City · Idaho
Salmon, Idaho
Salmon, city, in Lemhi County, Idaho. Salmon had 3,286 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,119 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,203 (±15). GEOID 1671650.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,286
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,119 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,203 ±15
Median household income
$42,844
±$9,544 (90% margin)
Idaho: $77,800
Median home value
$235,500
±$28,221 (90% margin)
Idaho: $418,600
Median gross rent
$590
±$281 (90% margin)
Idaho: $1,238
Where is Salmon and what county is it in?
Salmon is a city in Lemhi County, Idaho. It covers 2.5 square miles of land, 1,243 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Salmon, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,286 people lived in Salmon on July 1, 2025, up 5.9% since 2020, slower than Idaho (+10.4%). The 2020 Census counted 3,119 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,203 (±15).
| Measure | Salmon | Lemhi County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,203 ±15 | 8,249 | +107 |
| Households | 1,451 ±193 | 3,458 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.29 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,728 ±192 | 4,676 | no clear change |
Salmon's population since 2000
From 3,122 in 2000 to 3,286 in 2025: up 5.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Salmon 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 Salmon?
The median resident of Salmon is 46.8 years old; 15.9% are under 18 and 24.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.5%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.4%.
| Measure | Salmon | Lemhi County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 ±5.0 | 53.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.9% ±4.0 pts | 17.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.2% ±4.1 pts | 30.9% | – |
| Male | 47.7% ±4.1 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.5% ±2.8 pts | 91.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±2.1 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.9% ±3.2 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 26.1% ±6.4 pts | 23.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.3% ±4.9 pts | 6.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.2% ±5.2 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.3% ±5.7 pts | 24.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.7% ±3.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.2% ±7.3 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.9% ±4.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 Salmon earn?
Half of Salmon's 1,451 households earn less than $42,844 a year (±$9,544), against $53,202 in Lemhi County and $77,800 in Idaho. In 2015-2019 it was $47,547 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salmon | Lemhi County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,844 ±$9,544 | $53,202 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $63,904 ±$14,138 | $74,280 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,195 ±$7,870 | $34,545 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.1% ±5.8 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.6% ±4.3 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.6% ±8.0 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.0% ±7.4 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.8% ±7.4 pts | 88.8% | – |
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 Salmon?
Owners occupy 66.5% of Salmon's occupied homes and renters 33.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,500 by its owner (±$28,221). The median renter pays $590 a month including utilities, and 51.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Salmon | Lemhi County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $235,500 ±$28,221 | $326,100 | +$83,879 |
| Median gross rent | $590 ±$281 | $754 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.9% ±18.5 pts | 46.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,264 ±$191 | $1,397 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.5% ±8.0 pts | 79.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.5% ±8.0 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,728 ±192 | 4,676 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.0% ±5.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.6% ±4.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.1% ±7.3 pts | 74.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.8% ±4.0 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7% ±2.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±3.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.8% ±6.1 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.7% ±7.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
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 do people in Salmon work and get to work?
75.4% of Salmon's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 12.5 minutes.
| Measure | Salmon | Lemhi County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.8% ±7.9 pts | 52.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±3.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.4% ±7.5 pts | 70.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.7% ±6.7 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 8.3% ±4.7 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.1% ±4.0 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 12.5 min ±4.1 | 15.5 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 Salmon?
No census tract lies mostly in Salmon; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9702Lemhi County | 2,567 | $30,541 |
| Tract 9701Lemhi County | 2,934 | $59,554 |
| Tract 9703Lemhi County | 2,748 | $64,141 |
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 Salmon) · Census block assignment files
How does Salmon compare with other places in Idaho?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salmon is the 6,057th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 45th-most populous of 198 in Idaho.
Salmon ranks 88th 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 | 45th | 198 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 54th | 83 |
| Residents per square mile | 60th | 91 |
| Median household income | 88th | 90 |
| Per capita income | 36th | 91 |
| Median home value | 73rd | 90 |
| Median gross rent | 81st | 84 |
| Poverty rate | 23rd | 76 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52nd | 90 |
| Median age | 9th | 90 |
| Owner-occupied share | 56th | 90 |
| Travel time to work | 87th | 90 |
Salmon's figures with every place in Idaho (CSV)
Every place in Idaho, sortable · Compare Salmon 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 Salmon?
20 of the 57 figures for Salmon 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 Salmon 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 Salmon.