Skip to content
Understand IdahoSearch

Custer County, Idaho

7C

Indicators

Population and growth

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
PopulationPeopleIdaho: 2,029,7332025 (estimate) · Census Bureau4,6362,029,7332025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population densityPeople per square mileIdaho: 24.62025 (estimate) · Census Bureau0.924.62025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population growth ratePercentIdaho: 1.4%2025 (estimate) · Census Bureau1.2%1.4%2025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Domestic migrationPeopleIdaho: 19,9152025 (estimate) · Census Bureau7219,9152025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Decennial census populationPeopleIdaho: 1,839,1062020 · Census Bureau4,2771,839,1062020Census Bureau
Population by race and Hispanic originPeopleIdaho: n/a2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau3,950n/a2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median ageYearsIdaho: 37.32020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau60.037.32020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Housing and cost of living

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median home valueDollarsIdaho: $418,6002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$381,700$418,6002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median gross rentDollarsIdaho: $1,2382020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$691$1,2382020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rentPercentIdaho: 46.9%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau42.5%46.9%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Housing units authorized by building permitsCountIdaho: 17,9442025 (estimate) · Census Bureau3217,9442025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Subsidized housing units availableCountIdaho: 12,9422025 · HUD212,9422025HUD

Jobs, wages and economy

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median household incomeDollarsIdaho: $77,8002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$67,574$77,8002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Unemployment ratePercentIdaho: 3.7%2025 (estimate) · BLS4.8%3.7%2025 (estimate)BLS
Average annual wageDollarsIdaho: $62,3922025 · BLS$49,724$62,3922025BLS
Covered employmentPeopleIdaho: 874,2832025 · BLS1,601874,2832025BLS
Business establishmentsCountIdaho: 58,1002023 · Census Bureau19258,1002023Census Bureau
Poverty ratePercentIdaho: 10.6%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau15.8%10.6%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Taxes, spending and government

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Average property tax rate by countyPercentIdaho: 0.680%2025 · Idaho Tax Commission0.515%0.680%2025Idaho Tax Commission
Ballots castCountIdaho: 917,4692024 · Idaho SOS2,680917,4692024Idaho SOS
Registered votersPeopleIdaho: 1,030,522September 2026 · Idaho SOS3,0041,030,522September 2026Idaho SOS

Education

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Public school enrollment by countyPeopleIdaho: n/a2024 · Idaho SDE562n/a2024Idaho SDE

Healthcare

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
BirthsPeopleIdaho: 23,6952025 (estimate) · Census Bureau2723,6952025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Uninsured ratePercentIdaho: 9.1%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau12.1%9.1%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Crime and public safety

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Group A offense ratePer 100,000 residentsIdaho: 3,166.522025 (preliminary) · Idaho State Police1,525.003,166.522025 (preliminary)Idaho State Police

Water

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Drought Severity and Coverage IndexIndexIdaho: 245October 6, 2026 · NDMC59245October 6, 2026NDMC
Irrigated landAcresIdaho: 3,167,4992022 · USDA NASS44,9723,167,4992022USDA NASS
Total water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 19,868,1562015 (estimate) · USGS162,60019,868,1562015 (estimate)USGS
Livestock water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 61,4802022 (estimate) · USGS32161,4802022 (estimate)USGS
Industrial water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 14,2422020 (estimate) · USGS014,2422020 (estimate)USGS

Public lands, agriculture and wildfire

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
FarmsCountIdaho: 22,8772022 · USDA NASS23522,8772022USDA NASS
Land in farmsAcresIdaho: 11,547,9632022 · USDA NASS113,93011,547,9632022USDA NASS
Market value of agricultural products soldDollarsIdaho: $10,892,201,0002022 · USDA NASS$31,092,000$10,892,201,0002022USDA NASS
Potato productionHundredweight (cwt)Idaho: 133,385,0002002 (estimate) · USDA NASS138,000133,385,0002002 (estimate)USDA NASS
Barley productionBushelsIdaho: 44,500,0002021 (estimate) · USDA NASS340,00044,500,0002021 (estimate)USDA NASS
Wildfires by countyCountIdaho: 1,5192025 · NIFC371,5192025NIFC

Transportation and infrastructure

MeasureCuster CountyIdahoData periodSource
Traffic deathsCountIdaho: 2382024 · NHTSA12382024NHTSA
Mean travel time to workMinutesIdaho: 21.62020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau17.321.62020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
County-maintained road milesMilesIdaho: 28,011.7512018 · ITD637.47528,011.7512018ITD

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
Custer County among Idaho’s 44 counties. Each county links to its page.

