Sun Valley, Idaho Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Sun Valley is a small community located in Idaho, within Blaine County. The total population is 1,460. It ranks as the 80th most populous out of 232 Census-designated places in Idaho.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sun Valley is 56.5 years. This is 51% higher than the state median of 37.3 years. Only 9.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 27.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sun Valley is $125,987. This is 62% higher than the state median of $77,800. It is also 56% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.0%. This is 44% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Sun Valley, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $962,500. Housing costs are 130% higher than the state median of $418,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 90.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 72.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Sun Valley is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (1.4% vs 0.7%). The Hispanic or Latino population (4.9%) is well below the state average of 13.7%.

Education

69.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Sun Valley in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 119% higher 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 96.4%. Notably, 27.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sun Valley, Idaho is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Idaho state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 232 Census-designated places in Idaho. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.