United States › Idaho › Owyhee County COUNTY
Owyhee County Idaho · 12,661 residents (2025 est.) · 7,668 sq mi
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The short version
Owyhee County is a county of 12,503 people in Idaho. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Density works out to 2 people per square mile. Renters pay $821 a month at the median. 73% of homes are owner-occupied. 1,859 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 138%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,644 in 2000
12,661 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 1 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 9K 10K 12K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Owyhee County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $64,406
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,339 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,405 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.437 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 16.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.8%
Public administration 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Education & health services 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
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$359,800
+138%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$821
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $383 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.6% in 2000
27.4% rent
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.70 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 71.7%(7,635)
Hispanic / Latino 23.1%(2,459)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 67.8%(8,479)
Hispanic / Latino 24.8%(3,103)
from 55 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 14 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 63.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 26.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 77.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 21.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.7%(1,325)
Women 15+
Never married 23.6%(1,157)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 26.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 33.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.3%(140)
Share of the 725 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Owyhee County Head to head
Compare Owyhee County to nearby counties OWYHEE COUNTY VS
Ada County
Income $91,502 +42%
Home value $512,300 +42%
Population 546,141 +4214%
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OWYHEE COUNTY VS
Elmore County
Income $65,359 +1%
Home value $316,500 −12%
Population 29,465 +133%
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OWYHEE COUNTY VS
Gooding County
Income $63,559 −1%
Home value $250,900 −30%
Population 16,446 +30%
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OWYHEE COUNTY VS
Canyon County
Income $76,488 +19%
Home value $390,000 +8%
Population 275,123 +2073%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Owyhee County, Idaho? Owyhee County, Idaho has about 12,503 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Owyhee County, Idaho? The typical household in Owyhee County, Idaho earns about $64,406 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Owyhee County, Idaho expensive? In Owyhee County, Idaho, the median home is worth about $359,800, and the typical rent is about $821 a month.
How educated are people in Owyhee County, Idaho? About 12.4% of adults age 25 and over in Owyhee County, Idaho hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Owyhee County, Idaho? About 12.2% of people in Owyhee County, Idaho live below the federal poverty line.
Has Owyhee County, Idaho grown since 1990? Yes, Owyhee County, Idaho has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,111 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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