County facts

County seat
Challis
Established
Land area
4,922.177 sq mi, 0.9 per sq mi (2025)
Website
custercountyidaho.org

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 .

The Salmon River near Stanley.
The Salmon River near Stanley. Photo: Michael Cooper.

Population

Population, Custer County, 2010 to 2025Population, Custer County, 2010 to 2025. Custer County: 4,357 in 2010, 4,636 in 2025.02,0004,0006,00020102020CusterCountyPeoplePopulation, Custer County, 2010 to 2025Population, Custer County, 2010 to 2025. Custer County: 4,357 in 2010, 4,636 in 2025.02,0004,0006,0002010201520202025Custer CountyPeoplePopulation, Custer County, 2010 to 2025Population, Custer County, 2010 to 2025. Custer County: 4,357 in 2010, 4,636 in 2025.02,0004,0006,0002010201520202025Custer CountyPeople

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

Data table (16 rows)
PeriodCuster County (people)
20104,357
20114,325
20124,327
20134,225
20144,132
20154,059
20164,084
20174,135
20184,250
20194,315
20204,269
20214,445
20224,503
20234,531
20244,582
20254,636

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025. Custer County: 4.5% in 1990, 4.8% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%20002020CusterCountyPercentUnemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025. Custer County: 4.5% in 1990, 4.8% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%1990200020102020Custer CountyPercentUnemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Custer County, 1990 to 2025. Custer County: 4.5% in 1990, 4.8% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%1990200020102020Custer CountyPercent

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

Data table (36 rows)
PeriodCuster County (percent)
19904.5%
19916.7%
19929.7%
199315.0%
19948.2%
19955.9%
19966.4%
19977.5%
19988.9%
19997.8%
20005.5%
20016.2%
20026.7%
20036.3%
20045.9%
20055.0%
20064.1%
20073.3%
20084.5%
20096.3%
20108.3%
20118.0%
20128.5%
20139.4%
20146.3%
20156.2%
20166.1%
20175.2%
20184.9%
20195.1%
20206.6%
20215.8%
20224.6%
20234.9%
20245.2%
20254.8%

Average annual wage

Average annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025. Custer County: $24,051 in 2001, $49,724 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020CusterCountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025. Custer County: $24,051 in 2001, $49,724 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020Custer CountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Custer County, 2001 to 2025. Custer County: $24,051 in 2001, $49,724 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20052010201520202025Custer CountyDollars

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

Data table (25 rows)
PeriodCuster County (dollars)
2001$24,051
2002$22,323
2003$23,734
2004$25,613
2005$29,269
2006$32,533
2007$34,009
2008$35,049
2009$32,248
2010$34,905
2011$36,812
2012$41,569
2013$40,784
2014$37,608
2015$31,632
2016$31,244
2017$31,390
2018$31,787
2019$32,407
2020$34,334
2021$35,603
2022$38,781
2023$40,032
2024$45,656
2025$49,724

County officials

OfficeNameParty
Commissioner, District 1Wayne ButtsR
Commissioner, District 2Randy CorgatelliR
Commissioner, District 3Steve SmithR
AssessorJacquel BrunoR
ClerkLura BakerR
CoronerChad WorkmanR
ProsecutorJustin OlesonR
SheriffStu LumpkinR
TreasurerAllicyn LatimerR

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

Representation

Legislative district

DistrictSenatorRepresentative, Seat ARepresentative, Seat B
8Christy Zito (R)Robert “Rob” Beiswenger (R)Faye Thompson (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 .