Blaine County, Idaho

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Blaine County, Idaho
Blaine County Courthouse
Seal
Location in the U.S. state of Idaho
Idaho's location in the U.S.
Founded	March 5, 1895
Named for	James G. Blaine
Seat	Hailey
Largest city	Hailey
Area
• Total	2,661 sq mi (6,892 km2)
• Land	2,644 sq mi (6,848 km2)
• Water	17 sq mi (44 km2), 0.6%
Population (est.)
• (2017)	22,024
• Density	8.1/sq mi (3.1/km2)
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Mountain: UTC−7/−6
Website	www.co.blaine.id.us

Blaine County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,376.^[1] The county seat and largest city is Hailey.^[2]

Blaine County was created by the state legislature on March 5, 1895, by combining Alturas and Logan counties.^[3] Its present boundaries were set on February 8, 1917, when a western portion became Camas County.^[4] The county is named after former congressman and 1884 Republican presidential nominee James G. Blaine (1830–93).^[3]

Blaine County is part of the Hailey, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to the Sun Valley ski resort, adjacent to Ketchum.

Contents

• 
  1 History
  


• 
  2 County profile
  


• 
  3 Government and politics
  


• 
  4 Geography
  
  • 
    4.1 Adjacent counties
    
  
  
  • 
    4.2 Major highways
    
  
  
  • 
    4.3 National protected areas
    
  
  


• 
  5 Demographics
  
  • 
    5.1 2000 census
    
  
  
  • 
    5.2 2010 census
    
  
  


• 
  6 Education
  


• 
  7 Communities
  
  • 
    7.1 Cities
    
  
  
  • 
    7.2 Unincorporated communities
    
  
  
  • 
    7.3 Ghost towns
    
  
  


• 
  8 Festivals
  


• 
  9 See also
  


• 
  10 References
  


• 
  11 External links
  

History

Sun Valley's Bald Mountain in 2006

The Wood River Valley in present-day Blaine County was organized as part of Alturas County by the Idaho Territorial Legislature in 1864.^[5] By the 1880s the area became noted for its mining economy. In 1882 the county seat of Alturas County was moved from Rocky Bar in present-day Elmore County to Hailey, in response to a population shift from Rocky Bar – which would eventually become a ghost town – to the Wood River Valley.^[6]

After Idaho statehood in 1890, as in the rest of the state, mining gradually decreased in significance in Blaine County. At its creation in March 1895, Blaine County included five other present-day counties. Less than two weeks later, Lincoln County was carved from it and later partitioned into Gooding (1913), Minidoka (1913), and Jerome (1919) counties. Blaine County was further reduced in 1917 when Camas County was formed.

The county began to recast itself as a tourism destination in 1936 with the opening of the Sun Valley resort, originally owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The area soon attracted celebrity visitors, and later residents, most notably Ernest Hemingway, who is buried in the Ketchum Cemetery.^[7] Celebrities who have lived either full-time or part-time in Blaine County include Adam West,^[8]Demi Moore,^[9] and John Kerry.^[10]

County profile

Most Blaine County residents live in the Wood River Valley along State Highway 75 in the western half of the county. This area includes all of the county's incorporated cities and towns except Carey, which is located in the south-central part of the county at the junction of US 20 with US 26/93. The county's gerrymandered southeastern panhandle, known locally as the Yale area, is very sparsely populated.^[11]

As the home of a major ski resort, Blaine County expectedly has a much higher cost of living than surrounding areas; the median value of its owner-occupied housing units is more than double the state average.^[12] As a result, many who work in Blaine County live in outlying areas, particularly in the city of Shoshone in neighboring Lincoln County. It is estimated that 2,540 people from outside the county commute to work in Blaine County.^[13]

