Editing Nez Perce County, Idaho

{{short description|County in Idaho, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Nezperce, Idaho}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Nez Perce County
 | state                = Idaho
 | ex image             = Nez Perce County Courthouse in Lewiston, Idaho.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Nez Perce County Courthouse in Lewiston, Idaho
 | seal                 = Nez Perce County ID Seal.PNG
 | founded year         = 1864
 | founded date         = February 4
 | seat wl              = Lewiston
 | largest city wl      = Lewiston
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 856
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 848
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 8.2
 | area percentage      = 0.85
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 42090
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Pacific
 | district             = 1st
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.co.nezperce.id.us 
 | named for            = [[Nez Perce people|Nez Percé tribe]]
}}

'''Nez Perce County''' {{Respell|NEZZ|purse}}; is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Idaho]]. As of the [[2020 United States census]], the population was 42,090.<ref name="2020 Census" /> The [[county seat]] is [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]].<ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county is named after the Native American [[Nez Perce people|Nez Perce tribe]]. Nez Perce County is part of the [[Lewiston, Idaho]]–[[Washington (state)|WA]] [[Lewiston, Idaho metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
Nez Perce County was originally organized in 1861, when the area was part of [[Washington Territory]].<ref name="cwmbb">{{Cite news |date=November 30, 1961 |title=County was mighty big baby at its birth 100 years ago |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-MpeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5040%2C4691301 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |page=14}}</ref> It was reorganized in 1864 by the [[Idaho Territory|Idaho Territorial]] Legislature and was later subdivided into new counties. Rapid migration to the [[Palouse]] in the 1880s led to the formation of [[Latah County, Idaho|Latah County]] in 1888. Isolated from its county seat of [[Wallace, Idaho|Wallace]] in the [[Silver Valley, Idaho|Silver Valley]], the southern portion of [[Shoshone County, Idaho|Shoshone County]] was annexed by Nez Perce County in 1904, then became [[Clearwater County, Idaho|Clearwater County]] in 1911.<ref>[http://www.clearwatercounty.org/visitors/history/index.html clearwatercounty.org] - about us - history - accessed December 9, 2011</ref> [[Lewis County, Idaho|Lewis County]] was also formed from Nez Perce County in 1911.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|856|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|848|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|8.2|sqmi}} (1.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Nez Perce County has two rivers, the [[Clearwater River (Idaho)|Clearwater]] and the [[Snake River|Snake]], which meet in Lewiston and then flow west. The Clearwater flows from the east and the Snake from the south, creating the state border with Washington (and further upstream, [[Oregon]]). The [[List of U.S. states by elevation|lowest point]] in the state of Idaho is located on the Snake River in Lewiston in Nez Perce County, where it flows out of Idaho and into [[Washington (state)|Washington]].

The northern portion of the county is part of the [[Palouse]], a wide and rolling [[Agriculture|agricultural]] region of the middle [[Columbia River|Columbia basin]].

===Adjacent counties===
[[File:Nezpercecounty-id.png|thumb|right|300px|Nez Perce County map]]

*[[Latah County, Idaho|Latah County]] – north
*[[Clearwater County, Idaho|Clearwater County]] – northeast
*[[Lewis County, Idaho|Lewis County]] – east
*[[Idaho County, Idaho|Idaho County]] – southeast/Mountain Time Border
*[[Wallowa County, Oregon|Wallowa County]], [[Oregon]] – southwest
*[[Asotin County, Washington]] – west
*[[Whitman County, Washington]] – northwest

===Major highways===
*[[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 12 in Idaho|US-12]]
*[[Image:US 95.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 95 in Idaho|US-95]]
*[[Image:US 195.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 195|US-195]]
*[[Image:ID-3.svg|20px]] [[Idaho State Highway 3|SH-3]]
*[[Image:ID-128.svg|20px]] [[Idaho State Highway 128|SH-128]]

===National protected areas===
* [[Clearwater National Forest]] (part)
* [[Nez Perce National Historical Park]] (part)
* [[Wallowa–Whitman National Forest]] (part)

==Government and politics==
Nez Perce County is currently strongly Republican, though less so than southern Idaho: it is one of only nine counties (out of 44) in Idaho that has failed to vote Republican in every presidential election since 1968,<ref>Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’]; ''America Magazine'' in ''The National Catholic Review''; June 29, 2016</ref> and indeed supported [[Michael Dukakis]] and [[Bill Clinton]] (by plurality) three times in succession from 1988 to 1996.

