underwent a $50 million expansion at their Burley facility. A local business, Suntado, built a new multimillion dollar shelf-stable milk factory in Burley around 2023.For "local business", see Bizapedia. Suntado, LLC.Salute to Agriculture: Suntado. KMVT. March 22, 2023. Accessed April 22, 2023.
Another major sector of Burley’s economy is banking. D. L. Evans Bank, a regional bank with $3.4 billion in assets and 39 locations across Idaho and northern Utah is headquartered in Burley. Key Bank, Zions Bank, US Bank, Idaho Central Credit Union, First Federal Savings Bank, and Wells Fargo all also operate branch offices in Burley.
The city owns and operates the Burley Municipal Airport. In recent years, there have been proposals to replace the airport with a new facility, as the existing airport faces funding and safety issues. However, plans to move the airport have faced some local opposition and challenges securing funding.Burley ready to move forward with new airport project, asks counties for support. Times-News. June 7, 2022.Plans for new Burley airport remain in limbo. KMVT. June 10, 2022.Pilots ask council to leave airport where it is. Weekly Mailer. June 3, 2014.
Geography Most of the city lies in Cassia County, with a small portion extending north into Minidoka County. The Snake River forms the border between the two counties. On the north side of the river, Burley is bordered to the east by the city of Heyburn.
U.S. Route 30 passes east-west through the center of Burley, leading northeast to Interstate 84 in Heyburn and west to Kimberly. Idaho State Highway 27 passes through the center of Burley, leading north to Paul and south to its terminus in Oakley, while State Highway 81 leads east from Burley to Declo. I-84 passes through the northern end of Burley, leading west to the Twin Falls area and southeast to Ogden, Utah. Replacements and upgrades to the I-84 interchanges outside of Burley and nearby Heyburn are under construction, to be completed around 2026; the previous interchanges had been in service since their construction in 1961.I-84 Burley and Heyburn Interchanges. Accessed 5-17-23.ITD is looking for public comments on proposed changes to the Burley/Heyburn I-84 Exit. KMVT 11. Accessed 5/17/23
According to the United States Census Bureau, Burley has a total area of , of which are land and , or 4.71%, are water, referring to the Snake River.
Climate Burley experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold winters and hot, dry summers. The hottest temperature recorded in Burley was on July 30, 2000, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 29, 1949 and January 22, 1962.
Burley's average monthly wind speeds vary from a high of 9.1 mph in February, to a low of 7.5 mph in August.Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Burley. Accessed April 22, 2023.
Government and politics The Burley City Council is composed of six individuals elected at-large. Each serves a four-year term.City Council. Burley, Idaho website. Accessed April 22, 2023. The current mayor is Steve Ormond,Mayor's Office. Burley, Idaho website. Accessed April 22, 2023. a retired bank manager and commercial loan officer.MagicValley.com. Steve Ormond. October 4, 2017. Accessed December 19, 2024.
Burley is the county seat of Cassia County. The Cassia County Courthouse, located in Burley, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 1987.
Demographics
Population trends Over the last thirty years, Burley has grown steadily.The urban-rural divide: Nearby growth trickles into small Mini-Cassia towns. Magicvalley.com. August 16, 2018. Accessed July 30, 2023.
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Burley had a population of 11,704 and a population density of .
The median age was 31.6 years. 30.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.3 males age 18 and over.
99.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,055 households in Burley, of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.9% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,293 housing units at an average density of , of which 5.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 7,586 64.8% Black or African American 44 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native 175 1.5% Asian 84 0.7% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 13 0.1% Some other race 2,588 22.1% Two or more races 1,214 10.4% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 4,494 38.4%
2021 American Community Survey As of the 2021 annual American Community Survey, Burley's racial and ethnic makeup was 60.3% White, 33.8% Hispanic (any race), 0.9% Native American, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.4% Asian, and 4.0% two or more races.2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 10,345 people, 3,644 households, and 2,499 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,885 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.2% White, 0.4% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 17.4% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33.4% of the population.
There were 3,644 households, of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.37.
The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 31.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 20% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.
According to city administration, the 2010 census count was low by about 2,000 people.Transportation Master Plan - Addition and Supplement to the City of Burley Transportation Plan. January 2020. Accessed September 27, 2023.
Arts, culture, recreation, and tourism
Burley is home to the famed "Spudman" Triathlon. The Spudman draws thousands of participants annually, and serves as a fundraiser for the local Lions Club.Ready, set, go! Spudman triathlon draws thousands each year. Times-News. June 5, 2019.
Burley also hosts the Idaho Regatta. Founded in 1975,The Idaho Regatta. Idaho magazine. May 2020 Issue the regatta typically draws between 60 and 70 boat entrants.More Than 70 Boats Rip Up The Water At 2020 Idaho Regatta. 98.3 The Snake. June 27, 2020.