Payette County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

in the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,623. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

and largest city is Payette. Payette County is part of the

Ontario micropolitan area The Ontario Micropolitan Statistical Area (or Ontario μSA), as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in southeastern Oregon and one in southwestern Idaho, anchored by the city of Ontario. A ...

History

The county was established in 1917, partitioned from Canyon County. It was named after the

Payette River The Payette River () is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 3, 2011 river in southwestern Idaho and is a major tributary of the Snake River. Its headwaters originate ...

, which was named after

French-Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...

François Payette. Originally a

fur trapper Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket ...

with the

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...

, Payette was the first white man in the area in 1818. Payette County is one of the few counties in Idaho to be the home to the

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

Idaho ground squirrel.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. It is the smallest county in Idaho by area.

Adjacent counties

* Washington County - north * Gem County - east * Canyon County - south *

Malheur County Malheur County () is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,571. Its county seat is Vale, and its largest city is Ontario. The county was named after the Malheur River, which runs thr ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

- west

National protected area

Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is an important breeding area for mammals, birds, and other animals. The National Wildlife Refuge is located on land surrounding Lake Lowell, just outside Nampa, Idaho. It serves as a resting and wintering ...

(part)

Rivers

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

Highways

* I 84 *

US 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...

US 95 US Route 95 (US 95) is a major north–south US Highway in the western United States. It travels through the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho, staying inland from the Pacific Coast. US 95 begins in San Luis, ...

* SH-52 * SH-72

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 20,578 people, 7,371 households, and 5,572 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 7,949 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.25%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.87% Native American, 0.85%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.10%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 5.57% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.33% from two or more races. 11.92% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 19.5% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 13.5%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, 12.3%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and 8.3%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

ancestry. There were 7,371 households, out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.40% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.21. In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,046, and the median income for a family was $37,430. Males had a median income of $30,641 versus $21,421 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $14,924. About 9.70% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 16.70% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, there were 22,623 people, 8,262 households, and 6,017 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 8,945 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.6% white, 1.1% American Indian, 0.8% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 6.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 18.9% were

, 16.8% were

, 13.2% were

, and 10.5% were

. Of the 8,262 households, 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.2% were non-families, and 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19. The median age was 37.2 years. The median income for a household in the county was $43,559 and the median income for a family was $50,323. Males had a median income of $38,582 versus $25,826 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,814. About 12.0% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the

, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.'' As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 25,386 people, 9,086 households, and 6,275 families residing in the county.

Education

The county is served by three school districts:

Payette Joint District 371

* Payette High School * McCain Middle School * Payette Primary School * Westside Elementary School * Payette Night School

New Plymouth District 372

* New Plymouth High School * New Plymouth Middle School * New Plymouth Elementary School

Fruitland District 373

* Fruitland High School * Fruitland Middle School * Fruitland Elementary School * Fruitland Alternative School

Communities

Cities

* Fruitland *

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

* Payette

Unincorporated community

* Hamilton Corner

Politics

Like most of Idaho, Payette County voters are overwhelmingly Republican. In no presidential election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic candidate, and

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

in 1976 was the last Democrat to crack one third of the county's vote.

References

* http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/edu_directory/docs/Educational%20Directory.pdf

External links

Payette County from the Idaho Museum of Natural HistoryCounty websiteUniversity of Idaho Extension for Payette CountyPayette County USGenWeb
{{authority control Idaho counties 1917 establishments in Idaho Populated places established in 1917 Ontario, Oregon micropolitan area