Twin Falls County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Twin Falls County is a county
in the south central part of the U.S. state
of Idaho
. As of the 2000 Census, the county had a population of 64,284 (2008 estimate: 74,284). The county seat
and largest city is Twin Falls
.
Prior to the 1860s, the Twin Falls County area was an unorganized part of Shoshone
lands, then as part of the Oregon Country
. The area was first organized as part of the original Owyhee County
in 1864 as part of Idaho Territory
. In 1879 it was partitioned away from Owyhee County to form part of Cassia County
.
Even after Idaho became a state in 1890, the Twin Falls area was very sparsely populated and without significant settlements. That changed after the city of Twin Falls was founded in 1904 and Milner Dam
was completed in 1905. Most of the county's other towns were established during this period as well. In response to local government needs for these new communities, which were as much as 80 miles (128.7 km) away from Cassia County's seat at Albion
, Twin Falls County was created by the Idaho Legislature on February 21, 1907.
The county is named for a split waterfall
on the Snake River
of the same name. The Snake River is the county's northern boundary.
Twin Falls County is part of the Twin Falls Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
of 2000, there were 64,284 people, 23,853 households, and 16,959 families residing in the county. The population density
was 33 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 25,595 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.47% White
, 0.19% Black
or African American
, 0.71% Native American
, 0.76% Asian
, 0.08% Pacific Islander
, 3.77% from other races
, and 2.02% from two or more races. 9.37% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 17.9% were of German
, 17.7% English
, 10.9% American
and 7.3% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 23,853 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples
living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 23.60% 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 2.64 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,506, and the median income for a family was $39,886. Males had a median income of $30,058 versus $20,825 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,678. About 9.10% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
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...
in the south central part of 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....
. As of the 2000 Census, the county had a population of 64,284 (2008 estimate: 74,284). 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 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...
.
Prior to the 1860s, the Twin Falls County area was an unorganized part of Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
lands, then as part of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. The area was first organized as part of the original Owyhee County
Owyhee County, Idaho
Owyhee County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Idaho. In area it is the second largest county in Idaho, behind Idaho County. As of the 2000 Census, Owyhee County had a population of 10,644...
in 1864 as part of Idaho Territory
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:...
. In 1879 it was partitioned away from Owyhee County to form part of Cassia County
Cassia County, Idaho
Cassia 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:...
.
Even after Idaho became a state in 1890, the Twin Falls area was very sparsely populated and without significant settlements. That changed after the city of Twin Falls was founded in 1904 and Milner Dam
Milner Dam
Milner Dam is a rockfill dam near Burley in south central Idaho. It impounds the Snake River in a reservoir named Milner Lake. The dam spans the river across two islands, with three embankments....
was completed in 1905. Most of the county's other towns were established during this period as well. In response to local government needs for these new communities, which were as much as 80 miles (128.7 km) away from Cassia County's seat at Albion
Albion, Idaho
Albion is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 267 at the 2010 census. Albion was the county seat of Cassia County from 1879 to 1918....
, Twin Falls County was created by the Idaho Legislature on February 21, 1907.
The county is named for a split waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
on 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...
of the same name. The Snake River is the county's northern boundary.
Twin Falls County is part of the Twin Falls Micropolitan Statistical Area
Twin Falls micropolitan area
The Twin Falls 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 Twin Falls....
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1928.47 square miles (4,994.7 km²), of which 1925.03 square miles (4,985.8 km²) (or 99.82%) is land and 3.44 square miles (8.9 km²) (or 0.18%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Gooding CountyGooding County, IdahoGooding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 14,155...
- north - 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....
- northeast - 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:...
- east - Elko CountyElko County, Nevada-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 45,291 people, 15,638 households, and 11,493 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/sq mi . There were 18,456 housing units at an average density of 1/sq mi...
, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
- south - Owyhee CountyOwyhee County, IdahoOwyhee County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Idaho. In area it is the second largest county in Idaho, behind Idaho County. As of the 2000 Census, Owyhee County had a population of 10,644...
- 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
National protected areas
- Hagerman Fossil Beds National MonumentHagerman Fossil Beds National MonumentHagerman Fossil Beds National Monument near Hagerman, Idaho, contains the largest concentration of Hagerman Horse fossils in North America. The fossil horses for which the Monument is famous have been found in only one locale in the northern portion of the Monument called the Hagerman Horse Quarry...
- 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)
Highways
- US 30
- US 93U.S. Route 93 in IdahoU.S. Route 93 is a north–south U.S. Highway in the U.S. state of Idaho.-Route description:US 93 enters Idaho from a point immediately north of the border casino town of Jackpot, Nevada....
- SH-50
- SH-74Idaho State Highway 74State Highway 74 is a short state highway that affords access between U.S. Route 93 and downtown Twin Falls. The road is located entirely in Twin Falls County.-Route description:...
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 64,284 people, 23,853 households, and 16,959 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 33 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 25,595 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.47% 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...
, 0.19% 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...
, 0.71% 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...
, 0.76% 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...
, 0.08% 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...
, 3.77% 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 2.02% from two or more races. 9.37% 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. 17.9% 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....
, 17.7% 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...
, 10.9% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 7.3% 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 23,853 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% 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, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 23.60% 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 2.64 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,506, and the median income for a family was $39,886. Males had a median income of $30,058 versus $20,825 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 $16,678. About 9.10% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- BuhlBuhl, IdahoBuhl is a city located on the old Oregon Trail in the western half of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 4,037 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- CastlefordCastleford, IdahoCastleford is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 277 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- FilerFiler, IdahoFiler is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. As of the 2000 census the city population was 1,620. Filer is located just west of the intersection of U.S...
- HansenHansen, IdahoHansen is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 970 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hansen is located at ....
- HollisterHollister, IdahoHollister is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 237 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- KimberlyKimberly, IdahoKimberly is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,614 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.Kimberly was founded in 1905. It is named after Peter L...
- MurtaughMurtaugh, IdahoMurtaugh is a city in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 139 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area...
- RogersonRogerson, IdahoRogerson is an unincorporated community in Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. It is located approximately 18 miles north of the Nevada border on U.S. Route 93. It is near Salmon Falls Dam....
- Twin FallsTwin Falls, IdahoTwin 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...