City · Idaho
Lapwai, Idaho
Lapwai, city, in Nez Perce County, Idaho. Lapwai had 1,251 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,169 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,021 (±207). GEOID 1645370.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,251
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,169 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,021 ±207
Median household income
$57,439
±$10,268 (90% margin)
Idaho: $77,800
Median home value
$113,700
±$15,531 (90% margin)
Idaho: $418,600
Median gross rent
$1,017
±$146 (90% margin)
Idaho: $1,238
Where is Lapwai and what county is it in?
Lapwai is a city in Nez Perce County, Idaho. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 1,546 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lapwai is in the Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lapwai, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,251 people lived in Lapwai on July 1, 2025, up 3.6% since 2020, slower than Idaho (+10.4%). The 2020 Census counted 1,169 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,021 (±207).
| Measure | Lapwai | Nez Perce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,021 ±207 | 42,697 | no clear change |
| Households | 278 ±71 | 17,270 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.60 ±0.52 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 323 ±75 | 18,578 | no clear change |
Lapwai's population since 2000
From 1,134 in 2000 to 1,251 in 2025: up 10.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lapwai as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Lapwai?
The median resident of Lapwai is 30.9 years old; 30.4% are under 18 and 12.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 62.8%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 20.4%.
| Measure | Lapwai | Nez Perce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 ±5.3 | 41.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.4% ±5.3 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.8% ±4.3 pts | 21.1% | – |
| Male | 51.1% ±4.8 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.7% ±4.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 20.4% ±10.3 pts | 85.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 62.8% ±9.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.7% ±4.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.2% ±3.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.0% ±6.1 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 15.6% ±4.4 pts | 18.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.8% ±6.1 pts | 7.7% | −10.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.7% ±3.2 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.4% ±6.3 pts | 27.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.3% ±2.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.6% ±3.3 pts | 86.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0% ±3.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Lapwai earn?
Half of Lapwai's 278 households earn less than $57,439 a year (±$10,268), against $72,599 in Nez Perce County and $77,800 in Idaho. In 2015-2019 it was $52,560 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lapwai | Nez Perce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,439 ±$10,268 | $72,599 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,512 ±$7,353 | $91,379 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,199 ±$2,434 | $38,311 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.4% ±8.8 pts | 12.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.3% ±16.3 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.1% ±5.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±3.4 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.7% ±6.4 pts | 89.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Lapwai?
Owners occupy 61.9% of Lapwai's occupied homes and renters 38.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $113,700 by its owner (±$15,531). The median renter pays $1,017 a month including utilities, and 22.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lapwai | Nez Perce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $113,700 ±$15,531 | $334,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,017 ±$146 | $1,015 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.7% ±14.4 pts | 36.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,091 ±$148 | $1,664 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.9% ±11.1 pts | 70.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.1% ±11.1 pts | 29.6% | – |
| Housing units | 323 ±75 | 18,578 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±18.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±27.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.2% ±7.2 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.9% ±5.7 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1% ±2.5 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 24.1% ±12.5 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.2% ±2.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Lapwai building?
Lapwai last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2020.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Lapwai work and get to work?
77.8% of Lapwai's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.2 minutes.
| Measure | Lapwai | Nez Perce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.0% ±9.0 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±2.9 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.8% ±7.0 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.4% ±4.7 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.9% ±2.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 4.0% ±4.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.4% ±2.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.2 min ±3.2 | 16.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Lapwai?
No census tract lies mostly in Lapwai; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9400Nez Perce County | 4,610 | $64,653 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Lapwai) · Census block assignment files
How does Lapwai compare with other places in Idaho?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lapwai is the 9,443rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 76th-most populous of 198 in Idaho.
Lapwai ranks 66th of 90 places in Idaho with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 76th | 198 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 65th | 83 |
| Residents per square mile | 52nd | 91 |
| Median household income | 66th | 90 |
| Per capita income | 88th | 91 |
| Median home value | 90th | 90 |
| Median gross rent | 45th | 84 |
| Poverty rate | 12th | 76 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55th | 90 |
| Median age | 76th | 90 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75th | 90 |
| Travel time to work | 82nd | 90 |
Lapwai's figures with every place in Idaho (CSV)
Every place in Idaho, sortable · Compare Lapwai with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Lapwai?
16 of the 57 figures for Lapwai on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Lapwai are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Lapwai.