Custer County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Custer County is a rural mountain county located in the center of the U.S. state
of Idaho
. Established in 1881, it was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold
was discovered five years earlier (shortly after his death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
in eastern Montana
). The population was 4,342 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have fallen to 4,166 by 2007. The county seat
is Challis
. The center of population
of Idaho is located in Custer County, in the city of Stanley
.
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4936.79 square miles (12,786.2 km²), of which 4925.45 square miles (12,756.9 km²) (or 99.77%) is land and 11.34 square miles (29.4 km²) (or 0.23%) is water.
The Lost River Range
, the state's highest mountains, are located in eastern Custer County. The highest is Borah Peak
, the highest natural point in Idaho
at 12,662 feet (3859 m). On the western border of the county are Idaho's famous Sawtooth Mountains
; the tallest is Thompson Peak
in Custer County, above picturesque Redfish Lake
. Twenty miles (32 km) east are the White Cloud Mountains
, whose tallest is Castle Peak
at 11,815 feet (3601 m).
The Salmon River
and Big Lost River
flow through Custer County.
of 2000, there were 4,342 people, 1,770 households, and 1,196 families residing in the county. The population density
was 0.88 people per square mile (0.34/km²). There were 2,983 housing units at an average density of 0.60 per square mile (0.23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.28% White
, 0.55% Native American
, 0.02% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 1.17% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. 4.21% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 18.6% were of English
, 17.0% German
, 10.9% Irish
and 9.9% American
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,770 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples
living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 29.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,174, and the median income for a family was $39,551. Males had a median income of $32,255 versus $21,463 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,783. About 10.70% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.70% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
over Democrat Barack Obama
by a margin of 71% to 25%.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Established in 1881, it was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was discovered five years earlier (shortly after his death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army...
in eastern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
). The population was 4,342 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have fallen to 4,166 by 2007. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Challis
Challis, Idaho
Challis is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 909 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Custer County.-History:...
. The center of population
Center of population
In demographics, the center of population of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population...
of Idaho is located in Custer County, in the city of Stanley
Stanley, Idaho
Stanley is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 100 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Idaho is located in Stanley.-Geography:...
.
Geography
The Lost River Range
Lost River Range
The Lost River Range is a group of high mountains located in central Idaho, in the northwestern United States. It runs southeast for approximately 75 miles from the Salmon River near the community of Challis to the Snake River Valley near Arco...
, the state's highest mountains, are located in eastern Custer County. The highest is Borah Peak
Borah Peak
Borah Peak is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is located in the central section of the Lost River Range, within the Challis National Forest in eastern Custer County. The peak is named for William Borah , a prominent U.S...
, the highest natural point in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
at 12,662 feet (3859 m). On the western border of the county are Idaho's famous Sawtooth Mountains
Sawtooth Range (Idaho)
The Sawtooth Range is part of the Rocky Mountains, located within a few miles south of Stanley, Idaho, in the Western United States. Much of mountain range is within the Sawtooth Wilderness, part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area...
; the tallest is Thompson Peak
Thompson Peak (Idaho)
Thompson Peak, at high is the highest peak in the Sawtooth Range of Idaho. The top of Thompson Peak is located within Custer County, although some of the lower portion of the mountain is in Boise County. Thompson Peak is also located within the Sawtooth Wilderness portion of the Sawtooth...
in Custer County, above picturesque Redfish Lake
Redfish Lake
Redfish Lake is an alpine lake in central Idaho, United States, located in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains in Custer County....
. Twenty miles (32 km) east are the White Cloud Mountains
White Cloud Mountains
The White Cloud Mountains are part of the Rocky Mountainsof the western United States,located in central Idaho, southeast of Stanley in Custer County. The range is located within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and the area that is the proposed "White Cloud - Boulder Wilderness Area." The...
