Mountain Home, Idaho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mountain Home, Idaho
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   _at_Mountain_Home_096.jpg) Clockwise from top: Historic Turner Hotel, Elmore County Courthouse, Mountain Home Air Force Base, St. James Episcopal Church
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Location of Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Idaho |
| County | Elmore |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.35 sq mi (16.45 km2) |
| • Land | 6.06 sq mi (15.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,150 ft (960 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,979 |
| • Density | 2,636.8/sq mi (1,018.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
83647
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| Area code(s) | 208 |
| FIPS code | 16-54730 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411185 |
Mountain Home is the biggest city in Elmore County, Idaho, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2020, about 15,979 people lived here. By 2024, the population is expected to be around 16,921. Mountain Home is the main city in its own "Micropolitan Statistical Area," which includes all of Elmore County.
The city started as a post office at a place called Rattlesnake Station. This was a stop for stagecoaches on the Overland Stage Line. It was about seven miles (11 km) east of where the city is now. In 1883, the Oregon Short Line Railroad came through. Because of the railroad, the post office moved to the city's current location.
Mountain Home Air Force Base is a large military base. It is located about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the city. The base opened in 1943 during World War II. It was first used to train bomber pilots. Later, it became a base for bombers and missiles. Since 1966, it has been a base for fighter jets.
Contents
Geography of Mountain Home
Mountain Home covers an area of about 6.36 square miles (16.47 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 6.07 square miles (15.72 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.29 square miles (0.75 square kilometers), is water.
About 8 miles (13 km) northwest of the city, you can find the Crater Rings. These are a special natural area. They are known as a National Natural Landmark.
Mountain Home has a semi-arid climate. This means it has short, cold winters. The summers are hot and dry.
| Climate data for Mountain Home, Idaho, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1906–2007 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
72 (22) |
82 (28) |
94 (34) |
107 (42) |
107 (42) |
115 (46) |
109 (43) |
107 (42) |
94 (34) |
79 (26) |
67 (19) |
115 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.0 (4.4) |
46.6 (8.1) |
55.7 (13.2) |
62.8 (17.1) |
73.7 (23.2) |
84.1 (28.9) |
95.0 (35.0) |
93.2 (34.0) |
81.9 (27.7) |
67.1 (19.5) |
50.1 (10.1) |
39.1 (3.9) |
65.8 (18.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.7 (−0.2) |
36.2 (2.3) |
43.0 (6.1) |
49.4 (9.7) |
59.1 (15.1) |
68.0 (20.0) |
77.3 (25.2) |
75.4 (24.1) |
64.9 (18.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
39.3 (4.1) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
52.3 (11.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
35.9 (2.2) |
44.6 (7.0) |
51.9 (11.1) |
59.6 (15.3) |
57.6 (14.2) |
48.0 (8.9) |
36.7 (2.6) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
38.8 (3.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) |
−18 (−28) |
4 (−16) |
1 (−17) |
15 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
29 (−2) |
26 (−3) |
9 (−13) |
7 (−14) |
−10 (−23) |
−36 (−38) |
−36 (−38) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.14 (29) |
0.86 (22) |
1.20 (30) |
1.03 (26) |
1.26 (32) |
0.59 (15) |
0.21 (5.3) |
0.13 (3.3) |
0.50 (13) |
0.81 (21) |
1.26 (32) |
1.56 (40) |
10.55 (268.6) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.8 (4.6) |
1.7 (4.3) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
trace | 1.8 (4.6) |
4.6 (12) |
10.3 (26.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.3 | 6.9 | 9.1 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 72.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 7.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 | |||||||||||||
Major Roads and Highways
Several important roads pass near or through Mountain Home:
Interstate 84 goes around the city, about a mile to the east. It connects Mountain Home to Boise, which is about 45 miles (72 km) northwest. It also leads to Twin Falls, about 86 miles (138 km) southeast.
US 20 branches off I-84. It heads east towards Fairfield and then to Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho.
US 26 and US 30 follow Interstate 84 through the city area.
SH-51 goes south from Mountain Home. It leads to Bruneau and continues into Nevada.
SH-67 heads west from the city. It goes towards the air base and then to Grand View.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 233 | — | |
| 1900 | 529 | 127.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,411 | 166.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,644 | 16.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,243 | −24.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,193 | −4.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,887 | 58.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,984 | 217.1% | |
| 1970 | 6,451 | 7.8% | |
| 1980 | 7,540 | 16.9% | |
| 1990 | 7,913 | 4.9% | |
| 2000 | 11,143 | 40.8% | |
| 2010 | 14,206 | 27.5% | |
| 2020 | 15,979 | 12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Population Information
In 2020, Mountain Home had 15,979 people living in it. There were 6,081 households. A household is a group of people living together in one home. The average household had about 3 people.
Most people in Mountain Home, about 75%, were White. Other groups included African American (2.6%), Native American (1.2%), and Asian (3.0%). About 15.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
About 29.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households, about 49.9%, were married couples. Some households were led by a single parent. About 33.6% of all households were made up of just one person.
2010 Population Information
In 2010, the city's population was 14,206 people. There were 5,648 households. The average household size was about 2.5 people.
The racial makeup was similar to 2020. About 75% of residents were White. Other groups included African American (2.6%), Native American (1.2%), and Asian (3.0%). About 11.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 36.9% of households had children under 18. The average age of people in Mountain Home was 29.8 years old. About 27.9% of residents were under 18. About 12.4% were between 18 and 24 years old.
Famous People from Mountain Home
- Korey Hall – A player in the NFL.
- Charlotte Lamberton – A deaf performer who was famous in vaudeville and ballroom dancing.
- Richard McKenna – A well-known novelist.
- Ford Rainey – An actor.
- James F. Reilly – A former NASA astronaut and a geologist.
- Victor Wooten – A talented musician.
See also
In Spanish: Mountain Home (Idaho) para niños
