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Bear Lake County, Idaho

2B

Indicators

Population and growth

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
PopulationPeopleIdaho: 2,029,7332025 (estimate) · Census Bureau6,7272,029,7332025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population densityPeople per square mileIdaho: 24.62025 (estimate) · Census Bureau6.924.62025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population growth ratePercentIdaho: 1.4%2025 (estimate) · Census Bureau0.4%1.4%2025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Domestic migrationPeopleIdaho: 19,9152025 (estimate) · Census Bureau4419,9152025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Decennial census populationPeopleIdaho: 1,839,1062020 · Census Bureau6,3671,839,1062020Census Bureau
Population by race and Hispanic originPeopleIdaho: n/a2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau6,201n/a2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median ageYearsIdaho: 37.32020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau40.537.32020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Housing and cost of living

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median home valueDollarsIdaho: $418,6002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$275,000$418,6002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median gross rentDollarsIdaho: $1,2382020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$632$1,2382020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rentPercentIdaho: 46.9%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau54.6%46.9%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Housing units authorized by building permitsCountIdaho: 17,9442025 (estimate) · Census Bureau12817,9442025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Subsidized housing units availableCountIdaho: 12,9422025 · HUD5512,9422025HUD

Jobs, wages and economy

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median household incomeDollarsIdaho: $77,8002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$75,260$77,8002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Unemployment ratePercentIdaho: 3.7%2025 (estimate) · BLS3.0%3.7%2025 (estimate)BLS
Average annual wageDollarsIdaho: $62,3922025 · BLS$40,906$62,3922025BLS
Covered employmentPeopleIdaho: 874,2832025 · BLS2,013874,2832025BLS
Business establishmentsCountIdaho: 58,1002023 · Census Bureau16858,1002023Census Bureau
Poverty ratePercentIdaho: 10.6%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau7.0%10.6%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Taxes, spending and government

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Average property tax rate by countyPercentIdaho: 0.680%2025 · Idaho Tax Commission0.485%0.680%2025Idaho Tax Commission
Ballots castCountIdaho: 917,4692024 · Idaho SOS3,388917,4692024Idaho SOS
Registered votersPeopleIdaho: 1,030,522September 2026 · Idaho SOS3,7851,030,522September 2026Idaho SOS

Education

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Public school enrollment by countyPeopleIdaho: n/a2024 · Idaho SDE1,420n/a2024Idaho SDE

Healthcare

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
BirthsPeopleIdaho: 23,6952025 (estimate) · Census Bureau5823,6952025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Uninsured ratePercentIdaho: 9.1%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau6.9%9.1%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Crime and public safety

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Group A offense ratePer 100,000 residentsIdaho: 3,166.522025 (preliminary) · Idaho State Police1,329.003,166.522025 (preliminary)Idaho State Police

Water

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Drought Severity and Coverage IndexIndexIdaho: 245October 6, 2026 · NDMC273245October 6, 2026NDMC
Irrigated landAcresIdaho: 3,167,4992022 · USDA NASS44,2123,167,4992022USDA NASS
Total water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 19,868,1562015 (estimate) · USGS284,49419,868,1562015 (estimate)USGS
Livestock water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 61,4802022 (estimate) · USGS28861,4802022 (estimate)USGS
Industrial water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 14,2422020 (estimate) · USGS014,2422020 (estimate)USGS

Public lands, agriculture and wildfire

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
FarmsCountIdaho: 22,8772022 · USDA NASS35322,8772022USDA NASS
Land in farmsAcresIdaho: 11,547,9632022 · USDA NASS209,67811,547,9632022USDA NASS
Market value of agricultural products soldDollarsIdaho: $10,892,201,0002022 · USDA NASS$29,034,000$10,892,201,0002022USDA NASS
Barley productionBushelsIdaho: 60,480,0002023 (estimate) · USDA NASS278,00060,480,0002023 (estimate)USDA NASS
Wildfires by countyCountIdaho: 1,5192025 · NIFC31,5192025NIFC

Transportation and infrastructure

MeasureBear Lake CountyIdahoData periodSource
Traffic deathsCountIdaho: 2382024 · NHTSA12382024NHTSA
Mean travel time to workMinutesIdaho: 21.62020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau30.021.62020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
County-maintained road milesMilesIdaho: 28,011.7512018 · ITD453.96228,011.7512018ITD

Compare every Idaho county side by side

Ada CountyAdams CountyBannock CountyBear Lake CountyBenewah CountyBingham CountyBlaine CountyBoise CountyBonner CountyBonneville CountyBoundary CountyButte CountyCamas CountyCanyon CountyCaribou CountyCassia CountyClark CountyClearwater CountyCuster CountyElmore CountyFranklin CountyFremont CountyGem CountyGooding CountyIdaho CountyJefferson CountyJerome CountyKootenai CountyLatah CountyLemhi CountyLewis CountyLincoln CountyMadison CountyMinidoka CountyNez Perce CountyOneida CountyOwyhee CountyPayette CountyPower CountyShoshone CountyTeton CountyTwin Falls CountyValley CountyWashington County
Bear Lake County among Idaho’s 44 counties. Each county links to its page.

