Minidoka County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
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 (2008 estimate: 18,645).
The name Minidoka is of Dakota Sioux
origin meaning "a fountain or spring of water." Minidoka was first used in 1883 as a name for the Union Pacific's Oregon Short Line, a railroad spur in the middle of the Snake River Plain
. The spur later became the site of a watering station along the line. The village of Minidoka
grew up next to the station. The Minidoka name was then given to a reclamation project
under then President
Theodore Roosevelt
which included the construction of the Minidoka Dam
, completed in 1904. Minidoka National Historic Site (in Jerome County) was part of the original reclamation project and hence shares the name. Minidoka County was created by the Idaho Legislature on January 28, 1913, by a partition of Lincoln County
.
Minidoka County is part of the Burley
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
It is part of the Magic Valley
region of the Snake River Plain
. Irrigated farmland covers the southern part of the county, while lava
beds cover the northern portion. The elevation
is generally in the range of 4200 feet (1,280.2 m) to 4500 feet (1,371.6 m). The Snake River
forms the county's southern boundary.
of 2000, there were 20,174 people, 6,973 households, and 5,362 families residing in the county. The population density
was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,498 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.07% White
, 0.26% Black
or African American
, 0.88% Native American
, 0.42% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 17.83% from other races
, and 2.52% from two or more races. 25.46% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 18.1% were of English
, 12.9% German and 12.0% American
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 6,973 households out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.40% were married couples
living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.10% were non-families. 20.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,021, and the median income for a family was $36,500. Males had a median income of $28,977 versus $19,521 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,813. About 11.90% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 9.00% 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....
. 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 Rupert
Rupert, Idaho
Rupert is the county seat and largest city of Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 20,174 (2008 estimate: 18,645).
The name Minidoka is of Dakota Sioux
Lakota language
Lakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. While generally taught and considered by speakers as a separate language, Lakota is mutually understandable with the other two languages , and is considered by most linguists one of the three major varieties of the Sioux...
origin meaning "a fountain or spring of water." Minidoka was first used in 1883 as a name for the Union Pacific's Oregon Short Line, a railroad spur in the middle of the Snake River Plain
Snake River Plain
The Snake River Plain is a geologic feature located primarily within the state of Idaho in the United States of America. It stretches about westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho...
. The spur later became the site of a watering station along the line. The village of Minidoka
Minidoka, Idaho
Minidoka is a city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. The population was 129 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area....
grew up next to the station. The Minidoka name was then given to a reclamation project
United States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
under then President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
which included the construction of the Minidoka Dam
Minidoka Dam
The Minidoka Dam is an earthfill dam on the Snake River in south central Idaho. The dam, originally completed in 1906, is east of Rupert on county highway 400; it is 86 feet high and nearly a mile in length, with a wide overflow spillway section. The dam and power plant were listed on the...
, completed in 1904. Minidoka National Historic Site (in Jerome County) was part of the original reclamation project and hence shares the name. Minidoka County was created by the Idaho Legislature on January 28, 1913, by a partition of 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....
.
Minidoka County is part of the Burley
Burley, Idaho
Burley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 10,345 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Cassia County....
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Burley micropolitan area
The Burley Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in the Magic Valley region of Idaho, anchored by the city of Burley...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 762.98 square miles (1,976.1 km²), of which 759.62 square miles (1,967.4 km²) (or 99.56%) is land and 3.36 square miles (8.7 km²) (or 0.44%) is water.It is part of the Magic Valley
Magic Valley
The Magic Valley is a region in south-central Idaho consisting of Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls Counties. It is particularly associated with the agricultural region in the Snake River Plain located in the area...
region of the Snake River Plain
Snake River Plain
The Snake River Plain is a geologic feature located primarily within the state of Idaho in the United States of America. It stretches about westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho...
. Irrigated farmland covers the southern part of the county, while lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
beds cover the northern portion. The elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
is generally in the range of 4200 feet (1,280.2 m) to 4500 feet (1,371.6 m). The Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
forms the county's southern boundary.
Adjacent Counties
- 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 - Jerome CountyJerome County, IdahoJerome County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 18,342 . The county seat and largest city is Jerome....
- west - 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....
- west
National protected area
- Craters of the Moon National Monument and PreserveCraters of the Moon National Monument and PreserveCraters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a national monument and national preserve located in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho, U.S.A. It is along US 20 , between the small cities of Arco and Carey, at an average elevation of above sea level...
(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)
Highways
- Interstate 84Interstate 84 in IdahoIn the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Oregon state line, it spurs to Interstate 184 in Boise. Eventually I-84 spurs Interstate 86 and mainline I-84 heads southeast towards Utah and I-86 is continues due east and heads to Pocatello, meeting with Interstate 15.-Future:...
- SH-24Idaho State Highway 24Idaho State Highway 24 is a long state highway in Idaho that runs east west from Shoshone, Idaho on the far west to Minidoka and Acequia on the far east. It passes Dietrich, Owinza, and Kimima and runs approximately north of Paul and Burley and 15 north of Rupert. U.S. Highway 93 borders the...
- SH-25Idaho State Highway 25Idaho State Highway 25 is a 58.05 mi state highway in Idaho that runs east-west from Jerome, Idaho in the west to Interstate 84 north of Declo in the east. Idaho State Highway 25 also passes through Eden, Hazleton, Paul and Rupert....
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 20,174 people, 6,973 households, and 5,362 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 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,498 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.07% 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...
, 0.26% 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...
, 0.88% 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...
, 0.42% 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...
, 0.02% 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...
, 17.83% 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 2.52% from two or more races. 25.46% 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. 18.1% were of 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...
, 12.9% German and 12.0% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 6,973 households out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.40% 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, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.10% were non-families. 20.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,021, and the median income for a family was $36,500. Males had a median income of $28,977 versus $19,521 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 $13,813. About 11.90% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- AcequiaAcequia, IdahoAcequia is a city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. The population was 144 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Acequia is located at ....
- BurleyBurley, IdahoBurley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 10,345 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Cassia County....
(partially in county) - HeyburnHeyburn, IdahoHeyburn is a city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,899 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.The city was named after Weldon Heyburn, a U.S. Senator from Idaho from 1903-12....
- MinidokaMinidoka, IdahoMinidoka is a city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. The population was 129 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- PaulPaul, IdahoPaul is a city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States founded in 1907. The population was 998 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The town received its name from Charles H. Paul, an engineer on the Minidoka Reclamation Project.-Geography:Paul is...
- RupertRupert, IdahoRupert is the county seat and largest city of Minidoka County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area...