Blaine County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Blaine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho
. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 21,376. The county seat
and largest city is Hailey
. The county is home to the Sun Valley
ski resort
.
Blaine County was created by the Idaho Legislature on March 5, 1895, by combining Alturas
and Logan
counties. Its present boundaries were set on February 8, 1919, when a western portion became Camas County
.
The county is named after former congressman
and 1884 Republican
presidential nominee James G. Blaine
.
in present-day Blaine County was organized as part of Alturas County
by the Idaho Territorial
Legislature in 1864. By the 1880s the area became noted for its mining ecnonomy. In 1882 the county seat of Alturas County was moved from Rocky Bar
in present-day Elmore County
to Hailey, in response to a population shift from Rocky Bar – which would eventually become a ghost town
– to the Wood River Valley.
After Idaho statehood in 1890, as in the rest of the state, mining gradually decreased in significance in Blaine County. In 1936 Blaine County began to recast itself as a tourism destination with the opening of the Sun Valley
resort. The area soon attracted celebrity visitors, and later residents, most notably Ernest Hemingway
, who is buried in the Ketchum Cemetery. Celebrities who currently live either full-time or part-time in Blaine County include Adam West
, Demi Moore
, John Kerry
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
, and Clint Eastwood
.
along State Highway 75
in the western half of the county. This area includes all of the county's incorporated cities and towns except Carey, which is located in the south-central part of the county at the junction of US 20 with US 26/93. The county's gerrymandered southeastern panhandle
, known locally as the Yale area, is very sparsely populated.
As the home of a major ski resort
, Blaine County expectedly has a much higher cost of living than surrounding areas; the median value of its owner-occupied housing units is more than double the state average. As a result, some people who work in Blaine County live in outlying areas, particularly Shoshone
in neighboring Lincoln County
. It is estimated that 2,540 people from outside the county commute to work in Blaine County.
. The rural Yale area in the county's southeastern panhandle is served by schools in neighboring Minidoka County
.
Private schools include The Community School in Sun Valley, and The Sage School in Bellevue.
The College of Southern Idaho
, a community college
based in Twin Falls
, operates an off-campus outreach center in Hailey.
heads the county government. Other elected officials include clerk, treasurer, sheriff
, assessor
and prosecutor.
Blaine County has a reputation as a Democratic Party
enclave in strongly Republican
Idaho. The Democratic candidate for President of the United States has won in the county in every election since 1992
, when George H. W. Bush
finished third behind Bill Clinton
and Ross Perot
. Blaine was the only Idaho county carried by Al Gore
and John Kerry
in 2000
and 2004
respectively. In the 2008 election
, Barack Obama
carried the county by a 33.2% margin over John McCain
, while McCain won statewide by a 25.3% margin over Obama. It was by far the Democrat's best showing in Idaho. In 2006, Blaine County voted 66.3% against HJR 2, which amended the Idaho Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage
; the measure passed with 63.4% of the statewide vote. Latah County
, which contains Moscow
, home of the University of Idaho
, was the only other county where the measure failed.
At the state level Blaine County is located in Legislative District 25, which currently has an all-Democratic delegation in the Idaho Legislature
. Clint Stennett
, the current Democratic leader in the Idaho Senate, resides in Ketchum. Wendy Jaquet
, a member of the Idaho House and a former minority leader in that body, also resides in Ketchum.
, 0.13% Black
or African American
, 0.33% Native American
, 0.73% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 6.43% from other races
, and 1.57% from two or more races. 10.69% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 17.0% were of English, 14.6% German
, 10.8% Irish and 6.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 7,780 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 27.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 107.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,496, and the median income for a family was $60,037. Males had a median income of $35,949 versus $27,487 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,346. About 4.90% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.80% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.
the weekend of August 12–14, 2011.
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....
. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 21,376. 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 Hailey
Hailey, Idaho
Hailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,200 at the 2000 census. Hailey is the site of Friedman Memorial Airport , the airport for the resort area of Sun Valley/Ketchum, north. The town...