County facts

County seat
Paris
Established
Land area
975.731 sq mi, 6.9 per sq mi (2025)
Website
www.bearlakecounty.info

Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Blue Book of Idaho, 2025-2026.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer Files, 2025 and 2026 (counties and states). Published .

Population

Population, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025Population, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5,969 in 2010, 6,727 in 2025.02,0004,0006,0008,00020102020Bear LakeCountyPeoplePopulation, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025Population, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5,969 in 2010, 6,727 in 2025.02,0004,0006,0008,0002010201520202025Bear LakeCountyPeoplePopulation, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025Population, Bear Lake County, 2010 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5,969 in 2010, 6,727 in 2025.02,0004,0006,0008,0002010201520202025Bear Lake CountyPeople

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Published .

Data table (16 rows)
PeriodBear Lake County (people)
20105,969
20115,956
20125,892
20135,948
20145,926
20155,879
20165,927
20176,023
20186,044
20196,125
20206,365
20216,567
20226,742
20236,755
20246,703
20256,727

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5.3% in 1990, 3.0% in 2025.0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%20002020Bear LakeCountyPercentUnemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5.3% in 1990, 3.0% in 2025.0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%1990200020102020Bear LakeCountyPercentUnemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Bear Lake County, 1990 to 2025. Bear Lake County: 5.3% in 1990, 3.0% in 2025.0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%1990200020102020Bear Lake CountyPercent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Published .

Data table (36 rows)
PeriodBear Lake County (percent)
19905.3%
19915.1%
19925.4%
19935.8%
19946.0%
19955.2%
19965.1%
19974.6%
19984.7%
19994.5%
20004.9%
20014.7%
20025.2%
20035.6%
20044.8%
20054.0%
20062.9%
20072.2%
20083.2%
20096.2%
20107.5%
20116.1%
20125.8%
20135.8%
20144.1%
20154.2%
20164.0%
20172.8%
20182.5%
20192.6%
20204.1%
20212.9%
20222.7%
20232.7%
20243.0%
20253.0%

Average annual wage

Average annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025. Bear Lake County: $18,278 in 2001, $40,906 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020Bear LakeCountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025. Bear Lake County: $18,278 in 2001, $40,906 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020Bear LakeCountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Bear Lake County, 2001 to 2025. Bear Lake County: $18,278 in 2001, $40,906 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20052010201520202025Bear Lake CountyDollars

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, annual averages. Published .

Data table (25 rows)
PeriodBear Lake County (dollars)
2001$18,278
2002$18,931
2003$19,089
2004$19,319
2005$20,184
2006$20,205
2007$22,098
2008$22,435
2009$23,763
2010$24,822
2011$24,345
2012$27,029
2013$26,734
2014$26,979
2015$27,313
2016$27,672
2017$28,305
2018$29,136
2019$29,333
2020$31,034
2021$33,184
2022$37,008
2023$38,362
2024$40,230
2025$40,906

In this county

PlaceWhat it is
Bear River at PescaderoUSGS river gage

A gage sits in the county the U.S. Geological Survey assigns it.

County officials

OfficeNameParty
Commissioner, District 1Alan EbornR
Commissioner, District 2Rex PayneR
Commissioner, District 3Wynn S. OlsenR
AssessorJannelle Sparks JensenR
ClerkAmy BishopR
CoronerChad WalkerR
ProsecutorAdam McKenzieR
SheriffBart HeslingtonR
TreasurerTricia PoulsenR

Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Blue Book of Idaho, 2025-2026.

Representation

Legislative district

DistrictSenatorRepresentative, Seat ARepresentative, Seat B
35Mark Harris (R), Assistant Majority LeaderMichael Leman Veile (R)Josh Wheeler (R)

Congress

Congressional District 2
Michael K. Simpson (R)
U.S. Senate
James E. Risch (R); Mike Crapo (R)

Source: Idaho Legislature, Reapportionment plans L03 and C03, 2021. Published .

Source: Idaho Legislature, Senate and House membership.

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, Member lists of the House and Senate. Published .

This page was last updated .