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Gem County, Idaho

1G

Indicators

Population and growth

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
PopulationPeopleIdaho: 2,029,7332025 (estimate) · Census Bureau21,7732,029,7332025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population densityPeople per square mileIdaho: 24.62025 (estimate) · Census Bureau38.924.62025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Population growth ratePercentIdaho: 1.4%2025 (estimate) · Census Bureau1.5%1.4%2025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Domestic migrationPeopleIdaho: 19,9152025 (estimate) · Census Bureau24919,9152025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Decennial census populationPeopleIdaho: 1,839,1062020 · Census Bureau19,1281,839,1062020Census Bureau
Population by race and Hispanic originPeopleIdaho: n/a2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau17,211n/a2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median ageYearsIdaho: 37.32020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau44.237.32020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Housing and cost of living

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median home valueDollarsIdaho: $418,6002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$428,700$418,6002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Median gross rentDollarsIdaho: $1,2382020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$1,038$1,2382020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rentPercentIdaho: 46.9%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau40.6%46.9%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Housing units authorized by building permitsCountIdaho: 17,9442025 (estimate) · Census Bureau14417,9442025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Subsidized housing units availableCountIdaho: 12,9422025 · HUD5512,9422025HUD

Jobs, wages and economy

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Median household incomeDollarsIdaho: $77,8002020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau$64,605$77,8002020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
Unemployment ratePercentIdaho: 3.7%2025 (estimate) · BLS3.7%3.7%2025 (estimate)BLS
Average annual wageDollarsIdaho: $62,3922025 · BLS$46,323$62,3922025BLS
Covered employmentPeopleIdaho: 874,2832025 · BLS4,595874,2832025BLS
Business establishmentsCountIdaho: 58,1002023 · Census Bureau51058,1002023Census Bureau
Poverty ratePercentIdaho: 10.6%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau12.0%10.6%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Taxes, spending and government

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Average property tax rate by countyPercentIdaho: 0.680%2025 · Idaho Tax Commission0.544%0.680%2025Idaho Tax Commission
Ballots castCountIdaho: 917,4692024 · Idaho SOS10,729917,4692024Idaho SOS
Registered votersPeopleIdaho: 1,030,522September 2026 · Idaho SOS12,2231,030,522September 2026Idaho SOS

Education

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Public school enrollment by countyPeopleIdaho: n/a2024 · Idaho SDE2,488n/a2024Idaho SDE

Healthcare

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
BirthsPeopleIdaho: 23,6952025 (estimate) · Census Bureau20423,6952025 (estimate)Census Bureau
Uninsured ratePercentIdaho: 9.1%2020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau11.1%9.1%2020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau

Crime and public safety

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Group A offense ratePer 100,000 residentsIdaho: 3,166.522025 (preliminary) · Idaho State Police2,194.003,166.522025 (preliminary)Idaho State Police

Water

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Drought Severity and Coverage IndexIndexIdaho: 245October 6, 2026 · NDMC102245October 6, 2026NDMC
Irrigated landAcresIdaho: 3,167,4992022 · USDA NASS25,7353,167,4992022USDA NASS
Total water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 19,868,1562015 (estimate) · USGS167,70819,868,1562015 (estimate)USGS
Livestock water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 61,4802022 (estimate) · USGS26461,4802022 (estimate)USGS
Industrial water withdrawalsAcre-feetIdaho: 14,2422020 (estimate) · USGS16314,2422020 (estimate)USGS

Public lands, agriculture and wildfire

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
FarmsCountIdaho: 22,8772022 · USDA NASS71822,8772022USDA NASS
Land in farmsAcresIdaho: 11,547,9632022 · USDA NASS199,54711,547,9632022USDA NASS
Market value of agricultural products soldDollarsIdaho: $10,892,201,0002022 · USDA NASS$37,861,000$10,892,201,0002022USDA NASS
Barley productionBushelsIdaho: 54,880,0002025 (estimate) · USDA NASS106,00054,880,0002025 (estimate)USDA NASS
Wildfires by countyCountIdaho: 1,5192025 · NIFC111,5192025NIFC

