Jerome County, Idaho Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Jerome County is located in Idaho with a total population of 25,173. It is the 16th most populous county out of 44 in Idaho. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jerome County is 34.0 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 37.3 years. With 29.6% of the population under 18, Jerome County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jerome County is $71,724. This is 8% lower than the state median of $77,800. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.6%. This is 19% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 3.7%. The median home value is $271,800. Housing costs are 35% lower than the state median of $418,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 75.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 72.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Jerome County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 39.2%. 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 (39.2% vs 13.7%). The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 1.3%.

Education

14.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 56% lower than the state rate of 31.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 73.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jerome County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Idaho and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.