Teton County, Idaho

Teton County
Teton County
County
	Teton County Courthouse
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Idaho
	Idaho's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 43°45′N 111°13′W / 43.75°N 111.21°W
Country	United States
State	Idaho
Founded	January 26, 1915
Named for	The Teton Mountains
Seat	Driggs
Largest city	Victor
Area
• Total	451 sq mi (1,170 km2)
• Land	449 sq mi (1,160 km2)
• Water	1.1 sq mi (3 km2) 0.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	11,630
• Density	26/sq mi (10/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	tetoncountyidaho.gov

Teton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,630.^[1] The county seat is Driggs,^[2] and the largest city is Victor. The county was established in 1915 and was named after the Teton Mountains to the east.^[3]

Teton County is part of the Jackson, WY-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The Teton Valley was discovered by John Colter in 1808, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–06). It became known as Pierre's Hole, and it hosted the well-attended 1832 Rendezvous, which was followed by the Battle of Pierre's Hole.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 451 square miles (1,170 km²), of which 449 square miles (1,160 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.2%) is water.^[4] It is the second-smallest county in Idaho by area.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected area

Targhee National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	3,921		—
1930	3,573		−8.9%
1940	3,601		0.8%
1950	3,204		−11.0%
1960	2,639		−17.6%
1970	2,351		−10.9%
1980	2,897		23.2%
1990	3,439		18.7%
2000	5,999		74.4%
2010	10,170		69.5%
2020	11,630		14.4%
2023 (est.)	12,549	^[5]	7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790–1960,^[7] 1900–1990,^[8] 1990–2000,^[9] 2010–2020^[10] 2020^[1]

2000 census

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 5,999 people, 2,078 households, and 1,464 families living in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km²). There were 2,632 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.32% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 6.73% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 11.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.5% were of English, 15.8% German, 7.6% American and 5.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 2,078 households, out of which 39.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 18.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,968, and the median income for a family was $45,848. Males had a median income of $32,309 versus $22,243 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,778. About 9.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 10,170 people, 3,651 households, and 2,509 families living in the county.^[12] The population density was 22.6 inhabitants per square mile (8.7/km²). There were 5,478 housing units at an average density of 12.2 units per square mile (4.7 units/km²).^[13] The racial makeup of the county was 85.6% white, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 11.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 16.9% of the population.^[12] In terms of ancestry, 29.9% were English, 20.3% were German, 13.0% were Irish, and 4.2% were American.^[14]

Of the 3,651 households, 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.3% were non-families, and 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.33. The median age was 33.2 years.^[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $53,364 and the median income for a family was $56,791. Males had a median income of $39,865 versus $31,966 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,633. About 5.4% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.^[15]

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, coroner, and prosecutor.^[16]

Until quite recently Teton County voted Republican along with most other Eastern Idaho counties. However, since 2004, the county has strongly trended towards toss-up status. In 2008, it was one of three Idaho counties to favor Barack Obama,^[17] despite giving George W. Bush a 23-point victory only four years earlier.^[18] The margin was narrow (39 votes) and Obama lost the county to Mitt Romney in 2012 by over five hundred votes; Donald Trump outpolled Hillary Clinton by just eight votes in 2016, the smallest numerical margin in the country. Teton backed Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election; he won by 7.3 percentage points, garnering the highest vote share for any Democrat since 1948.

Teton County is one of only thirteen counties to have voted for Obama in 2008, Romney in 2012, Trump in 2016, and Biden in 2020.^[a]

At the state level, Teton County is in District 32 of the Idaho Legislature.^[19] As neighboring counties are still strongly Republican, the district is not competitive.^[20] In Idaho gubernatorial elections, the county had voted for the Democratic nominee in every election from 2006 until 2022, when incumbent Republican Gov. Brad Little won the county in his bid for reelection .

United States presidential election results for Teton County, Idaho^[21]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	2,858	44.92%	3,318	52.15%	186	2.92%
2016	2,167	43.55%	2,159	43.39%	650	13.06%
2012	2,458	54.34%	1,926	42.58%	139	3.07%
2008	2,263	48.57%	2,302	49.41%	94	2.02%
2004	2,235	60.57%	1,416	38.37%	39	1.06%
2000	1,745	65.33%	720	26.96%	206	7.71%
1996	1,251	50.28%	866	34.81%	371	14.91%
1992	762	39.73%	472	24.61%	684	35.66%
1988	982	64.31%	531	34.77%	14	0.92%
1984	1,242	76.48%	370	22.78%	12	0.74%
1980	1,227	72.78%	360	21.35%	99	5.87%
1976	904	63.04%	514	35.84%	16	1.12%
1972	932	68.58%	298	21.93%	129	9.49%
1968	694	57.93%	376	31.39%	128	10.68%
1964	675	53.02%	598	46.98%	0	0.00%
1960	714	55.65%	569	44.35%	0	0.00%
1956	842	65.12%	451	34.88%	0	0.00%
1952	964	66.25%	491	33.75%	0	0.00%
1948	593	46.62%	672	52.83%	7	0.55%
1944	552	46.27%	641	53.73%	0	0.00%
1940	667	44.14%	844	55.86%	0	0.00%
1936	542	38.47%	834	59.19%	33	2.34%
1932	674	43.74%	860	55.81%	7	0.45%
1928	753	68.27%	348	31.55%	2	0.18%
1924	665	55.70%	186	15.58%	343	28.73%
1920	906	68.90%	409	31.10%	0	0.00%
1916	650	46.43%	726	51.86%	24	1.71%

Education

The public schools are operated by Teton County School District 401, the sole school district in the county.^[22] The county's only traditional high school, Teton High School, is in Driggs.

The College of Eastern Idaho includes Teton County in its catchment zone; however, the county is not in the College's taxation zone.^[23]