In 2004 Republican [[George W. Bush]] defeated Democrat [[John Kerry]] 62% to 36%. In 2008 Republican [[John McCain]] defeated Democrat [[Barack Obama]] by a slightly smaller margin of 58.11 percent to 39.97 percent,<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2008&fips=16069&off=0&elect=0&f=0 US Election Atlas.org]</ref> a result almost exactly replicated by Mitt Romney in 2012. In 2016 Donald Trump increased the Republican majority to 62.2 percent as against Hillary Clinton's 28.1 percent.<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/datagraph.php?year=2016&fips=16&f=1&off=0&elect=0 2016 Presidential General Election Data Graphs – Idaho by County]</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Nez Perce County, Idaho|source=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 4, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|13,707|5,928|500|Idaho}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|13,738|6,686|561|Idaho}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|10,699|4,828|1,674|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|9,967|6,451|575|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|10,357|7,123|343|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|11,009|6,476|215|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|10,577|4,995|449|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|6,675|7,491|2,530|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|5,431|7,069|4,474|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|7,027|7,754|239|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,153|5,981|196|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,495|6,565|1,684|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,151|6,324|280|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|6,232|5,081|628|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|5,019|6,502|1,058|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,912|9,245|0|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|5,203|7,944|0|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|5,635|6,448|0|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|5,659|5,552|20|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,168|5,747|407|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|3,159|5,453|37|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,409|5,963|41|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,988|5,705|292|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,211|5,077|124|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,054|2,535|55|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,250|1,212|1,842|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,761|1,548|2|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,753|2,675|310|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,011|1,619|1,536|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|3,871|2,843|798|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,956|1,696|628|Idaho}} 
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,184|2,168|0|Idaho}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|675|1,089|22|Idaho}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Populist|345|0|435|Idaho}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1607
|1880= 3965
|1890= 2847
|1900= 13748
|1910= 24860
|1920= 15253
|1930= 17591
|1940= 18873
|1950= 22568
|1960= 27066
|1970= 30276
|1980= 33220
|1990= 33754
|2000= 37410
|2010= 39265
|2020= 42090
|estyear=2024
|estimate=42847
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=July 1, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1790–1960,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=July 1, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/id190090.txt |access-date=July 1, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1990–2000,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |access-date=July 1, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16/16069.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717020444/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16/16069.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=July 1, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020 Census">{{Cite web |title=2020 Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US16069 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> of 2000, there were 37,410 people, 15,286 households, and 10,149 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|44|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 16,203 housing units at an average density of {{convert|19|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 91.58% [[Race (United States census)|White]], 0.28% [[Race (United States census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States census)|African American]], 5.31% [[Race (United States census)|Native American]], 0.65% [[Race (United States census)|Asian]], 0.07% [[Race (United States census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.50% from [[Race (United States census)|other races]], and 1.60% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were [[Race (United States census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States census)|Latino]] of any race. 25.1% were of [[German people|German]], 11.3% [[English people|English]], 11.0% [[United States|American]], 8.9% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.6% [[Norwegian people|Norwegian]] ancestry.

There were 15,286 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.60% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,282, and the median income for a family was $44,212. Males had a median income of $34,688 versus $23,014 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,544. About 8.60% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 39,265 people, 16,241 households, and 10,331 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US16069 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014047/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US16069 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=January 9, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|46.3|PD/sqmi}}. There were 17,438 housing units at an average density of {{convert|20.6|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US16069 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213191717/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US16069 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=January 9, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 90.1% white, 5.6% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.8% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1" /> In terms of ancestry, 30.6% were [[Germans|German]], 14.5% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 13.5% were [[English people|English]], and 7.7% were [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{Cite web |title=DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US16069 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213012417/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US16069 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=January 9, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Of the 16,241 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.4% were non-families, and 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 40.8 years.<ref name="census-dp1" />

The median income for a household in the county was $44,395 and the median income for a family was $55,180. Males had a median income of $42,451 versus $31,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,899. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US16069 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213023030/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US16069 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=January 9, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Communities==

===Cities===
*[[Culdesac, Idaho|Culdesac]]
*[[Lapwai, Idaho|Lapwai]]
*[[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]] (county seat)
*[[Peck, Idaho|Peck]]

===Census-designated place===
*[[Sweetwater, Idaho|Sweetwater]]

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Gifford, Idaho|Gifford]]
*Jacques
*[[Lenore, Idaho|Lenore]]
*Myrtle
*Southwick
*[[Spalding, Idaho|Spalding]]
*Waha

==See also==
*[[List of Idaho counties]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Nez Perce County, Idaho]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* John M. Henderson and William S. Shiach, with Harry B. Averill, [https://archive.org/details/illustratedhisto00slwerich ''An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, State of Idaho.''] n.c. [Chicago]: Western Historical Publishing Co., 1903.

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Nez Perce County, Idaho
|North     = [[Latah County, Idaho|Latah County]]
|Northeast = [[Clearwater County, Idaho|Clearwater County]]
|East      = [[Lewis County, Idaho|Lewis County]]
|Southeast = [[Idaho County, Idaho|Idaho County]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Wallowa County, Oregon|Wallowa County]], [[Oregon]]
|West      = [[Asotin County, Washington]]
|Northwest = [[Whitman County, Washington]]
}} 
{{Nez Perce County, Idaho}}
{{Idaho}}

{{coord|46.33|-116.75|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-ID_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Nez Perce County, Idaho| ]]
[[Category:Idaho counties]]
[[Category:1864 establishments in Idaho Territory]]
[[Category:Lewiston–Clarkston metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1864]]