Government and politics

In the last two decades, Blaine County has gained a reputation as a Democratic Party enclave in strongly Republican Idaho.^[14] The Democratic presidential candidate has won the county in every election since 1992, when George H. W. Bush finished third behind Bill Clinton and Ross Perot.^[15] Blaine was the only Idaho county carried by Al Gore and John Kerry in 2000 and 2004 respectively.^{[16][17][18][19]} In the 2008 election, Barack Obama carried the county by a 33.2% margin over John McCain, while McCain won statewide by a 25.3% margin.^[20] It was one of three counties (with Latah and Teton) in Idaho won by Obama in 2008, and by far the highest margin.^[21] Again in 2012, Obama carried Blaine County with 58.8 percent of the vote, compared to Mitt Romney's 38.7 percent. During the 2012 election Blaine County was the only Idaho county in which Obama received over 50 percent of the vote, although he also carried Latah County with 49.6 percent of the vote. From 1968 through 1988, a less-populated Blaine County was won by the Republican candidate in all six presidential elections, as was the state of Idaho.^[22]

Presidential elections results

Previous presidential elections results^[23]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	31.2% 3,340	59.8% 6,416	9.0% 968
2012	38.6% 3,939	58.8% 5,992	2.6% 263
2008	32.5% 3,439	65.7% 6,947	1.8% 187
2004	39.8% 4,034	59.1% 5,992	1.2% 121
2000	44.4% 3,528	47.2% 3,748	8.3% 662
1996	36.6% 3,003	46.7% 3,840	16.7% 1,374
1992	28.0% 2,243	35.7% 2,865	35.3% 2,831
1988	54.4% 3,130	43.4% 2,498	2.2% 127
1984	63.7% 3,603	34.8% 1,971	1.5% 83
1980	49.1% 2,716	33.3% 1,840	17.6% 973
1976	56.1% 2,176	41.4% 1,604	2.5% 97
1972	61.0% 2,113	35.8% 1,240	3.2% 112
1968	53.8% 1,337	32.8% 815	13.4% 332
1964	47.3% 1,161	52.7% 1,293
1960	49.3% 1,216	50.7% 1,252
1956	58.6% 1,384	41.4% 978
1952	60.9% 1,609	39.1% 1,033
1948	43.7% 945	54.7% 1,182	1.6% 35
1944	45.6% 874	54.1% 1,037	0.3% 5
1940	41.8% 1,124	58.0% 1,559	0.2% 4
1936	34.9% 735	64.6% 1,361	0.5% 11
1932	37.6% 693	61.5% 1,133	0.9% 17
1928	52.0% 849	47.7% 780	0.3% 5
1924	41.6% 732	27.6% 485	30.9% 543
1920	67.6% 1,169	32.4% 561
1916	37.9% 1,231	56.3% 1,830	5.8% 189
1912	36.0% 988	36.2% 996	27.8% 764
1908	46.0% 1,197	48.0% 1,248	6.0% 155
1904	56.4% 1,225	35.7% 775	8.0% 173
1900	32.0% 634	68.0% 1,345

Similar to other Idaho counties, an elected three-member county commission heads the county government. Other elected officials include clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor and prosecutor.^[24]

In 2006, Blaine County voted 66.3% against HJR 2, which amended the Idaho Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage in Idaho; the measure passed with 63.4% of the statewide vote. Latah County, which contains Moscow (home of the University of Idaho), was the only other county where the measure failed.^[25]

At the state level Blaine County is located in Legislative District 25,^[26] which currently has an all-Democratic delegation in the Idaho Legislature.^[27]Michelle Stennett, the current minority leader of the Idaho Senate, resides in Ketchum. Wendy Jaquet, a member of the Idaho House of Representatives and a former minority leader of that body, also resides in Ketchum.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,661 square miles (6,890 km²), of which 2,644 square miles (6,850 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[28]

Adjacent counties

• 
  Butte County – northeast


• 
  Bingham County – east


• 
  Power County – southeast


• 
  Cassia County – south


• 
  Minidoka County – southwest


• 
  Lincoln County – south


• 
  Camas County – west


• 
  Elmore County – northwest


• 
  Custer County – northwest

Major highways

• 
  – US 20
  


• 
  – US 26
  


• 
  – US 93
  


• 
  SH 75 – Sawtooth Scenic Byway
  

National protected areas

• 
  Craters of the Moon National Monument (part)


• 
  Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge (part)


• 
  Salmon-Challis National Forest (part)


