Gem County, Idaho
Located in Idaho, Gem County has a population of 20,614 residents and a median age of 44.2 years, making it the #1,845 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.0%. The median home value is $428,700, and the median household income is $64,605, which is 14% below the national median.
Demographics
Gem County has a population of 20,614, making it the #1,845 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.2 years, which is 13.6% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Gem County is $64,605, ranking #1,663 out of 3,222 counties — 14.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.0% and unemployment stands at 2.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Gem County is $428,700 (+52.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,038/mo and the homeownership rate is 76.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Gem County, 20.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 38.5% below the national average, ranking #1,869 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Gem County is 75.9 years. 15.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.6% of adults in Gem County smoke , 31.4% are obese , and 19.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 20.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 30.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 19.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.0% of children in Gem County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 19.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Gem County is 75.7%. The mean commute time is 33.3 min, which is 20.7% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Gem County voted Republican with a margin of 66.0%. The vote was 16% Dem / 82% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Gem County, Idaho
Gem County, Idaho has a total population of 20,614, making it the 1,845th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Gem County is 44.2 years, which is 13.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Gem County is $64,605, which ranks #1,663 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 14.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.0%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.9%.
The median home value in Gem County is $428,700, 52.1% above the national median. Renters in Gem County pay a median gross rent of $1,038 per month. The homeownership rate is 76.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Gem County, 20.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 33.3 min.
Gem County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 83.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (9.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
All data for Gem County, Idaho comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.