Best Counties in Idaho — 2026 Rankings
44 of 44 counties scored across 12 dimensions
44
44 scored
53/100
composite score
66.2/100
37.5—66.2
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Idaho
Idaho Outperforms the National Average
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 | 66.2 | 77.9 | 64.7 | 59.2 | 72.7 | 67.5 | 53.6 | 92.8 | 36.7 | 36.5 | 28.2 | ||
| 2 | Bear Lake County | 65.3 | 93.1 | 76.9 | 73.7 | 69.5 | 71.4 | 8 | 93.4 | 48.5 | 42.2 | 31.6 | ||
| 3 | Butte County | 62.9 | 85 | 87.1 | 17.3 | 72.6 | 42.6 | 36.8 | 95.6 | 18.7 | 33.9 | 25.1 | ||
| 4 | Fremont County | 62.8 | 89.9 | 47.1 | 68.2 | 76.2 | 57.1 | 58.3 | 61.8 | 3.3 | 45.6 | 32.9 | ||
| 5 | Oneida County | 62.7 | 90 | 45.1 | 73.2 | 63 | 76.5 | 33.8 | 98.6 | 86 | 28.5 | 24.3 | ||
| 6 | Teton County | 61.5 | 97.8 | 13.3 | 94.7 | 74.7 | 68.9 | 58.4 | 70.6 | 35.7 | 50.4 | 31.7 | ||
| 7 | Custer County | 60.7 | 98.5 | 62.4 | 56.2 | 51 | 64 | 34.3 | 47.6 | 86 | 40.9 | 25.8 | ||
| 8 | Idaho County | 60.7 | 97 | 76.5 | 52.6 | 75.9 | 55.1 | 18.4 | 21.6 | 3.7 | 36.5 | 33.3 | ||
| 9 | Blaine County | 59.2 | 94.8 | 15 | 91.8 | 69 | 70.4 | 65.8 | 34.6 | 18.1 | 39.7 | 24.8 | ||
| 10 | Clearwater County | 59.2 | 80 | 60.2 | 33.8 | 78 | 58.1 | 35.6 | 53.1 | 15.9 | 39.3 | 44.2 | ||
| 11 | Franklin County | 59 | 93.4 | 41 | 66.6 | 83.5 | 62.7 | 15.9 | 92.4 | 8 | 34.9 | 29 | ||
| 12 | Washington County | 58.7 | 84.7 | 58.8 | 19.4 | 82.3 | 53.8 | 15.8 | 69.7 | 86 | 35.3 | 33 | ||
| 13 | Boise County | 57.7 | 96.4 | 42.9 | 79.8 | 61.7 | 74.6 | 26.3 | 51.1 | 5.7 | 31.3 | 39 | ||
| 14 | Boundary County | 57.7 | 93.9 | 55.6 | 55.2 | 68.6 | 57.5 | 19.9 | 73.9 | 3.1 | 44 | 37.7 | ||
| 15 | Camas County | 57.1 | 94.9 | 32.1 | 28.1 | 81.5 | 51.5 | 38.5 | 94.1 | 13.4 | 37 | 28.3 | ||
| 16 | Lemhi County | 56.5 | 95.7 | 74.4 | 17.8 | 63.6 | 47.8 | 19.2 | 58.6 | 9.2 | 33.9 | 24.9 | ||
| 17 | Adams County | 56.4 | 95.4 | 60.7 | 39.1 | 45.9 | 64.5 | 21.8 | 60.5 | 86 | 28.8 | 29.7 | ||
| 18 | Lewis County | 55.9 | 73 | 69.1 | 14.6 | 64.6 | 37.7 | 43.3 | 96.9 | 9.1 | 40.4 | 30 | ||
| 19 | Valley County | 55 | 98.2 | 34.4 | 75.3 | 41.7 | 65.8 | 55 | 44.4 | 6.3 | 38.6 | 39.5 | ||
| 20 | Jefferson County | 53.7 | 89.5 | 18.4 | 87.8 | 74.7 | 64.1 | 23.8 | 59.9 | 17.4 | 37.9 | 28.4 | ||
| 21 | Gem County | 53.4 | 96.6 | 34.3 | 47.1 | 65.9 | 58 | 18 | 65.6 | 51.2 | 32.3 | 38.1 | ||
| 22 | Latah County | 53.2 | 67.2 | 34.8 | 49.1 | 46.3 | 86.1 | 47.1 | 66.8 | 16.2 | 42.6 | 74.5 | 30.6 | |
| 23 | Madison County | 53.1 | 85.7 | 27.1 | 34.2 | 78 | 62.4 | 32 | 41.4 | 17.5 | 40.6 | 28.7 | ||
| 24 | Lincoln County | 52.8 | 91.2 | 37.7 | 65.3 | 60.8 | 43.1 | 26.4 | 91 | 35.8 | 34.1 | 31.5 | ||
| 25 | Clark County | 52.6 | 96.6 | 68.9 | 21.6 | 13.1 | 12.8 | 88.9 | 99.3 | 8.7 | 39.8 | 29 |
Caribou County
Bear Lake County
Butte County
Fremont County
Oneida County
Teton County
Custer County
Idaho County
Blaine County
Clearwater County
Franklin County
Washington County
Boise County
Boundary County
Camas County
Lemhi County
Adams County
Lewis County
Valley County
Jefferson County
Gem County
Latah County
Madison County
Lincoln County
Clark County
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 66.2/100. 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.
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 nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. 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 53/100. The national average is 50/100, so Idaho counties score 3 points above the national average.
How does Idaho compare to other states?
Idaho's average county score of 53/100 is 3 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.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.