Blaine County, Idaho

History

The Wood River Valley in present-day Blaine County was organized as part of Alturas County by the Idaho Territorial Legislature in 1864. 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.

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. Celebrities who have lived either full-time or part-time in Blaine County include Adam West, Demi Moore, and John Kerry.

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.

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. 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.

Government and politics

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.

In the last two decades, Blaine County has gained a reputation as a Democratic Party enclave in strongly Republican Idaho. 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. Blaine was the only Idaho county carried by Al Gore and John Kerry in 2000 and 2004 respectively. 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. It was one of three counties (with Latah and Teton) in Idaho won by Obama in 2008, and by far the highest margin. 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.

In 2006, Blaine County voted 66.3% against HJR 2, which amended the Idaho Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage; 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.

At the state level Blaine County is located in Legislative District 25, which currently has an all-Democratic delegation in the Idaho Legislature. 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.

Major highways

National protected areas

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 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. 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). 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. In terms of ancestry, 24.1% were German, 18.8% were English, 11.4% were Irish, and 7.9% were American.

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.

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.

Education

All but one public school is administered by the Blaine County School District. 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 the fall of 2014. The rural Yale area in the county's southeastern panhandle is served by schools in neighboring Minidoka County.

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.

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Festivals

Blaine County is home to events and festivals throughout the year, including Wagon Days, Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Sun Valley Harvest Festival, and the Sun Valley for the Arts Wine Auction.

The Blaine County Fair is an annual summer event.