. The county is home to the Sun Valley
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
.
Blaine County was created by the Idaho Legislature on March 5, 1895, by combining Alturas
Alturas County, Idaho
Alturas County was a county in Idaho Territory and later the state of Idaho from 1864 to 1895. It covered an area larger than the states of Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware combined. Most present-day southern Idaho counties were created at least in part from the original Alturas County area...
and Logan
Logan County, Idaho
Logan County was a county in Idaho Territory and later the state of Idaho from 1889 to 1895.Logan County was created from parts of Alturas County by the Idaho Territorial Legislature in 1889 with Bellevue as its county seat. Six years later, the Idaho Legislature attempted to return Bellevue to...
counties. Its present boundaries were set on February 8, 1919, when a western portion became Camas County
Camas County, Idaho
Camas County is a county in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census, the rural county had a population of 991 . The county seat is Fairfield....
.
The county is named after former congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and 1884 Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
presidential nominee James G. Blaine
James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
.
History
The Wood River ValleyWood River Valley
The Wood River Valley is a region in south-central Idaho located in Blaine County. The valley has four incorporated cities. Bellevue, Hailey , Ketchum and Sun Valley...
in present-day Blaine County was organized as part of Alturas County
Alturas County, Idaho
Alturas County was a county in Idaho Territory and later the state of Idaho from 1864 to 1895. It covered an area larger than the states of Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware combined. Most present-day southern Idaho counties were created at least in part from the original Alturas County area...
by the Idaho Territorial
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
Legislature in 1864. By the 1880s the area became noted for its mining ecnonomy. In 1882 the county seat of Alturas County was moved from Rocky Bar
Rocky Bar, Idaho
Rocky Bar is a ghost town in Elmore County, Idaho, United States. At its height in the late 19th century Rocky Bar boasted a population of over 2,500 and served as county seat of Alturas County from 1864 to 1882...
in present-day Elmore County
Elmore County, Idaho
Elmore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 27,038, down 7.2% from 29,130 in 2000. The largest city and county seat is Mountain Home....
to Hailey, in response to a population shift from Rocky Bar – which would eventually become a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
– to the Wood River Valley.
After Idaho statehood in 1890, as in the rest of the state, mining gradually decreased in significance in Blaine County. In 1936 Blaine County began to recast itself as a tourism destination with the opening of the Sun Valley
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
resort. The area soon attracted celebrity visitors, and later residents, most notably Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
, who is buried in the Ketchum Cemetery. Celebrities who currently live either full-time or part-time in Blaine County include Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
, Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
, John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, and Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
.
County profile
Most Blaine County residents live in the Wood River ValleyWood River Valley
The Wood River Valley is a region in south-central Idaho located in Blaine County. The valley has four incorporated cities. Bellevue, Hailey , Ketchum and Sun Valley...
along State Highway 75
Idaho State Highway 75
State Highway 75 is a two-lane highway that travels through the Sawtooth Range of central Idaho from Shoshone to Challis. The road is designated as one of Idaho's scenic byways and provides access to Sawtooth National Recreation Area...
in the western half of the county. This area includes all of the county's incorporated cities and towns except Carey, which is located in the south-central part of the county at the junction of US 20 with US 26/93. The county's gerrymandered southeastern panhandle
Panhandle
A panhandle is an informal geographic term for an elongated arm-like protrusion of a geo-political entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state.-Term:...
, known locally as the Yale area, is very sparsely populated.
As the home of a major ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
, Blaine County expectedly has a much higher cost of living than surrounding areas; the median value of its owner-occupied housing units is more than double the state average. As a result, some people who work in Blaine County live in outlying areas, particularly Shoshone
Shoshone, Idaho
Shoshone is the county seat and largest city of Lincoln County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,398 at the 2000 census. In contrast to the Shoshone Native American tribe for which it is named, the city's name is correctly pronounced "Show-shown," with a silent 'e'.- History :Shoshone has...
in neighboring Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Idaho
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 census the county had a population of 4,044 The county seat and largest city is Shoshone....