Transportation and infrastructure

MeasureGem CountyIdahoData periodSource
Traffic deathsCountIdaho: 2382024 · NHTSA22382024NHTSA
Mean travel time to workMinutesIdaho: 21.62020–2024 (estimate) · Census Bureau30.321.62020–2024 (estimate)Census Bureau
County-maintained road milesMilesIdaho: 28,011.7512018 · ITD341.59528,011.7512018ITD

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

County facts

County seat
Emmett
Established
Land area
559.774 sq mi, 38.9 per sq mi (2025)
Website
www.gemcounty.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 .

Population

Population, Gem County, 2010 to 2025Population, Gem County, 2010 to 2025. Gem County: 16,687 in 2010, 21,773 in 2025.010k20k30k20102020Gem CountyPeoplePopulation, Gem County, 2010 to 2025Population, Gem County, 2010 to 2025. Gem County: 16,687 in 2010, 21,773 in 2025.010k20k30k2010201520202025Gem CountyPeoplePopulation, Gem County, 2010 to 2025Population, Gem County, 2010 to 2025. Gem County: 16,687 in 2010, 21,773 in 2025.010k20k30k2010201520202025Gem CountyPeople

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

Data table (16 rows)
PeriodGem County (people)
201016,687
201116,692
201216,630
201316,569
201416,646
201516,685
201616,959
201717,311
201817,587
201918,112
202019,275
202119,802
202220,627
202321,180
202421,450
202521,773

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025. Gem County: 6.6% in 1990, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%20002020Gem CountyPercentUnemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025. Gem County: 6.6% in 1990, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%1990200020102020Gem CountyPercentUnemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025Unemployment rate, Gem County, 1990 to 2025. Gem County: 6.6% in 1990, 3.7% in 2025.0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%1990200020102020Gem CountyPercent

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

Data table (36 rows)
PeriodGem County (percent)
19906.6%
19918.7%
19928.3%
19937.7%
19946.6%
19957.6%
19967.3%
19976.6%
19987.2%
19996.7%
20005.1%
20016.9%
20027.5%
20036.4%
20045.6%
20054.7%
20064.2%
20073.7%
20087.0%
200912.1%
201011.7%
201111.0%
20129.8%
20138.8%
20145.4%
20154.9%
20164.2%
20173.6%
20183.2%
20193.0%
20205.5%
20213.8%
20222.9%
20233.5%
20243.8%
20253.7%

Average annual wage

Average annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025. Gem County: $22,605 in 2001, $46,323 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020Gem CountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025. Gem County: $22,605 in 2001, $46,323 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20102020Gem CountyDollarsAverage annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025Average annual wage, Gem County, 2001 to 2025. Gem County: $22,605 in 2001, $46,323 in 2025.$0$20k$40k$60k20052010201520202025Gem CountyDollars

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

Data table (25 rows)
PeriodGem County (dollars)
2001$22,605
2002$21,065
2003$21,389
2004$22,045
2005$22,772
2006$24,974
2007$25,811
2008$25,822
2009$25,577
2010$26,673
2011$26,476
2012$26,401
2013$27,480
2014$28,325
2015$29,267
2016$30,476
2017$31,557
2018$33,297
2019$34,853
2020$36,927
2021$38,583
2022$40,880
2023$42,668
2024$44,976
2025$46,323

County officials

OfficeNameParty
Commissioner, District 1Kirk WilleR
Commissioner, District 2Bill ButticciR
Commissioner, District 3Mark RekowR
AssessorHollie Ann StrongR
ClerkLeandra RountreeR
CoronerJohn BuckR
ProsecutorErick ThomsonR
SheriffDonnie WunderR
TreasurerMegan KeeneR

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

Representation

Legislative district

DistrictSenatorRepresentative, Seat ARepresentative, Seat B
14C. Scott Grow (R)Ted Hill (R)Josh Tanner (R)

Congress

Congressional District 1
Russ Fulcher (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 .