County population in 2012: 9,117 (28% urban, 72% rural); it was 9,171 in 2000 County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 1,483 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 1,459 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 2,806 Renter-occupied apartments: 895 (it was 774 in 2000)
% of renters here:
22%
State:
30%
Land area: 776 sq. mi. Water area: 7.9 sq. mi.
Population density: 12 people per square mile
(low).
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Benewah County: 84.9 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
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Industries providing employment: Educational,health and social services (25.4%), Manufacturing (10.9%), Agriculture,forestry,fishing and hunting, and mining (10.9%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2009: $813 (0.6%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2009: $653 (0.6%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 14.8%
(13.8% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 1.9% for Black residents, 29.7% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 23.4% for American Indian residents, 0.0% for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander residents, 5.6% for other race residents, 8.4% for two or more races residents) Median age of residents in 2010: 44 years old
(Males: 44 years old, Females: 45 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 47 years old, Black residents: 16 years old, American Indian residents: 28 years old, Asian residents: 41 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 20 years old, Other race residents: 33 years old)
Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
14.1%
Whole state:
11.8%
Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
5.3%
Whole state:
4.6%
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Benewah County is $479 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $602 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $860 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Benewah County: Heyburn Youth Camp (A), Al Vanderpool Picnic Area (B), Shadowy Saint Joe Campground (C), Ferrel (D), Muellers Camp (E), Saint Maries River Access Area (F), Saint Maries River Access (G), Saint Maries Country Club (H), Hnmlmulsh Grove (I), Sq'wdusmn Bench (J), St'uts'te'wes Point (K), Ch'mi'wes Flat (L), Hn'ya)pqi'nn (M), Hnpetptqwe'n (N), Ni'nsi' Meadow (O), Hnp’ekwle’n Meadow (P), Chaats'alalqs Grove (Q), Taqhalqs Hill (R), Ni’lukhwalqw Gap (S), Ts'e'ltm Rock (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Lakes and reservoirs: Benewah Lake (A), Goose Heaven Lake (B), Turtle Lake (C), Round Lake (D), Porrett Lake (E), Beaver Ponds (F), Hnchch'li Lake (G), Chatcolet Lake (H). Display/hide their locations on the map
Rivers and creeks: Choulson Creek (A), Andrews Spring Creek (B), Beaver Creek (C), Cherry Creek (D), Charlie Creek (E), Carpenter Creek (F), Carlin Creek (G), Canyon Creek (H), Dago Creek (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 156 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 79.8% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 11.4%
Number of foreign born residents: 59 (54% naturalized citizens)
Benewah County:
0.6%
Whole state:
5.0%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
1995 to March 2000: 6
1990 to 1994: 3
1985 to 1989: 2
1980 to 1984: 9
1975 to 1979: 7
1970 to 1974: 0
1970 to 1974: 4
1965 to 1969: 28
Mean travel time to work (commute): 19.2 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 83.9%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 2,851
One, attached: 35
Two: 47
3 or 4: 53
5 to 9: 79
10 to 19: 48
20 or more: 9
Mobile homes: 1,063
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 53
Housing units in Benewah County with a mortgage: 849 (47 second mortgage, 58 home equity loan, 4 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 650
Here:
56.6% with mortgage
State:
73.2% with mortgage
Religion statistics:
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 36.15%
Here
36.1%
USA
50.2%
Total adherents: 3,315 Total congregations: 15
Adherents
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Name
Catholic Church
Church of the Nazarene
Southern Baptist Convention
LDS (Mormon) Church
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Adherents
1,330 (40.1%)
380 (11.5%)
351 (10.6%)
260 (7.8%)
212 (6.4%)
Congregations
4 (26.7%)
1 (6.7%)
-
1 (6.7%)
1 (6.7%)
Name
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
Assemblies of God
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Other
Adherents
208 (6.3%)
188 (5.7%)
155 (4.7%)
111 (3.3%)
120 (3.6%)
Congregations
1 (6.7%)
1 (6.7%)
2 (13.3%)
1 (6.7%)
3 (20.0%)
Source: Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Average size of farms: 572 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $59,804 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $194.69 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 5.68% The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 4.40% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $56,607 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 51.36% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $73,249 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 88.80% Average age of principal farm operators: 55 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 1.98 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 0.18% All wheat for grain: 41110 harvested acres Land in orchards: 9 acres
Earthquake activity:
Benewah County-area historical earthquake activity is significantly below Idaho state average. It is 34% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 12/22/1998 at 01:17:47, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, 4.6 ML, Depth: 7.6 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 84.7 miles away from the county center On 8/17/1994 at 06:56:49, a magnitude 4.1 (3.6 ML, 4.1 ML, Depth: 1.0 mi) earthquake occurred 43.4 miles away from the county center On 11/11/2001 at 16:00:29, a magnitude 4.0 (4.0 MD, Depth: 2.9 mi) earthquake occurred 47.2 miles away from the county center On 1/20/1998 at 16:33:06, a magnitude 4.0 (4.0 ML, 3.7 MD, Depth: 4.5 mi) earthquake occurred 89.0 miles away from Benewah County center On 6/28/1998 at 07:35:32, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MD, 3.6 ML, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 50.3 miles away from the county center On 6/25/2001 at 14:15:23, a magnitude 3.7 (3.7 MD, 3.5 ML, Depth: 6.8 mi) earthquake occurred 47.2 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: duration magnitude (MD), local magnitude (ML)
Most recent natural disasters:
Idaho Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 1, 2005, Emergency Declared (EM-3244): September 13, 2005, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3244, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Idaho Severe Storms/Flooding, Incident Period: November 16, 1996 to January 3, 1997, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1154): January 4, 1997, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1154, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Idaho Storms/Flooding, Incident Period: February 6, 1996 to February 23, 1996, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1102): February 11, 1996, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1102, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Idaho VOLCANIC ERUPTION, MT. ST. HELENS, Incident Period: May 22, 1980, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-624): May 22, 1980, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-624, Natural disaster type: Volcanic Eruption
Idaho SEVERE STORMS, SNOWMELT, FLOODING, Incident Period: January 25, 1974, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-415): January 25, 1974, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-415, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood, Snow
Idaho Forest Fires, Incident Period: August 30, 1967, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-231): August 30, 1967, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-231, Natural disaster type: Fire