. It is estimated that 2,540 people from outside the county commute to work in Blaine County.
Education
Public schools in Blaine County are administered by the Blaine County School District. There are two public high schools in the county, Wood River High School in Hailey and Carey High School in CareyCarey, Idaho
Carey is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. The population was 513 at the 2000 census. Carey is primarily an agricultural city and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver...
. The rural Yale area in the county's southeastern panhandle is served by schools in neighboring Minidoka County
Minidoka County, Idaho
Minidoka County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county seat and largest city is Rupert. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 20,174 ....
.
Private schools include The Community School in Sun Valley, and The Sage School in Bellevue.
The College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho is an American public community college. Its main campus is in Twin Falls, Idaho, with outreach programs in Boise, Hailey, Burley and Gooding....
, a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
based in Twin Falls
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
, operates an off-campus outreach center in Hailey.
Government and politics
Similar to other Idaho counties, an elected three-member county commissionCounty commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
heads the county government. Other elected officials include clerk, treasurer, sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, assessor
Assessor (property)
An assessor is a specialist who calculates the value of property. The value calculated by the assessor is then used as the basis for determining the amounts to be paid or assessed for tax or insurance purposes....
and prosecutor.
Blaine County has a reputation as a Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
enclave in strongly Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Idaho. The Democratic candidate for President of the United States has won in the county in every election since 1992
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
, when George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
finished third behind Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
. Blaine was the only Idaho county carried by Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in 2000
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
and 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
respectively. In the 2008 election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
carried the county by a 33.2% margin over John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, while McCain won statewide by a 25.3% margin over Obama. It was by far the Democrat's best showing in Idaho. In 2006, Blaine County voted 66.3% against HJR 2, which amended the Idaho Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
; the measure passed with 63.4% of the statewide vote. Latah County
Latah County, Idaho
Latah 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...
, which contains Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, home of the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
, was the only other county where the measure failed.
At the state level Blaine County is located in Legislative District 25, which currently has an all-Democratic delegation in the Idaho Legislature
Idaho Legislature
The Idaho Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Idaho. It consists of the upper Idaho Senate and the lower Idaho House of Representatives. The Idaho Senate contains 35 Senators, who are elected from 35 districts...
. Clint Stennett
Clint Stennett
W. Clinton "Clint" Stennett was a former minority leader of the Idaho State Senate. A Democrat, Stennett represents District 25, which includes Blaine, Gooding, Camas and Lincoln Counties. Stennett has been in the Idaho State Senate since 1994 and served as the Minority Leader from 1999 to 2009...
, the current Democratic leader in the Idaho Senate, resides in Ketchum. Wendy Jaquet
Wendy Jaquet
Wendy Jaquet is an American politician from Idaho. A member of the Idaho House of Representatives, she represents District 25, which comprises all of Blaine, Camas, Lincoln, and Gooding counties....
, a member of the Idaho House and a former minority leader in that body, also resides in Ketchum.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 2661.02 square miles (6,892 km²), of which 2644.78 square miles (6,849.9 km²) (or 99.39%) is land and 16.24 square miles (42.1 km²) (or 0.61%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Butte CountyButte County, IdahoButte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
– northeast - Bingham CountyBingham County, IdahoBingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 41,735 . The county seat and largest city is Blackfoot. Bingham County comprises the Blackfoot, ID, Micropolitan Statistical Area.Bingham County was created January 13, 1885, and...
– east - Power CountyPower County, IdahoPower County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,538 ....
– southeast - Cassia CountyCassia County, IdahoCassia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 22,952. The county seat and largest city is Burley.-History:...
– south - Minidoka CountyMinidoka County, IdahoMinidoka County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county seat and largest city is Rupert. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 20,174 ....
– southwest - Lincoln CountyLincoln County, IdahoLincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 census the county had a population of 4,044 The county seat and largest city is Shoshone....
– south - Camas CountyCamas County, IdahoCamas County is a county in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census, the rural county had a population of 991 . The county seat is Fairfield....
