Minidoka County, Idaho

History

The name Minidoka is of Dakota Sioux origin meaning "a fountain or spring of water." Minidoka was first used in 1883 as a name for the Union Pacific's Oregon Short Line, a railroad spur in the middle of the Snake River Plain. The spur later became the site of a watering station along the line. The village of Minidoka grew up next to the station. The Minidoka name was then given to a reclamation project under then President Theodore Roosevelt which included the construction of the Minidoka Dam, completed in 1904. Minidoka National Historic Site (in adjacent Hunt of Jerome County) was part of the original reclamation project and hence shares the name. Minidoka County was created by the Idaho Legislature on January 28, 1913, by a partition of Lincoln County.

Camp Rupert, west of Paul, was a prisoner of war (POW) camp during World War II.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 763 sqmi, of which 758 sqmi is land and 5.3 sqmi (0.7%) is water.

It is part of the Magic Valley region of the Snake River Plain. Irrigated farmland covers the southern part of the county, while lava beds cover the northern portion. The elevation is generally in the range of 4200 to. The Snake River forms the county's southern boundary.

Adjacent counties

• Cassia County - south
• Jerome County - west
• Lincoln County - west
• Blaine County - north, east

National protected area

• Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (part)
• Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Highways

• [[Image:I-84.svg|20px]] Interstate 84
• [[Image:US 30.svg|20px]] US 30
• [[Image:ID-24.svg|20px]] SH-24
• [[Image:ID-25.svg|20px]] SH-25
• [[Image:ID-27.svg|20px]] SH-27

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960, 1900–1990, 1990–2000, 2010–2020 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,613. The median age was 35.2 years, with 28.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 15.9% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.2 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 67.5% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 19.1% from some other race, and 11.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 36.6% of the population.

55.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 7,654 households in the county, of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 8,218 housing units, of which 6.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.6% were owner-occupied and 29.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 20,069 people, 7,170 households, and 5,315 families in the county.{{cite web |access-date=January 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032943/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US16067 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213191603/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US16067 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032535/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US16067 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 7,170 households, 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.9% were non-families, and 22.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.27. The median age was 35.3 years.

The median household income was $40,350 and the median family income was $47,079. Males had a median income of $32,895 versus $22,271 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,747. About 9.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=January 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213023235/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US16067 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 20,176 people, 6,973 households, and 5,362 families in the county. The population density was 27 PD/sqmi. There were 7,498 housing units at an average density of 10 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 78.07% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 17.83% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. 25.46%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.1% were of English, 12.9% German and 12.0% American ancestry.

Of the 6,973 households 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.40% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.10% were non-families. 20.00% of households were one person and 9.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.32.

The age distribution was 31.60% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.

The median household income was $32,021 and the median family income was $36,500. Males had a median income of $28,977 versus $19,521 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,813. About 11.90% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

There is one school district in the county: Minidoka County Joint School District 331. The only public high school in the county is Minico High School near Rupert.

The county is in the catchment area, but not the taxation zone, for College of Southern Idaho.

Communities

Cities

• Acequia
• Burley (part)
• Heyburn
• Minidoka
• Paul
• Rupert

Unincorporated communities

• Jackson (Extends into) Cassia County
• Kimama (Extends into) Lincoln County

Ghost towns

• Alturas, Idaho (Mostly in Blaine County)

Politics

Like all of eastern Idaho, Minidoka County has been overwhelmingly Republican since the 1950s. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was Harry S. Truman in 1948, and the last to win a majority Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940. In the 2024 election, Donald Trump gained more support than any other Republican presidential candidate in county history.

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. [http://idahohistory.net/Reference%20Series/0034.pdf Idaho History.net reference series, page #34]
4. [http://www.state.id.us/aboutidaho/county/minidoka.html Idaho.gov - Minidoka County] {{webarchive. link. (August 3, 2009 accessed May 29, 2009)
5. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
6. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. [https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 Population and Housing State Data. Utah]
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
16. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Minidoka County, ID". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
17. "MINIDOKA COUNTY JOINT DISTRICT schools for this district". [[National Center for Education Statistics]].
18. (2016). "Legislative Budget Book". [[Idaho Legislature]].
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".