Benewah County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Benewah County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Idaho
. Established on January 23, 1915, from sections of Kootenai County
, it was named for a chief of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe
. As of the 2010 census the county had a population of 9,285. The county seat
and largest city is St. Maries
.
, a wide and rolling prairie-like region of the middle Columbia basin
.
of 2000, there were 9,171 people, 3,580 households, and 2,538 families residing in the county. The population density
was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 4,238 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.66% White
, 0.12% Black
or African American
, 8.94% Native American
, 0.15% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 0.25% from other races
, and 1.82% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 26.6% were of German
, 11.7% English
, 9.5% American
and 8.6% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,580 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples
living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.90% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,517, and the median income for a family was $36,000. Males had a median income of $35,097 versus $20,288 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,285. About 10.50% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.20% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Established on January 23, 1915, from sections of Kootenai County
Kootenai County, Idaho
Kootenai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1864, named after Kootenai tribe. The entire county comprises the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138,494 at the 2010 census...
, it was named for a chief of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Coeur d'Alene Tribe
The Coeur d'Alene are a Native American people who lived in villages along the Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, Clark Fork and Spokane Rivers; as well as sites on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille and Hayden Lake, in what is now northern Idaho, eastern Washington and western Montana.In...
. As of the 2010 census the county had a population of 9,285. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
and largest city is St. Maries
St. Maries, Idaho
St. Maries is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,652 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Benewah County. Pronounced St. Mary's.-Geography:St. Maries is located at ....
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 783.98 square miles (2,030.5 km²), of which 776.07 square miles (2,010 km²) (or 98.99%) is land and 7.91 square miles (20.5 km²) (or 1.01%) is water. It is the northern part of the PalousePalouse
The Palouse is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes...
, a wide and rolling prairie-like region of the middle Columbia basin
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
Adjacent counties
- Kootenai CountyKootenai County, IdahoKootenai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1864, named after Kootenai tribe. The entire county comprises the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138,494 at the 2010 census...
- north - Shoshone CountyShoshone County, IdahoShoshone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1864, named for the Native American Shoshone tribe. The population was 12,765 at the 2010 census. Shoshone County is commonly referred to as the Silver Valley, due to its century-old mining history...
- east - Latah CountyLatah County, IdahoLatah County is a county located in the north central region of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 37,244 at the 2010 census. The county seat and largest city is Moscow, which is the home of the University of Idaho, the state's flagship and land-grant university...
- south - Whitman County, WashingtonWhitman County, WashingtonWhitman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census, the population was 44,776, with the majority living in its largest city, Pullman, home to Washington State University, the state's land-grant university. The county seat is at Colfax.Whitman County was...
- southwest - Spokane County, WashingtonSpokane County, WashingtonSpokane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after the Spokane tribe. As of the 2010 census the population was 471,221, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The largest city and county seat is Spokane, the second largest city in the state,...
- northwest
Highways
-
- US 95U.S. Route 95 in IdahoIn the U.S. state of Idaho, U.S. Route 95 is a north–south highway near the western border of the state, stretching from Oregon to British Columbia for over .-Route description:... -
- SH-3Idaho State Highway 3Idaho State Highway 3 is a state highway in northern Idaho connecting US 12 near Spalding with I-90 near Rose Lake. It is long and runs north–south.-Route description:... -
- SH-5Idaho State Highway 5State Highway 5 is a state highway in Benewah County, in the U.S. state of Idaho. It runs from U.S. Route 95 in Plummer, east to SH-3 in Saint Maries.-Route description:... -
- SH-6Idaho State Highway 6Idaho State Highway 6 is a state highway in northern Idaho running from the Washington state line near Potlatch to Santa. It is long and runs north-south.-Route description:... -
- SH-58 -
- SH-60
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,171 people, 3,580 households, and 2,538 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 4,238 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.66% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 8.94% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.15% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.82% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 26.6% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 11.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 9.5% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 8.6% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,580 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.90% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,517, and the median income for a family was $36,000. Males had a median income of $35,097 versus $20,288 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,285. About 10.50% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.20% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- PlummerPlummer, IdahoPlummer is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is the largest city within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation.-Geography:Plummer is located at ....
- St. MariesSt. Maries, IdahoSt. Maries is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,652 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Benewah County. Pronounced St. Mary's.-Geography:St. Maries is located at ....
- TensedTensed, IdahoTensed is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tensed is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
Unincorporated communities
- DeSmet
- Emida
- FernwoodFernwood, IdahoFernwood is a small unincorporated town in the southeastern corner of Benewah County, Idaho, United States, located just to the east of State Highway 3. The city shares a public K-6 school with the communities of Clarkia, Santa and Emida. All students attend high school and middle school in St...
- ParklineParkline, IdahoParkline is an unincorporated census-designated place in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 80 at the 2010 census. Parkline was a city until it disincorporated in 2001.-Geography:Parkline is located at ....
- RenfrewRenfrew, IdahoRenfrew is an unincorporated town in Benewah County, Idaho, United States....
- Santa