– west - Elmore CountyElmore County, IdahoElmore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 27,038, down 7.2% from 29,130 in 2000. The largest city and county seat is Mountain Home....
– northwest - Custer CountyCuster County, IdahoCuster County is a rural mountain county located in the center of the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1881, it was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold was discovered five years earlier . The population was 4,342 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have fallen to 4,166 by 2007...
– northwest
National protected areas
- Craters of the Moon National Monument (part)
- Minidoka National Wildlife RefugeMinidoka National Wildlife RefugeMinidoka National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Snake River Plain in south-central Idaho, northeast of Rupert. It includes about of shoreline around Lake Walcott, from Minidoka Dam upstream about ....
(part) - Salmon-Challis National ForestSalmon-Challis National ForestSalmon-Challis National Forest is located in east central sections of the U.S. state of Idaho. At 4,235,940 acres it is one of the largest national forests in the lower 48 states and also has most of the land area of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, which is the largest wilderness...
(part) - Sawtooth National ForestSawtooth National ForestSawtooth National Forest is in Idaho and Utah was protected in 1905 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt as the Sawtooth Forest Reserve. Today the forest administers over 2.1 million acres of some of the most remote forestland in the lower 48 states, and there are over 1,000 lakes and 3,000...
(part) - Sawtooth National Recreation AreaSawtooth National Recreation AreaThe Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area located in central Idaho, within the Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests. The recreation area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and includes the Sawtooth Wilderness...
(part)- Sawtooth WildernessSawtooth WildernessThe Sawtooth Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Wilderness was upgraded in 1972 from "primitive area" status, affording greater protections of the habitat...
(part)
- Sawtooth Wilderness
Major Highways
– US 20
– US 26
– US 93 – Sawtooth Scenic Byway
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,991 people, 7,780 households, and 4,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 12,186 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.73% WhiteRace (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...
, 0.13% 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...
, 0.33% 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...
, 0.73% 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...
, 0.07% 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...
, 6.43% 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 1.57% from two or more races. 10.69% 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. 17.0% were of English, 14.6% 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....
, 10.8% Irish and 6.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 7,780 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 27.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 107.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,496, and the median income for a family was $60,037. Males had a median income of $35,949 versus $27,487 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,346. About 4.90% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.80% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- BellevueBellevue, IdahoBellevue is a city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 1,876 at the 2000 census. It is located in the Wood River Valley, about 18 miles south of the resort area of Ketchum and Sun Valley. The town of Hailey and the airport are a few miles north of...
- CareyCarey, IdahoCarey is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. The population was 513 at the 2000 census. Carey is primarily an agricultural city and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver...
- HaileyHailey, IdahoHailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,200 at the 2000 census. Hailey is the site of Friedman Memorial Airport , the airport for the resort area of Sun Valley/Ketchum, north. The town...
- KetchumKetchum, IdahoKetchum is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States, in the central part of the state. The population was 3,003 at the 2000 census. It is in the Wood River Valley, adjacent to Sun Valley; the two communities share many resources and both sit in the same valley beneath Bald Mountain, with its...
- Sun ValleySun Valley, IdahoSun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
Unincorporated communities
- Boulder City – ghost townGhost townA ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
- Galena
- Gimlet
- PicaboPicabo, IdahoPicabo is an unincorporated community in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. Picabo is located along U.S. Highway 20, about west of Carey, southeast of Hailey, and northeast of Shoshone. It has a gas station, country store, post office, and a small airport. The community is surrounded by...
- TriumphTriumph, IdahoTriumph is an unincorporated village in the East Fork of Big Wood River, Blaine County, Idaho, United States. Triumph was the location of the famous Triumph Mine, which closed in 1957 after a history of producing millions of dollars in silver and lead since its discovery in the late 19th century....
- Sawtooth City
- Vienna – ghost townGhost townA ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
Festivals
The Blaine County Fair is an annual event. The 2011 Blaine County Fair was held in CareyCarey, Idaho
Carey is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. The population was 513 at the 2000 census. Carey is primarily an agricultural city and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver...
the weekend of August 12–14, 2011.