Ada County, Idaho Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Ada County is located in Idaho with a total population of 508,052. It is the 1st most populous county out of 44 in Idaho.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ada County is 38.3 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 37.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ada County is $88,907. This is 19% higher than the state median of $74,636. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 13% higher. The poverty rate stands at 8.5%. This is 20% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 15% lower than the state rate of 3.7%. The median home value is $476,000. Housing costs are 27% higher than the state median of $376,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 72.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ada County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.5%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (1.2% vs 0.7%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (2.5% vs 1.3%).

Education

43.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Ada County in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 31.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.1%. Notably, 15.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.