, whose tallest is Castle Peak
Castle Peak (Idaho)
Castle Peak, at high is the highest peak in the White Cloud Mountains of Idaho. Castle Peak is the 25th highest peak in Idaho, and the 9th most prominent peak in the state....
at 11,815 feet (3601 m).
The Salmon River
Salmon River (Idaho)
The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...
and Big Lost River
Big Lost River
The Big Lost River is a major river in the U.S. state of Idaho, about long. It starts in the Rocky Mountains and flows in a generally southeast direction into the Snake River Plain. True to its name, the Big Lost River's surface flow does not reach any larger river, but vanishes into the Snake...
flow through Custer County.
Adjacent counties
- Lemhi CountyLemhi County, IdahoLemhi County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1869, named after Fort Lemhi , a remote Mormon missionary settlement from 1855-58 in Bannock and Shoshone territory. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,806...
- north - Butte CountyButte County, IdahoButte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
- east - Blaine CountyBlaine County, IdahoBlaine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 21,376. The county seat and largest city is Hailey. The county is home to the Sun Valley ski resort....
- south - Elmore CountyElmore County, IdahoElmore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 27,038, down 7.2% from 29,130 in 2000. The largest city and county seat is Mountain Home....
- southwest - Boise CountyBoise County, IdahoBoise County is a rural mountain county in the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census; it was estimated at 7,571 in 2007...
- southwest - Valley CountyValley County, IdahoValley County is a rural county located in west central Idaho in the United States. Established in 1917, it was named after the Long Valley of the North Fork of the Payette River, which extends over 30 miles from Payette Lake at McCall south to Cascade to Round Valley.The valley was formerly a...
- west
National protected areas
- Challis National Forest (part)
- Sawtooth National ForestSawtooth National ForestSawtooth National Forest is in Idaho and Utah was protected in 1905 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt as the Sawtooth Forest Reserve. Today the forest administers over 2.1 million acres of some of the most remote forestland in the lower 48 states, and there are over 1,000 lakes and 3,000...
(part) - Sawtooth National Recreation AreaSawtooth National Recreation AreaThe Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area located in central Idaho, within the Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests. The recreation area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and includes the Sawtooth Wilderness...
(part)- Sawtooth WildernessSawtooth WildernessThe Sawtooth Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Wilderness was upgraded in 1972 from "primitive area" status, affording greater protections of the habitat...
(part)
- Sawtooth Wilderness
Major Highways
- US 93 - Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway - Sawtooth Scenic Byway, Salmon River Scenic Byway
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,342 people, 1,770 households, and 1,196 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 0.88 people per square mile (0.34/km²). There were 2,983 housing units at an average density of 0.60 per square mile (0.23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.28% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.55% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.94% from two or more races. 4.21% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 18.6% were of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 17.0% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 10.9% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 9.9% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,770 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 29.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,174, and the median income for a family was $39,551. Males had a median income of $32,255 versus $21,463 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,783. About 10.70% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.70% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- ChallisChallis, IdahoChallis is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 909 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Custer County.-History:...
- ClaytonClayton, IdahoClayton is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 7 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from early resident Clayton Smith, who is alleged to be the owner of a bawdy house.- History :...
- Lost RiverLost River, IdahoLost River is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 68 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lost River is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- MackayMackay, IdahoMackay is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mackay is located at , at an elevation of 5,905 feet ....
- StanleyStanley, IdahoStanley is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 100 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Idaho is located in Stanley.-Geography:...
Unincorporated communities
- BayhorseBayhorse, IdahoBayhorse is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States, founded in 1877. After a new gold mine failed, silver was discovered in the area and a mine was started. Bayhorse was originally established by the silver mine....
- BonanzaBonanza, IdahoBonanza is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States. It was originally established as a mining town. As of 2005, the land is privately owned but open to the public. Custer has a museum for the gold-rush era where visitors can experience the lives of the citizens of Custer and can...
- Custer
Politics
Custer County is a very strongly Republican county. In 2008 it supported Republican John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
over Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
by a margin of 71% to 25%.