Population 4,470 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Custer County
Household size in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.72 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.78 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.76 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.79 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | +0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Custer County are small: just 2.19 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Custer County has the smallest households of any Idaho county.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5 | 35.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.8 | 36.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 52.0 | 37.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.4 | 38.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +13.9 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 58.4, Custer County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.5 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Custer County has the oldest population of any Idaho county.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 10.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.8% of households in Custer County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Custer County has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Idaho county.
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 Custer County
Renters in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 30.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.2% | 27.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Custer County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 58.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 11.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 40.7% | 10.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.6% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Custer County: 37.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only three of Idaho's 44 counties have a higher vacancy rate.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Custer County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across Idaho.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $523 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $553 | $820 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $609 | $941 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $698 | $1,407 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$176 | +$641 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Custer County costs $698 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 24.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Only one other Idaho county has lower 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 Custer County
Bachelor's degrees in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 25.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.4% | 27.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 31.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Custer County than nationally: 27.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Compared with other Idaho counties, though, Custer County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 88.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.0% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 92.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Custer County is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Idaho as a whole looks much the same.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Idaho | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Custer County has been low: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Custer County has lower unemployment than the great majority of Idaho counties. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Custer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County | 2.19 | 58.4 | 2.8% | 23.2% | 37.6% | 1986 | $698 | 27.9% | 93.2% | 1.9% |
| Clark County | 2.93 | 31.1 | 9.3% | 38.7% | 38.8% | 1979 | $773 | 20.5% | 74.4% | 2.1% |
| Washington County | 2.63 | 46.9 | 12.4% | 25.4% | 10.0% | 1971 | $941 | 20.7% | 89.3% | 5.0% |
| Crook County | 2.46 | 45.6 | 13.2% | 25.9% | 11.5% | 1993 | $1,294 | 20.2% | 88.6% | 6.3% |
| Johnson County | 2.17 | 48.3 | 5.4% | 17.7% | 13.3% | 1984 | $1,022 | 30.9% | 95.0% | 3.3% |
| Campbell County | 2.67 | 36.8 | 10.9% | 22.3% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,036 | 23.9% | 91.7% | 4.1% |
| Meade County | 2.55 | 39.3 | 9.5% | 27.1% | 8.8% | 1989 | $1,153 | 28.4% | 94.9% | 3.2% |
| Haakon County | 2.42 | 47.0 | 0.8% | 20.8% | 23.2% | 1975 | $495 | 21.1% | 96.4% | 0.0% |
| Stanley County | 2.35 | 46.2 | 5.2% | 16.9% | 17.7% | 1989 | $954 | 28.3% | 93.7% | 0.4% |
| Hughes County | 2.35 | 40.2 | 15.6% | 28.0% | 9.4% | 1979 | $1,118 | 38.2% | 96.6% | 0.7% |
| Beadle County | 2.57 | 37.9 | 8.9% | 27.1% | 10.4% | 1962 | $986 | 28.0% | 87.8% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Winn Parish, LA · Yoakum County, TX · Appanoose County, IA · Archer County, TX · Archuleta County, CO · Yalobusha County, MS · Wrangell City and Borough, AK · Woodruff County, AR · Wirt County, WV · Ziebach County, SD
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 Custer 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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