Idaho earns a statewide composite livability score of 52.2, placing it comfortably above the national median of 50.0. This score represents a comprehensive assessment of all 44 counties, showcasing a robust quality of life compared to much of the country.

A Low-Tax Haven with Low Environmental Risk

The state's strongest asset is its tax score of 83.4, signifying one of the most favorable tax environments in the nation. Residents also benefit from a risk score of 61.5, indicating lower vulnerability to natural and economic disasters than the average state.

Affordability Gap Poses a Growing Challenge

High living costs drag down the state's rating, evidenced by a cost score of 43.4 that trails the national median. While the income score of 52.9 is respectable, it struggles to keep pace with the rising expenses found in the state's more populated regions.

Caribou and Bear Lake Set the Standard

Caribou County leads the state with a composite score of 65.4, driven by high marks in tax and income categories. Fremont and Bear Lake counties follow closely at 63.6 and 63.3, both leveraging tax scores above 87.0 to secure their top-tier rankings.

A Top Choice for Tax-Conscious Households

Idaho is an excellent match for families and professionals who prioritize low taxes and safety over rock-bottom housing costs. The state offers a stable environment for those seeking to protect their earnings while enjoying a high level of community health.

All County Rankings in Idaho

Search, sort, and filter all 44 ranked counties

Showing 1–25 of 44 counties

Rank
1	Caribou County	65.4	73.9	63.8	58.3	72.7	67.5	53.6	92.8	36.7	36.5		28.2
2	Fremont County	63.6	87.5	51.5	73.4	76.2	57.1	58.3	61.8	3.3	45.6		32.9
3	Bear Lake County	63.3	90.3	72.3	59.7	69.5	71.4	8	93.4	48.5	42.2		31.6
4	Butte County	63.2	85.4	91.6	5.4	72.6	42.6	36.8	95.6	18.7	33.9		25.1
5	Teton County	61.4	96.4	14.3	92.3	74.7	68.9	58.4	70.6	35.7	50.4		31.7
6	Idaho County	60	96.6	75.7	41.9	75.9	55.1	18.4	21.6	3.7	36.5		33.3
7	Custer County	59.8	98.1	64.6	30.2	51	64	34.3	47.6	86	40.9		25.8
8	Franklin County	59.6	86.3	51.9	56.8	83.5	62.7	15.9	92.4	8	34.9		29
9	Oneida County	59.3	84.5	32.3	72.7	63	76.5	33.8	98.6	86	28.5		24.3
10	Blaine County	59.1	94.6	15.8	88.1	69	70.4	65.8	34.6	18.1	39.7		24.8
11	Clearwater County	58.8	74.4	63	32.7	78	58.1	35.6	53.1	15.9	39.3		44.2
12	Boise County	57.3	95.5	41.8	80.5	61.7	74.6	26.3	51.1	5.7	31.3		39
13	Washington County	56.8	83.5	49.2	21.9	82.3	53.8	15.8	69.7	86	35.3		33
14	Boundary County	56.6	92.8	53.2	46.3	68.6	57.5	19.9	73.9	3.1	44		37.7
15	Camas County	56.5	92.5	31.1	26.6	81.5	51.5	38.5	94.1	13.4	37		28.3
16	Lewis County	55.6	66.8	72.1	13.7	64.6	37.7	43.3	96.9	9.1	40.4		30
17	Gem County	54.9	94.3	40.9	57.5	65.9	58	18	65.6	51.2	32.3		38.1
18	Adams County	54.8	93.1	55.1	36.7	45.9	64.5	21.8	60.5	86	28.8		29.7
19	Lemhi County	54.5	94.2	65	18.7	63.6	47.8	19.2	58.6	9.2	33.9		24.9
20	Valley County	54.3	98.4	30.2	78.7	41.7	65.8	55	44.4	6.3	38.6		39.5
21	Clark County	54.1	98.6	75.4	18.8	13.1	12.8	88.9	99.3	8.7	39.8		29
22	Lincoln County	54	88	47.9	57	60.8	43.1	26.4	91	35.8	34.1		31.5
23	Madison County	53.7	86.3	29.4	33.5	78	62.4	32	41.4	17.5	40.6		28.7
24	Jefferson County	52.8	82.9	19.3	86.8	74.7	64.1	23.8	59.9	17.4	37.9		28.4
25	Latah County	52.6	65.2	31.7	55.3	46.3	86.1	47.1	66.8	16.2	42.6	74.5	30.6

