Ada County, ID

County

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2024 Population

518,935

US Senator

Mike Crapo

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Risch

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

38.4

0.261% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

8.34%

2.27% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$91,502

2.92% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$512,300

7.63% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

266,507

1.96% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Ada County, ID reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Ada County, ID are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Ada County, ID are Boise State University (6,014 degrees awarded in 2023), Carrington College-Boise (329 degrees), and Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology (245 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Ada County, ID was $512,300, and the homeownership rate was 70.8%.

Most people in Ada County, ID drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Ada County, ID was 2 cars per household.

Ada County, ID borders Boise County, ID, Canyon County, ID, Elmore County, ID, Gem County, ID, and Owyhee County, ID.

About the photo: Boise Skyline

Photo by Thomas Hawk

United States Idaho Boise City, ID

Population & Diversity

Ada County, ID is home to a population of 519k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.07% of Ada County, ID residents were born outside of the country (31.5k people).

In 2024, there were 21.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (420k people) in Ada County, ID than any other race or ethnicity. There were 19.6k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 16.3k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2024 Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.2% of Ada County, ID residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Ada County, ID was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Ada County, ID compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Ada County, ID

White (Non-Hispanic)
420k ± 1.33k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
19.6k ± 1.71k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
16.3k ± 958

9.82%

Hispanic Population

50.9k people

9.82% of the people in Ada County, ID are hispanic (50.9k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Ada County, ID as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Idaho.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
52,214 ± 5,532 people
Canada
6,433 ± 1,966 people
Philippines
2,829 ± 1,305 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Idaho was Mexico, the natal country of 52,214 Idaho residents, followed by Canada with 6,433 and Philippines with 2,829.

Foreign-Born Population

6.07%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

31.5k people

5.96%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

30.3k people

As of 2024, 6.07% of Ada County, ID residents (31.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Ada County, ID was 5.96%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Ada County, ID compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
9,675 ± 840
Vietnam
8,937 ± 709
Gulf War (1990s)
5,410 ± 592

Ada County, ID has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Ada County, ID.

Economy

The economy of Ada County, ID employs 267k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Ada County, ID were Health Care & Social Assistance (37,813 people), Retail Trade (29,662 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (25,840 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($101,250), Utilities ($93,782), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($85,938).

Employment

Occupations

267k

2024 Value

± 4,558

1.96%

1 Year growth

± 2.41%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Ada County, ID grew at a rate of 1.96%, from 261k employees to 267k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Ada County, ID, are Management Occupations (35,176 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (27,328 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (26,144 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Ada County, ID.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Idaho.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Idaho (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

267k

2024 Value

± 4,558

1.96%

1 Year growth

± 2.41%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Ada County, ID grew at a rate of 1.96%, from 261k employees to 267k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Ada County, ID, are Health Care & Social Assistance (37,813 people), Retail Trade (29,662 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (25,840 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Ada County, ID, though some of these residents may live in Ada County, ID and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$60,203

Median earning men ± $1,141

$42,492

Median earning women ± $902

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($82,699), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($81,934), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($81,684).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($71,920), Manufacturing ($65,185), and Public Administration ($63,106).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Idaho.

Y-Axis

3.01%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 836k people employed in Idaho. This represents a 3.01% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 8.06%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Idaho.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,624
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,460
Construction
1,201
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.47M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.53M
Manufacturing
$1.36M
Wholesale Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Idaho went to Donald J. Trump with 66.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (30.4%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.42%).

Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are the senators currently representing the state of Idaho. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Idaho is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Ada County, ID. Showing the available data for Idaho.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (66.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (30.4%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (1.42%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Idaho went to Donald J. Trump with 66.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (30.4%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.42%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Idaho for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Idaho

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Idaho.

Mike Crapo

Senator from Idaho

Assumed office on January 3, 1999

Jim Risch

Senator from Idaho

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are the senators currently representing Idaho.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Idaho over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Ada County, ID awarded 7,172 degrees. The student population of Ada County, ID in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 12,142 male students and 16,895 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Ada County, ID are White (5,143 and 72.6%), Hispanic or Latino (1,012 and 14.3%), Two or More Races (317 and 4.48%), and Asian (247 and 3.49%).

The largest universities in Ada County, ID by number of degrees awarded are Boise State University (6,014 and 83.9%), Carrington College-Boise (329 and 4.59%), and Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology (245 and 3.42%).

The most popular majors in Ada County, ID are Registered Nursing (543 and 7.57%), General Business Administration & Management (357 and 4.98%), and Social Work (315 and 4.39%).

The median tuition costs are $10,400 for private four year colleges, and $5,941 and $24,135 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Ada County, ID, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 29,037 (41.8% men and 58.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 29,037 students enrolled in Ada County, ID, 41.8% men and 58.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 20,473 records, of which 58.2% were women and 41.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
467 degrees awarded
General Business
244 degrees awarded
General Psychology
194 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Ada County, ID was Registered Nursing with 467 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Ada County, ID according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Boise State University
6,014 degrees awarded
Carrington College-Boise
329 degrees awarded
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
245 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Boise State University with 6,014 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,511 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Ada County, ID, which is 0.539 times less than the 4,661 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,143 degrees mean that there were 5.08 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,012 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($18,645) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,841) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,240) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Ada County, ID was $512,300 in 2024, which is 1.54 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $476,000 to $512,300, a 7.63% increase. The homeownership rate in Ada County, ID is 70.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Ada County, ID have an average commute time of 21.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Ada County, ID is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Ada County, ID. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.01%.

Housing

Property

$512,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,186

$143,399

Median Property Taxes

±$3,023

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Ada County, ID the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Ada County, ID compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.8%

Homeownership

2024

68.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 70.8% of the housing units in Ada County, ID were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 71.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Ada County, ID compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$91,502

Median Household Income

± $1,355

203k

Number of Households

± 3,963

In 2024, the median household income of the 203k households in Ada County, ID grew to $91,502 from the previous year's value of $88,907.

The following chart displays the households in Ada County, ID distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Ada County, ID is from Idaho.

0.468

2023 Wage GINI in Idaho

0.473

2022 Wage GINI in Idaho

In 2023, the income inequality in Idaho was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.938% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Idaho was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Idaho in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Idaho across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (69.3%)
Worked At Home (18.5%)
Carpooled (7.08%)

In 2024, 69.3% of workers in Ada County, ID drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (18.5%) and those who carpooled to work (7.08%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Ada County, ID have a shorter commute time (21.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.52% of the workforce in Ada County, ID have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Ada County, ID compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Ada County, ID distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Ada County, ID have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Ada County, ID. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.01%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.34% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Ada County, ID (42.2k out of 506k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Ada County, ID is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 7.5% of the children was living in poverty in Ada County, ID. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 231 in Ada County, ID. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 13.9 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

93.6% of the population of Ada County, ID has health coverage, with 54.4% on employee plans, 9.99% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 1.79% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Ada County, ID see 1,128 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,128 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1221 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 242 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,128 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Ada County, ID

Primary care physicians in Ada County, ID see an average of 1,128 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,128 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Ada County, ID in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 21.2% between 18 and 34 years, 39% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.45%

Uninsured

54.4%

Employer Coverage

9.99%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

15.4%

Non-Group

1.79%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Ada County, ID declined by 3.57% from 6.69% to 6.45%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Ada County, ID changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42.3 in Ada County, ID.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Ada County, ID.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.7% in Ada County, ID.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Ada County, ID.