• 
  Sawtooth National Forest (part)


• 
  Sawtooth National Recreation Area (part)
  
  • 
    Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness (part)
  
  
  • 
    Sawtooth Wilderness (part)
  
  

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	4,900		—
1910	8,387		71.2%
1920	4,473		−46.7%
1930	3,768		−15.8%
1940	5,295		40.5%
1950	5,384		1.7%
1960	4,598		−14.6%
1970	5,749		25.0%
1980	9,841		71.2%
1990	13,552		37.7%
2000	18,991		40.1%
2010	21,376		12.6%
Est. 2017	22,024	[29]	3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[30] 1790–1960[31] 1900–1990[32] 1990–2000[33] 2010–2013[1]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000,^[34] there were 18,991 people, 7,780 households, and 4,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 12,186 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.73% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 6.43% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. 10.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.0% were of English, 14.6% German, 10.8% Irish and 6.2% American ancestry.

There were 7,780 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 27.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 107.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,496, and the median income for a family was $60,037. Males had a median income of $35,949 versus $27,487 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,346. About 4.90% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.80% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 21,376 people, 8,823 households, and 5,575 families residing in the county.^[35] The population density was 8.1 inhabitants per square mile (3.1/km²). There were 15,050 housing units at an average density of 5.7 per square mile (2.2/km²).^[36] The racial makeup of the county was 84.9% white, 0.9% Asian, 0.6% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 11.8% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 20.0% of the population.^[35] In terms of ancestry, 24.1% were German, 18.8% were English, 11.4% were Irish, and 7.9% were American.^[37]

Of the 8,823 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 40.4 years.^[35]

The median income for a household in the county was $61,854 and the median income for a family was $73,929. Males had a median income of $48,036 versus $37,603 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,656. About 4.9% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.^[38]

Education

All but one public school is administered by the Blaine County School District.^[39] There are two public high schools in the county, Wood River High School in Hailey and Carey High School in Carey. Syringa Mountain School is the first charter school to be approved in Blaine County and opened in 2014.^[40] The rural Yale area in the county's southeastern panhandle is served by schools in neighboring Minidoka County.^[41]

Private schools include Community School in Sun Valley and The Sage School in Hailey.

The College of Southern Idaho, a community college based in Twin Falls, operates an off-campus outreach center in Hailey.^[42]

Communities

Cities

• Bellevue


• Carey


• Hailey


• Ketchum


• Sun Valley

Unincorporated communities

• Cream Can Junction


• Galena


• Gannett


• Gimlet


• Picabo


• Triumph


• Sawtooth City

Ghost towns

• Boulder City


• Vienna

Festivals

Blaine County hosts Wagon Days, Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Sun Valley Harvest Festival, and the Sun Valley for the Arts Wine Auction, among other events.

The Blaine County Fair is an annual summer event.^[43]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Blaine County, Idaho

References

1. 
   ^ ^ab "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014. 
   


2. 
   ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
   


3. 
   ^ ^ab "Blaine County". Idaho.gov. Archived from the original on November 4, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


4. 
   ^ "Camas County". Idaho.gov. February 6, 1917. Archived from the original on November 20, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


5. 
   ^ "Alturas County, Idaho Genealogy and History". Idahogenealogy.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


6. 
   ^ "Blaine County Courthouse" (PDF). Idahohistory.net. July 7, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


7. 
   ^ "Hemingway Haunts". Svguide.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


8. 
   ^ Simons, Greg. "Adam West: Behind the Mask". Boiseweekly.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


9. 
   ^ "Demi Moore Biography". The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
   


10. 
    ^ "Login". 
    


