Teton County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Teton County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Idaho
. Established in 1915, it was named after the Teton Mountains
. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 5,999 (2008 estimate: 8,833). The county seat
and largest city is Driggs
.
Teton County is part of the Jackson
, WY
-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
Teton County, Idaho is one of the few counties in the United States to border its namesake in another state — in this case, Teton County, Wyoming.And wyoming and teton share the tetons
of 2000, there were 5,999 people, 2,078 households, and 1,464 families residing in the county. The population density
was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,632 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.32% White
, 0.17% Black
or African American
, 0.55% Native American
, 0.18% Asian
, 0.23% Pacific Islander
, 6.73% from other races
, and 0.82% from two or more races. 11.75% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 25.5% were of English
, 15.8% German
, 7.6% American
and 5.1% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 2,078 households out of which 39.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples
living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.30% 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 3.43.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 18.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 112.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,968, and the median income for a family was $45,848. Males had a median income of $32,309 versus $22,243 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,778. About 9.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
heads the county government. Other elected officials include clerk, treasurer, sheriff
, assessor
, coroner
, and prosecutor.
Until quite recently Teton County voted Republican
along with most other Eastern Idaho
counties. However, since 2004 the county has strongly trended towards the Democratic Party
. In 2008 it was one of three Idaho counties to vote for Barack Obama
in the 2008 presidential election
despite giving George W. Bush
a 23-point victory only four years earlier.
At the state level Teton County is located in District 31 of the Idaho Legislature
. As counties neighboring Teton County are still strongly Republican, Republicans currently control the district.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
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 in 1915, it was named after the Teton Mountains
Teton Range
The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is on the Wyoming side of the state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the range is in Grand Teton National Park....
. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 5,999 (2008 estimate: 8,833). 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 Driggs
Driggs, Idaho
Driggs is a city in Teton County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Jackson, WY-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is located in Teton Valley. The population was 1,100 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Teton County...
.
Teton County is part of the Jackson
Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson is a town located in the Jackson Hole valley of Teton County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 8,647 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Teton County....
, WY
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area
Jackson micropolitan area
The Jackson Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties, one in Wyoming and one in Idaho, anchored by the town of Jackson....
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 450.57 square miles (1,167 km²), of which 450.36 square miles (1,166.4 km²) (or 99.95%) is land and 0.21 square mile (0.5438975031 km²) (or 0.05%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Fremont CountyFremont County, IdahoFremont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1893, and was named for the explorer John C. Frémont. As of the 2000 census the county had a population of 11,819 . The county seat and largest city is St. Anthony...
- north - Madison CountyMadison County, IdahoMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 27,467 . The county seat and largest city is Rexburg. Madison County is part of the Rexburg, ID, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The area was originally settled by members...
- west - Bonneville CountyBonneville County, IdahoBonneville County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 104,234. Its county seat and largest city is Idaho Falls...
- south - Teton CountyTeton County, WyomingTeton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 21,294. Its county seat is Jackson. Teton County contains the affluent Jackson Hole skiing area...
, WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
- east
Teton County, Idaho is one of the few counties in the United States to border its namesake in another state — in this case, Teton County, Wyoming.And wyoming and teton share the tetons
Highways
- SH-31Idaho State Highway 31Idaho State Highway 31 is a north-south state highway in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. SH-31 runs from U.S. Route 26 in Swan Valley north to Idaho State Highway 33 in Victor. The highway is maintained by the Idaho Transportation Department....
- SH-32
- SH-33
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 5,999 people, 2,078 households, and 1,464 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 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,632 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.32% 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...
, 0.17% 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...
, 0.55% 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...
, 0.18% 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...
, 0.23% 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...
, 6.73% 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 0.82% from two or more races. 11.75% 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. 25.5% 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...
, 15.8% 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....
, 7.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 5.1% 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 2,078 households out of which 39.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% 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, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.30% 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 3.43.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 18.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 112.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,968, and the median income for a family was $45,848. Males had a median income of $32,309 versus $22,243 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 $17,778. About 9.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
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....
, coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, and prosecutor.
Until quite recently Teton County voted 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...
along with most other Eastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho is a generic term used to describe areas of Idaho which lie east of the Magic Valley region. It is generally understood to include: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Caribou, Clark, Custer, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Power and Teton...
counties. However, since 2004 the county has strongly trended towards the 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...
. In 2008 it was one of three Idaho counties to vote for 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...
in the 2008 presidential 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...
despite giving George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
a 23-point victory only four years earlier.
At the state level Teton County is located in District 31 of 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...
. As counties neighboring Teton County are still strongly Republican, Republicans currently control the district.