These are the wealthiest — and poorest — counties in Idaho. See where your county ranks

Shaun Goodwin, Karlee Van De Venter
·2 min read
Downtown Ketchum, known for its cozy atmosphere during the winter months.

Idaho has 44 counties, and climate and cultural differences exist between the northern and southern regions of the state.

The north and central parts of the state are more sparsely populated and cover large swaths of mountainous areas. The Gem State’s least-populous county, Clark County, is included in this mountainous region.

The southern half is known for its larger urban population centers, such as Boise and Idaho Falls, but there are still plenty of low-population counties, especially in southeastern Idaho.

With greatly increasing house prices in recent years across the country and Idaho boasting the nation’s seventh-most-expensive gas, it begs the question: How much of an impact can living in a particular county have on lifestyle?

So, where are the state’s poorest regions based on income?

The financial website SmartAsset used data to determine the wealthiest and poorest counties in each state.

The U.S. Census Bureau lists the entire state’s median household income as $63,377. The wealthiest county, Blaine County, has a listed median household income of $71,749.

SmartAsset reports using tax records, census data and Zillow information to determine its rankings.

5 poorest counties in Idaho

CLARK COUNTY

  • Ranking: 44 of 44

  • Median income: $48,088

  • Investment income: $6,250

  • Median home value: N/A

SHOSHONE COUNTY

  • Ranking: 43 of 44

  • Median income: $43,188

  • Investment income: $13,934

  • Median home value: $278,157

LEWIS COUNTY

  • Ranking: 42 of 44

  • Median income: $44,028

  • Investment income: $11,979

  • Median home value: $251,479

BUTTE COUNTY

  • Ranking: 41 of 44

  • Median income: $41,552

  • Investment income: $14,314

  • Median home value: N/A

CAMAS COUNTY

  • Ranking: 40 of 44

  • Median income: $37,367

  • Investment income: $19,400

  • Median home value: $318,840

Wealthiest Idaho counties

Only three of the state’s 10 wealthiest counties are in the Idaho Panhandle: Kootenai, Bonner and Latah counties. These counties are notably home to some of North Idaho’s larger cities, such as Coeur d’Alene and Moscow.

The remaining seven counties are in the central or southern regions of the state, including Boise’s Ada County. Here are the top five wealthiest counties in Idaho:

BLAINE COUNTY

  • Ranking: 1 of 44

  • Median income: $71,749

  • Investment income: $152,329

  • Median home value: $862,566

TETON COUNTY

  • Ranking: 2 of 44

  • Median income: $75,837

  • Investment income: $34,975

  • Median home value: $660,931

VALLEY COUNTY

  • Ranking: 3 of 44

  • Median income: $67,528

  • Investment income: $33,566

  • Median home value: $639,371

ADA COUNTY

  • Ranking: 4 of 44

  • Median income: $75,155

  • Investment income: $36,180

  • Median home value: $551,352

KOOTENAI COUNTY

  • Ranking: 5 of 44

  • Median income: $64,936

  • Investment income: $29,125

  • Median home value: $551,352