Custer County, Idaho
| Custer County, Idaho | ||
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 Location in the state of Idaho |
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 Idaho's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | January 8, 1881 | |
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| Named for | General Custer gold mine | |
| Seat | Challis | |
| Largest city | Challis | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
4,936.79 sq mi (12,786 km²) 4,925.45 sq mi (12,757 km²) 11.34 sq mi (29 km²), 0.23% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
4,368 0.88/sq mi (0/km²) |
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| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 | |
| Website | co.custer.id.us | |
Custer 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 (shortly after Custer's death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in eastern Montana). The population was 4,368 at the 2010 census.[1] The county seat is Challis.[2] The center of population of Idaho is located in Custer County, in the city of Stanley.[3]
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Geography [edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,936.79 square miles (12,786.2 km2), of which 4,925.45 square miles (12,756.9 km2) (or 99.77%) is land and 11.34 square miles (29.4 km2) (or 0.23%) is water.[4] The Lost River Range, the state's highest mountains, are located in eastern Custer County. The highest is Borah Peak, the highest natural point in Idaho at 12,662 feet (3,859 m). On the western border of the county is Idaho's famous Sawtooth Range; the tallest is Thompson Peak in Custer County, above picturesque Redfish Lake. Twenty miles (32 km) east are the White Cloud Mountains, the tallest of which is Castle Peak at 11,815 feet (3,601 m).
The Salmon River and Big Lost River flow through Custer County.
Adjacent counties [edit]
- Lemhi County - north
- Butte County - east
- Blaine County - south
- Elmore County - southwest
- Boise County - southwest
- Valley County - west
National protected areas [edit]
- Challis National Forest (part)
- Sawtooth National Forest (part)
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area (part)
- Sawtooth Wilderness (part)
Major Highways [edit]
- US 93
SH-21 - Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway
SH-75 - Sawtooth Scenic Byway, Salmon River Scenic Byway
Demographics [edit]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,870 |
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| 1900 | 2,049 | 9.6% | |
| 1910 | 3,001 | 46.5% | |
| 1920 | 3,550 | 18.3% | |
| 1930 | 3,162 | −10.9% | |
| 1940 | 3,549 | 12.2% | |
| 1950 | 3,318 | −6.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,996 | −9.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,967 | −1.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,385 | 14.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,133 | 22.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,342 | 5.1% | |
| 2010 | 4,368 | 0.6% | |
| sources:[5][6][1] | |||
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 4,342 people, 1,770 households, and 1,196 families residing in the county. The population density was 0.88 people per square mile (0.34/km²). There were 2,983 housing units at an average density of 0.60 per square mile (0.23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.28% White, 0.55% Native American, 0.02% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 4.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.6% were of English, 17.0% German, 10.9% Irish and 9.9% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,770 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 29.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,174, and the median income for a family was $39,551. Males had a median income of $32,255 versus $21,463 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,783. About 10.70% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.70% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
Communities [edit]
Cities [edit]
| Name | Population (2010) |
Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| Challis | 1,081 | 5,253 ft (1,601 m) |
| Clayton | 7 | 5,489 ft (1,673 m) |
| Lost River | 68 | 6,000 ft (1,830 m) |
| Mackay | 71 | 5,906 ft (1,800 m) |
| Stanley | 63 | 6,253 ft (1,906 m) |
Unincorporated communities [edit]
- Ellis
- Goldburg
Ghost towns [edit]
Politics [edit]
Custer County is staunchly Republican. In 2008, it supported Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a margin of 71% to 25%. In 2012, Mitt Romney won the Republican primary caucus in the county on the first ballot.[8]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Custer County, Idaho". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ census.gov statecenters
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ Custer County QuickFacts, United States Census Bureau, 2009-02-20. Accessed 2009-04-03.
- ^ census.gov Idaho population by county, 1900-90 accessed 2009-04-27
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Idaho County Map". CNN.
External links [edit]
Further reading [edit]
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Lemhi County | |
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| Valley County |  |
Butte County | ||
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| Elmore County and Boise County | Blaine County |
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