11. 
    ^ "Populated north, rural south: Blaine County's two worlds". Mtexpress.com. January 25, 2000. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


12. 
    ^ "Blaine County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Quickfacts.census.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


13. 
    ^ Blaine County estimate (PDF)^{[dead link]}
    


14. 
    ^ Simons, Greg. "Real Western: Pondering the Democratic map of the Intermountain West". Boiseweekly.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


15. 
    ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


16. 
    ^ "1992 Presidential General Election Results – Idaho". Uselectionatlas.org. November 3, 1992. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


17. 
    ^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results – Idaho". Uselectionatlas.org. November 5, 1996. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


18. 
    ^ "2000 Presidential General Election Results – Idaho". Uselectionatlas.org. November 7, 2000. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


19. 
    ^ "2004 Presidential General Election Results – Idaho". Uselectionatlas.org. November 19, 2004. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


20. 
    ^ David Leip. "U.S. Election Atlas". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


21. 
    ^ 2008 – General Election Blaine Archived November 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
    


22. 
    ^ "Blaine County, Idaho". PoliticalGraveyard.com. Retrieved May 16, 2012. 
    


23. 
    ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-04-04. 
    


24. 
    ^ "Blaine County Idaho Elected Officials". Co.blaine.id.us. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


25. 
    ^ "Idaho HJR 2 Results by County". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


26. 
    ^ "Idaho Legislative District Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


27. 
    ^ "Idaho Legislative Districts". Legislature.idaho.gov. July 29, 2004. Archived from the original on November 10, 2008. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


28. 
    ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
    


29. 
    ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved Apr 7, 2018. 
    


30. 
    ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2014. 
    


31. 
    ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 28, 2014. 
    


32. 
    ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014. 
    


33. 
    ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014. 
    


34. 
    ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
    


35. 
    ^ ^abc "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-04. 
    


36. 
    ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-04. 
    


37. 
    ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-04. 
    


38. 
    ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-04. 
    


39. 
    ^ "Blaine County School District". Blaineschools.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


40. 
    ^ "Only Idaho Public Waldorf School Opens in Hailey". magicvalley.com. Retrieved September 21, 2014. 
    


41. 
    ^ "Blaine County School District : Neighborhood School Boundaries". Blaineschools.org. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


42. 
    ^ Edit Szanto; Chika Daggett; RD Van Noy. "CSI Off-Campus Centers | Blaine County Center". Offcampus.csi.edu. Retrieved November 13, 2011. 
    


43. 
    ^ "Idaho Mountain Express: Dozens of 4-H kids take awards at county fair – August 31, 2011". Mtexpress.com. August 31, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011. ^{[permanent dead link]}
    

External links

• Official site


• Blaine County at Idaho.gov


• Visit Sun Valley


• Blaine County Fair

Places adjacent to Blaine County, Idaho
Elmore County Custer County Butte County Camas County Blaine County, Idaho Bingham County Minidoka County Cassia County and Lincoln County Power County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Blaine County, Idaho, United States
County seat: Hailey
Cities	Bellevue Carey Hailey Ketchum Sun Valley
Unincorporated communities	Cream Can Junction Gannett Gimlet Hawley Picabo Triumph

v t e  State of Idaho
Boise (capital)
Topics	Index Bibliography Geography Government Delegations Governors History Images People Symbols Tourist attractions	Seal of Idaho
Society	Crime Culture Demographics Economy Education Politics
Regions	Boise metropolitan area Cache Valley Central Idaho Columbia River Plateau Eastern Idaho Great Basin Inland Empire Magic Valley North Central Idaho Idaho Panhandle Palouse Southern Idaho Southwestern Idaho Treasure Valley Wasatch Range Wood River Valley Yellowstone
Larger cities	Boise Nampa Meridian Idaho Falls Pocatello Caldwell Coeur d'Alene Twin Falls Lewiston Post Falls Rexburg Moscow Eagle
Smaller cities	Kuna Ammon Chubbuck Mountain Home Hayden Blackfoot Garden City Jerome Burley
Counties	Ada Adams Bannock Bear Lake Benewah Bingham Blaine Boise Bonner Bonneville Boundary Butte Camas Canyon Caribou Cassia Clark Clearwater Custer Elmore Franklin Fremont Gem Gooding Idaho Jefferson Jerome Kootenai Latah Lemhi Lewis Lincoln Madison Minidoka Nez Perce Oneida Owyhee Payette Power Shoshone Teton Twin Falls Valley Washington

Coordinates: 43°23′N 113°59′W / 43.39°N 113.98°W / 43.39; -113.98

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