Population 518,935 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ada County
Household size in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 2.72 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.78 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.75 | 2.76 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.05 | +0.07 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Ada County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the wider Boise area, where it has 2.71 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.69, as it has nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 34.6 | 35.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.3 | 35.8 | 36.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 37.2 | 37.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 38.4 | 38.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +3.8 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
At 39.2, the median age in Ada County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 35.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.4% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 9.5% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Ada County (8.7%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Boise area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ada County
Renters in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 29.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 31.9% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 30.3% | 30.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.2% | 27.5% | 27.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ada County own their homes; 29.2% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About a third of owners (33.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the south. The renter share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 11.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 10.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.6% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Ada County: just 5.6% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Ada County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Idaho counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1989 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1990 | 1989 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1991 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1997 | 1996 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +7 | +6 |
Ada County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1997, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the east has the oldest housing. Only one other Idaho county has newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $934 | $884 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $991 | $921 | $820 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,147 | $1,075 | $941 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,861 | $1,700 | $1,407 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$927 | +$815 | +$641 | +$606 |
Rent in Ada County runs $1,861 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $927 a month since 2006–10, up 99%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. No other Idaho county has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ada County
Bachelor's degrees in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.5% | 28.8% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.8% | 30.0% | 25.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.6% | 31.6% | 27.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.2% | 36.9% | 31.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +8.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Ada County than nationally: 44.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Idaho's 44 counties, only three have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.3% | 89.5% | 88.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 90.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.2% | 91.7% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ada County: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Ada County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Idaho counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ada County
| Period | Ada County | Boise area | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 7.7% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −4.5 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Ada County has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.4 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ada County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ada County | 2.61 | 39.2 | 8.7% | 29.2% | 5.6% | 1997 | $1,861 | 44.2% | 95.2% | 3.0% |
| Canyon County | 2.93 | 35.6 | 10.8% | 24.5% | 4.7% | 1995 | $1,454 | 23.6% | 87.8% | 3.6% |
| Blaine County | 2.45 | 46.7 | 9.7% | 26.5% | 23.6% | 1987 | $1,337 | 48.1% | 91.8% | 2.0% |
| Harney County | 2.38 | 49.8 | 7.5% | 32.6% | 15.8% | 1973 | $717 | 18.0% | 91.2% | 4.0% |
| Butte County | 2.52 | 41.5 | 8.1% | 22.5% | 19.7% | 1969 | $619 | 17.8% | 89.2% | 4.5% |
| Jefferson County | 3.27 | 32.7 | 8.9% | 17.0% | 5.2% | 1994 | $1,282 | 28.2% | 93.3% | 2.7% |
| Teton County | 2.94 | 40.0 | 6.3% | 19.2% | 28.5% | 2000 | $1,448 | 49.3% | 92.6% | 1.0% |
| Hot Springs County | 2.20 | 43.1 | 7.8% | 27.3% | 12.5% | 1974 | $1,081 | 26.5% | 95.2% | 3.0% |
| Custer County | 1.95 | 56.7 | 5.7% | 14.4% | 16.3% | 1993 | $1,227 | 31.7% | 95.2% | 2.1% |
| Jackson County | 3.48 | 34.8 | 27.1% | 32.7% | 21.1% | 1982 | $480 | 14.0% | 90.3% | 8.1% |
| Mellette County | 2.94 | 38.1 | 15.4% | 39.6% | 17.4% | 1969 | $699 | 19.2% | 83.6% | 12.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Plymouth County, MA · Monterey County, CA · Santa Barbara County, CA · Pinal County, AZ · Tulare County, CA · Cameron County, TX · Sonoma County, CA · Washoe County, NV · Placer County, CA · Solano County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ada County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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