Idaho Heavy Rains & Flooding, Incident Period: December 31, 1964, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-186): December 31, 1964, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-186, Natural disaster type: Flood, Heavy Rain
The number of natural disasters in Benewah County (7) is smaller than the US average (12). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 6 Emergencies Declared: 1
Other production occupations including supervisors (9%)
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (6%)
Laborers and material movers, hand (6%)
Fishing and hunting, and forest and logging workers (5%)
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers (5%)
Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations including supervisors (4%)
Metal workers and plastic workers (4%)
Other office and administrative support workers including supervisors (6%)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (6%)
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (5%)
Information and record clerks except customer service representatives (5%)
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers (4%)
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (4%)
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (4%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Germany (37%)
Canada (25%)
India (7%)
United Kingdom (5%)
Europe, n.e.c. (5%)
Other Central America (5%)
Other Northern Europe (3%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Benewah County (%):
German (27%)
English (12%)
United States or American (10%)
Irish (9%)
Norwegian (4%)
Swedish (3%)
Italian (2%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 2,673 (78%)
Carpooled: 365 (11%)
Bus or trolley bus: 7 (0%)
Bicycle: 3 (0%)
Walked: 188 (5%)
Other means: 45 (1%)
Worked at home: 146 (4%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders
People in group quarters in Benewah County, Idaho in 2000:
92 people in nursing homes
24 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
13 people in orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically handicapped
8 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
3 people in religious group quarters
2 people in other workers' dormitories
People in group quarters in Benewah County, Idaho in 2010:
60 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
5 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
4 people in group homes for juveniles (non-correctional)
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2005 was $40,648.
8.25% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($33,598 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
8.25%
Idaho average:
9.61%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
3.83% relocated from other counties in Idaho ($14,422 average AGI)
4.42% relocated from other states ($19,176 average AGI)
Benewah County:
4.42%
Idaho average:
5.54%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
7.80% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($28,299 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
7.80%
Idaho average:
8.30%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
3.98% relocated to other counties in Idaho ($14,946 average AGI)
3.82% relocated to other states ($13,357 average AGI)
Benewah County:
3.82%
Idaho average:
4.23%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 14.3 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 12.8
Births per 1000 population in Benewah County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 10.0 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 10.5
Deaths per 1000 population in Benewah County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 8.2 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 8.8
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Benewah County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2003: 1,663 (1,356 aged, 307 disabled) Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 17% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 16%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 11.16 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 4887.850 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 223.190 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 50005.58
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1106.530 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1258.410 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 10.85
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 43.86 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 54.24
Household type by relationship:
Households: 9,215
In family households: 7,702 (1,813 male householders, 758 female householders)
2,027 spouses, 2,396 children (2,169 natural, 69 adopted, 158 stepchildren), 215 grandchildren, 51 brothers or sisters, 55 parents, 94 other relatives, 250 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 1,513 (701 male householders (568 living alone)), 565 female householders (481 living alone)), 247 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 70 (69 institutionalized population)
Size of family households: 1,357 2-persons, 477 3-persons, 401 4-persons, 191 5-persons, 87 6-persons, 58 7-or-more-persons.
96.6% of residents of Benewah County speak English at home.
1.7% of residents speak Spanish at home (67% speak English very well, 11% speak English well, 22% speak English not well).
0.7% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (87% speak English very well, 10% speak English well, 3% speak English not well).
0.2% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (46% speak English very well, 54% speak English well).
0.8% of residents speak other language at home (94% speak English very well, 6% speak English not well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $72,768,000 ($8121 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $1,858,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $28,733,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $11,156,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $8,207,000 Federal grants: $20,353,000 Federal procurement contracts: $801,000 ($253,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $3,519,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $78,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $2,872,000 Federal Government insurance: $13,792,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 612
Here:
66 per 1000 residents
State:
78 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 506
Here:
55 per 1000 residents
State:
37 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +1
Here:
+0 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -39
Here:
-4 per 1000 residents
State:
+43 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Benewah County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 1.20 millions of gallons per day (75% from ground, 25% from surface)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
5.7
State:
6.1
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.3
State:
4.1
Year house built
2005 or later: 123
2000 to 2004: 168
1990 to 1999: 742
1980 to 1989: 675
1970 to 1979: 989
1960 to 1969: 517
1950 to 1959: 222
1940 to 1949: 254
1939 or earlier: 696
Rooms in houses/apartments in Benewah County, Idaho
62% of Benewah County residents lived in the same house 5 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 47% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 31% lived in Idaho.
Benewah County:
61.9%
State average:
50.5%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 3698
Northeast: 213
Midwest: 826
South: 470
West: 3864
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses in 2000: $29,500
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities: 4%
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities: 4%
Year Householders Moved Into Unit:
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Benewah County
44.0 years
34.0 years
(50.4%)
(49.6%)
, Latah County 
, Spokane County, Washington 
, Whitman County, Washington 
, Shoshone County 
.
