Gooding County, Idaho Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Gooding County is located in Idaho with a total population of 15,740. It is the 21st most populous county out of 44 in Idaho.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gooding County is 38.4 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 37.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Gooding County is $62,395. This is 16% lower than the state median of $74,636. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 21% lower. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 44% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 37% higher than the state rate of 3.7%. The median home value is $231,800. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $376,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 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 Gooding County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 31.0%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 0.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (31.0% vs 13.3%).

Education

17.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% lower 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 79.8%.