Caribou County

73.963.858.372.767.553.692.836.736.5N/A28.2N/A

65.4

Fremont County

87.551.573.476.257.158.361.83.345.6N/A32.9N/A

63.6

Bear Lake County

90.372.359.769.571.4893.448.542.2N/A31.6N/A

63.3

Butte County

85.491.65.472.642.636.895.618.733.9N/A25.1N/A

63.2

Teton County

96.414.392.374.768.958.470.635.750.4N/A31.7N/A

61.4

Idaho County

96.675.741.975.955.118.421.63.736.5N/A33.3N/A

Custer County

98.164.630.2516434.347.68640.9N/A25.8N/A

59.8

Franklin County

86.351.956.883.562.715.992.4834.9N/A29N/A

59.6

Oneida County

84.532.372.76376.533.898.68628.5N/A24.3N/A

59.3

Blaine County

94.615.888.16970.465.834.618.139.7N/A24.8N/A

59.1

Clearwater County

74.46332.77858.135.653.115.939.3N/A44.2N/A

58.8

Boise County

95.541.880.561.774.626.351.15.731.3N/A39N/A

57.3

Washington County

83.549.221.982.353.815.869.78635.3N/A33N/A

56.8

Boundary County

92.853.246.368.657.519.973.93.144N/A37.7N/A

56.6

Camas County

92.531.126.681.551.538.594.113.437N/A28.3N/A

56.5

Lewis County

66.872.113.764.637.743.396.99.140.4N/A30N/A

55.6

Gem County

94.340.957.565.9581865.651.232.3N/A38.1N/A

54.9

Adams County

93.155.136.745.964.521.860.58628.8N/A29.7N/A

54.8

Lemhi County

94.26518.763.647.819.258.69.233.9N/A24.9N/A

54.5

Valley County

98.430.278.741.765.85544.46.338.6N/A39.5N/A

54.3

Clark County

98.675.418.813.112.888.999.38.739.8N/A29N/A

54.1

Lincoln County

8847.95760.843.126.49135.834.1N/A31.5N/A

Madison County

86.329.433.57862.43241.417.540.6N/A28.7N/A

53.7

Jefferson County

82.919.386.874.764.123.859.917.437.9N/A28.4N/A

52.8

Latah County

65.231.755.346.386.147.166.816.242.674.530.6N/A

52.6

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Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Idaho

Common questions about county rankings and scores in Idaho.

What is the best county in Idaho?

Caribou County is the top-ranked county in Idaho with a CountyScore of 65.4/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.

How many counties are ranked in Idaho?

Idaho has 44 counties in total. Of those, 44 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.

What factors determine a county's score?

Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.

What is the average county score in Idaho?

The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Idaho is 52/100. The national average is 50/100, so Idaho counties score 2 points above the national average.

How does Idaho compare to other states?

Idaho's average county score of 52/100 is 2 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Idaho counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.

Explore County Data by Category

Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Idaho.

TaxByCountyEffective property tax rate vs national benchmarks CostByCountyMedian rent, home values, and housing affordability IncomeByCountyMedian household income and per capita earnings CrimeByCountyViolent and property crime rates per 100K residents HealthByCountyLife expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access SchoolsByCountyGraduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment RiskByCountyFEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more WaterByCountyEPA drinking water health violations and safety grades WeatherByCountyAverage temperatures, precipitation, and extreme weather events SoilByCountySoil composition, pH, drainage, and organic matter content LawnByCountyLawn difficulty score based on climate, soil, and grass suitability MarketsByCountyLocal market density, SNAP/EBT acceptance, and product variety

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.

Best Counties in Idaho — 2026 Rankings

Top Counties in Idaho

Understanding County Scores in Idaho

Idaho Outperforms the National Average