Elmore County, Idaho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elmore County
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Elmore County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Idaho
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 Idaho's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Idaho |
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| Founded | February 7, 1889 | |
| Named for | The Ida Elmore mines, producer of silver and gold in the 1860s | |
| Seat | Mountain Home | |
| Largest city | Mountain Home | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3,101 sq mi (8,030 km2) | |
| • Land | 3,075 sq mi (7,960 km2) | |
| • Water | 26 sq mi (70 km2) 0.8% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 28,666 | |
| • Density | 9.2441/sq mi (3.5692/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
Elmore County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,666. The largest city and county seat is Mountain Home.
Elmore County comprises the Mountain Home, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Boise-Mountain Home-Ontario, ID-OR Combined Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Elmore County was established February 7, 1889, with its county seat at Rocky Bar. It is named after the Ida Elmore mines, the area's greatest silver and gold producer of the 1860s, located near Silver City in Owyhee County.
While the Oregon Trail crossed the Snake River in Elmore County, at Three Island Crossing near Glenns Ferry, the significant early settlements of Elmore County were mining settlements located primarily in northern Elmore County surrounding the ghost town of Rocky Bar. Settlement at Rocky Bar commenced in 1863 with the settlement having 560 residents at the Territorial Census of that year. Nearby, Atlanta was settled in 1864. Elmore County north of the Snake River was originally part of Alturas County when it was created in 1864 and Rocky Bar became its county seat. The portion of Elmore County south of the Snake River was within Owyhee County until 1930. A small portion of Ada County was also annexed in 1948, bringing Elmore to its present boundary. The settlement at Rocky Bar was impacted by poor management by mining companies, mining lawsuits, and its geographic remoteness between 1869 and 1880. The Wood River experienced a surge in settlement at Hailey starting in 1880 that led to Rocky Bar's loss of the county seat to Hailey in 1882. Rocky Bar would briefly become a county seat upon the creation of Elmore County in 1889.
A station on the overland stage route, originally named Rattlesnake, was moved west to the railroad line and became Mountain Home. On February 4, 1891, the county seat was moved to Mountain Home.
Construction of Mountain Home Air Force Base began in October 1942, twelve miles (19 km) southwest of Mountain Home. The base officially opened in August 1943 as a training base for bombers, and was an operational base under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) through 1965. It became a fighter base in 1966 under Tactical Air Command (TAC), which became Air Combat Command (ACC) in 1992.
Anderson Ranch Dam is east of Mountain Home on the South Fork of the Boise River. At the time of its completion in 1950, it was the world's highest earthfill dam.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,101 square miles (8,030 km2), of which 3,075 square miles (7,960 km2) is land and 26 square miles (67 km2) (0.8%) is water. Elmore County's highest point is Snowyside Peak at 10,651 feet (3,246 m) above sea level, located in the northeast corner of the county in the Sawtooth Wilderness. The lowest elevation in the county is the Snake River in the southwest corner, at less than 2,500 feet (760 m).
Adjacent counties
- Boise County - north
- Ada County - west
- Owyhee County - south
- Twin Falls County - southeast
- Gooding County - east
- Camas County - east
- Blaine County - northeast
- Custer County - northeast
Major highways
I-84
I-84 Business Loop
US 20
US 26
US 30
SH 51
SH 67- SH 78
- SH 167
National protected areas
- Boise National Forest (part)
- Sawtooth National Forest (part)
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area (part)
- Sawtooth Wilderness (part)
- Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,870 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,286 | 22.2% | |
| 1910 | 4,785 | 109.3% | |
| 1920 | 5,087 | 6.3% | |
| 1930 | 4,491 | −11.7% | |
| 1940 | 5,518 | 22.9% | |
| 1950 | 6,687 | 21.2% | |
| 1960 | 16,719 | 150.0% | |
| 1970 | 17,479 | 4.5% | |
| 1980 | 21,565 | 23.4% | |
| 1990 | 21,205 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 29,130 | 37.4% | |
| 2010 | 27,038 | −7.2% | |
| 2020 | 28,666 | 6.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 29,724 | 9.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960, 1900–1990, 1990–2000, 2010–2020 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 27,038 people, 10,140 households, and 7,135 families living in the county. The population density was 8.8 inhabitants per square mile (3.4/km2). There were 12,162 housing units at an average density of 4.0 units per square mile (1.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.2% white, 2.8% Asian, 2.7% black or African American, 1.0% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific islander, 6.8% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 15.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 20.4% were German, 13.5% were English, 12.4% were Irish, and 9.0% were American.
Of the 10,140 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.6% were non-families, and 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 30.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,089 and the median income for a family was $50,840. Males had a median income of $34,126 versus $25,999 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,388. About 9.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Census-designated place
- Hammett
- Mountain Home Air Force Base
Unincorporated communities
Ghost town
Education
School districts include:
- Bliss Joint School District 234
- Bruneau-Grand View Joint School District 365
- Glenns Ferry Joint School District 192
- Mountain Home School District 193
- Prairie Elementary School District 191
Residents in a portion of the county are in the area (but not the taxation zone) for College of Western Idaho. In the remainder, it is in the area (but not the taxation zone) for College of Southern Idaho.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Elmore (Idaho) para niños
