Arco, Idaho
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1988. It stands in the Arco census division. It lies in ZIP code area 83213. It stands on Spring Creek. The Survey maps it on the Arco North quadrangle. 879 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 5,325 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Arco
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 4 records
Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1National Historic Landmark · listed 1966
Arco Baptist Community Churchlisted 2001
Craters of the Moon National Monument Mission 66 Historic Districtlisted 2022
Goodale's Cutofflisted 1974
Population over time
2 figuresArco fell from 995 to 879 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 995 | |
| 2020 | 879 | -116 (-12%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1955 USGS Idaho Falls quadrangle1:250000, 5 printings
- 1958 USGS Idaho Falls quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1972 USGS Arco North quadrangle1:24000
- 1988 USGS Arco quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
40 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 40 fires within 5 miles of Arco between 1995 and 2019, burning about 251 acres in total. 4 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Fireworks | 28 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5 |
| Natural | 4 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Other causes | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2001 | Other causes | 1.3 acres | Idaho Falls District | CELLER |
| 3 August 1999 | Natural | under an acre | Idaho Falls District | LOST RIVER |
| 27 August 1995 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Salmon-Challis National Forest | ARCO |
| 26 August 2010 | Equipment and vehicle use | 20 acres | Idaho Falls District | ARCO |
| 13 August 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.6 acres | Idaho Falls District | MUNSEY |
| 4 July 2019 | Fireworks | under an acre | Idaho Falls District | ARCO HILL |
| 4 July 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Idaho Falls District | NUMBERS |
| 4 July 2017 | Fireworks | under an acre | Idaho Falls District | ARCO |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
2 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Arco: 1 prospect, 1 plant. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Magnesite, Gold. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champagne | Gold | Plant | 1989 | |
| Fish Haven Dolomite | Magnesite | Prospect |
Storms near this place
60 of 137 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Arco in 137 storm reports between 1995 and 2026: 115 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 4 funnel cloud, 3 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1998 | Flash Flood | Arco | $20,000 | BLM reported road washed out on Big Southern Butte by 1 to 2 inches of rain from a thunderstorm. BLM estimated the storm caused a 50 year flood on the butte. |
| June 2025 | Lightning | Arco | $7,000 | A telephone pole was hit by lightning and caught on fire. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | $4,000 | The Arco mesonet site measured 63 mph wind gusts from a thunderstorms. Several trees were blown over in the city of Arco and the wind destroyed a large plate glass window in a flower shop. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | $3,000 | Power lines were downed off of Highway Drive in the areas of US 20 which caused a fire and several power outages. |
| August 2011 | Flash Flood | Arco | $2,000 | Heavy rains and small hail caused flooding in Arco. Roadways in town flooded with damage reported by law enforcement. Hail was up to 2 inches deep in some parts of town. The basement in the new court house in Arco was flooded as well. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | $1,000 | Sixty mile per hour winds moved through Butte County on the 30th with Arco recording 63 mph at 2:55 pm MDT. Several small limbs were torn off trees in the city. |
| August 2014 | Flash Flood | Arco | $1,000 | COOP Observer reported 1 to 2 inches of water flowing across Highway 93 in the city of Arco. Minor residential flooding occurred with some flooding at the hospital. A city bridge on Era street washed out and the street was closed and minor flooding occurred on Highway 33. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust measured at Tom Cat Summit ITD mesonet site. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust was measured at the Tom Cat Summit ITD mesonet site. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | The INL Puzzle site recorded a 61 mph thunderstorm outflow wind. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | The INL Critical Infrastructure mesonet site recorded a 59 mph wind gust. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | The INL Puzzle mesonet site on US highways 20 and 26 recorded a 70 mph wind gust. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at the Craters of the Moon mesonet site. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | Mesonet station 3699 D6 INL Puzzle recorded a 60 mph wind gust. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 64 mph wind gust was recorded at Big Southern Butte. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 62 mph wind gust was recorded at the INL Central Facilities mesonet station. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 61 mph wind gust recorded at Lost River Rest Area. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 68 mph wind gust recorded at mesonet station TRA INL Reactor Tech Complex. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 64 mph wind gust recorded at mesonet station GRI INL INTEC/Grid 3. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph wind gust recorded at INL Puzzle mesonet site. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph wind gust recorded at INL Central Facilities. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph wind gust measured at the Tom Cat Summit mesonet site. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph wind gust recorded at Craters of the Moon mesonet site. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 58 mph wind gust measured at the INL Central Facilities mesonet site. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph thunderstorm outflow wind measured 9 miles east of Butte City at the Dead Man Canyon mesonet site. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | Thunderstorm winds caused power outages in parts of Butte County. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph wind gust measured at INL Puzzle ITD site. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 69 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust was measured at the INL Puzzle mesonet site. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | The Big Coxs Well mesonet station recorded a 59 mph thunderstorm outflow wind. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | The ITD Tom Cat Summit mesonet site recorded an 80 mph wind gust. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | ITD 95 RWIS INL Puzzle measured 59 mph wind gust at intersection of US 20 and US 26. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph wind gust measured near Arco at the ARC mesonet site. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 70 mph wind gust measured at Big Southern Butte. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph wind gust measured at the GRI INL INTEC/Grid 3 mesonet site. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 65 mph thunderstorm outflow wind measured at Craters of the Moon. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph wind gust recorded at Big Southern Butte. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | INL Puzzle site RWIS ITD95 recorded a 64 mph wind gust. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 66 mph wind gust measured at Tom Cat Summit. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 62 mph wind gust at Big Southen Butte. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | INL Specific Manufacturing Site measured a 59 mph thunderstorm outflow wind. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 64 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust was recorded at Big Southern Butte. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 62 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust measured at Cox's Well. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph wind gust at Big Southern Butte. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 67 mph wind gust at Big Cox's Well. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 62 mph wind gust at TRA Reactor Technologies Complex at INL. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 59 mph thunderstorm outflow wind measured at INL Specific Manufacturing site. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 66 mph wind gust measured at Dead Man Canyon. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A thunderstorm outflow wind of 58 mph was measured 12 miles northwest of Atomic City at the INL Reactor Tech Complex. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | Mesonet site 3699 D6 Puzzle 6 miles northwest of Atomic City recorded a 62 mph wind gust. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 58 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust measured at the Big Southern Butte mesonet site. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 62 mph wind gust measured at the INL Reactor Tech complex. |
| September 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 68 mph wind gust measured at the ITD INL Puzzle site. |
| September 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph wind gust 12 miles southeast of Butte City. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | Lost River Area mesonet recorded 61 mph wind gust. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 60 mph gust at INL Radioactive Waste Management site. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | INL Critical Infrastructure site recorded a 64 mph gust. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 63 mph wind gust at the INL central facilities. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 69 mph wind gust at INL Reactor Technologies Complex. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 64 mph wind gust at at the INL Puzzle/US Highway 20 site. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Arco | - | A 74 mph wind gust measured at Deadman Canyon. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte City | 3.5 miles | 9 | |
| Lost River | 5.2 miles | 9 | |
| Moore | 7.7 miles | 9 | |
| Darlington | 13.6 miles | 10 | |
| Era | 15.3 miles | 12 | |
| Martin | 16.3 miles | 12 | |
| Antelope (historical) | 18.3 miles | 12 | |
| Howe | 18.7 miles | 10 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Arco | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1517606 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 396049. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.



