1st Advantage MortgageCaribou County households have a median income of $68,782 and median rent of $847 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Borrow only what the expense needs, pick the shortest affordable term, and walk away from any lender asking a Caribou County applicant for an upfront fee.
On this page
- Population and place: Caribou County
- Jobs and commutes in Caribou County
- The Caribou County housing market in figures
- Caribou County against other Idaho counties
- Paychecks and income spread in Caribou County
- Caribou County next to its neighbors
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Caribou County
- Before borrowing in Caribou County
- $5,732 a month: the Caribou County median budget
- People and households in Caribou County
- Checklist for Caribou County applicants
- Idaho rules that apply in Caribou County
- Other Idaho guides
- Frequently asked questions
Population and place: Caribou County
Caribou County is home to about 7,162 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 35th most populous of 44 county-level areas in Idaho. Density: about 4.1 residents per square mile across 1,764 square miles of land. Metro status: none; Caribou County sits outside the 2023 OMB metro areas. Soda Springs (3,158 people) heads the county's list of 3 Census places, 3 incorporated and 0 census-designated. Census margins of error grow as populations shrink; for a county of 7,162, read each figure as a range.
Jobs and commutes in Caribou County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Caribou County residents work in education and health care and 21% in agriculture, forestry and mining. Caribou County over-indexes on agriculture, forestry and mining: 21% versus 4% in Idaho. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 1.9% in Caribou County. 16% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home. Only 2.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Caribou County share | +/- vs Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.3% | -0.1 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 21.3% | +17.3 pts |
| Construction | 13.7% | +4.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.8% | +0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.2% | -4.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 5.9% | -5.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The Caribou County housing market in figures
$847 a month is the median gross rent in Caribou County, 32% below the state. By the Census definition, 40% of Caribou County renters are cost-burdened. Caribou County homes are worth $241,500 at the median, a 3.5-to-1 ratio to income. The ownership rate is 82%. Median construction year: 1972. Against the median U.S. county, Caribou County rent is 3% below.
| Housing | Caribou County | Idaho statewide | Caribou County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $847/mo | $1,238/mo | 32% lower |
| Median home value | $241,500 | $418,600 | 42% lower |
| Owners | 82% | 72% | +9.5 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 47% | -7.1 pts |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 27% | -1.5 pts |
| Mobile homes | 11.9% | 6.9% | +5.0 pts |
Caribou County owners: get one secured and one unsecured quote, then compare the total cost and what you would put up as collateral (side by side).
Caribou County against other Idaho counties
The 4 Caribou County numbers that rank furthest from typical in Idaho, and what each means for a borrower:
- On the ACS unemployment rate, Caribou County sits near the bottom of Idaho at 1.9%, 3rd lowest of 43. Low unemployment does not lower your rate; your credit does.
- Median home value: $241,500 in Caribou County. Only 4 of 44 Idaho counties are lower. With modest home values, equity borrowing is rarely large.
- Few Idaho counties match Caribou County on the share of workers who work from home: 6.3% here, 13.3% for the state, ranking 6th lowest of 44. Most workers travel to a job here, so commuting costs are part of the budget.
- Caribou County ranks 8th lowest of 44 Idaho counties for the share of adults with a bachelor's degree: 17%, against 32% statewide. No degree is required for a personal loan; documented income is.
Paychecks and income spread in Caribou County
Median household income in Caribou County: $68,782 (12% below Idaho, $77,800). Only 19 Idaho counties post a higher median.
| Band | Caribou County | Compared with Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.4% | +3.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.8% | +3.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.7% | -1.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.1% | -5.1 pts |
About 22% of households earn under $35,000, while 31% clear $100,000. Census counts 9.2% of Caribou County residents in poverty, against 10.6% across Idaho. Caribou County scores 0.399 on the Gini index, where higher means more unequal incomes. For a borrower in Caribou County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Caribou County next to its neighbors
Bannock County is closest, 35 miles from center to center; the sixth, Lincoln County, is 58 miles off. Lincoln County leads the group on income ($89,330), Bannock County trails ($66,499), and Caribou County out-earns 1 of the six. The list crosses into Wyoming, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caribou County | - | $68,782 | $847/mo | 82% |
| Bannock County, ID | 35 mi | $66,499 | $960/mo | 70% |
| Bear Lake County, ID | 36 mi | $75,260 | $632/mo | 90% |
| Bonneville County, ID | 42 mi | $79,068 | $1,133/mo | 72% |
| Franklin County, ID | 45 mi | $71,950 | $894/mo | 78% |
| Bingham County, ID | 52 mi | $77,878 | $874/mo | 81% |
| Lincoln County, WY | 58 mi | $89,330 | $960/mo | 77% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Caribou County
Places, by size: the top 3 of 3. Roughly 34% of Caribou County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Soda Springs and every other Caribou County community use this county guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soda Springs | city | 3,158 | $57,361 | $843 | 9 mi |
| Grace | city | 1,349 | $72,885 | $883 | 17 mi |
| Bancroft | city | 250 | $78,281 | $1,104 | 18 mi |
Before borrowing in Caribou County
- Consolidating cards in Caribou County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Caribou County borrower sees (free reports).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
$5,732 a month: the Caribou County median budget
DTI math using Caribou County medians ($68,782 income, $847 rent):
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,732 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $847, takes 15% of that
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $1,159 left for all other debt payments
- Under a 45% cap, $2,579 total minus rent leaves $1,732
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
People and households in Caribou County
17% of Caribou County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 8% go without health insurance.
| Caribou County | vs Idaho | vs U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | +1.2 yrs | -3.0 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.8% | -15.0 pts | -5.4 pts |
| No high school diploma | 9.1% | +0.9 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.8% | -1.3 pts | 0.0 pts |
| No vehicle | 2.3% | -1.4 pts | -3.1 pts |
| Work from home | 6.3% | -7.0 pts | -2.4 pts |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | -1.4 pts | -4.0 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.9% | -1.8 pts | -2.5 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 43.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.5% |
| 60+ min | 9.6% |
Checklist for Caribou County applicants
Quick steps for Caribou County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Caribou County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Idaho borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Idaho rules that apply in Caribou County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Caribou County, check the Idaho Department of Finance. If a Caribou County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. See the Idaho state guide for the statewide picture.
Other Idaho guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Idaho guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Caribou County a high-income county?
Its $68,782 median ranks 20th of 44 Idaho counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Caribou County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $847 a month; 40% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Caribou County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 82% of Caribou County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live near Soda Springs. Which guide is mine?
This one. Soda Springs and the rest of Caribou County have no separate city guide.
Is the fit check different in Caribou County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.