The Town FilesJerome, Idaho
City in Jerome County · population 12,349 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,400
- Household income
- $66,894
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 30.9
Jerome is a city of 12,349 people in Jerome County, Idaho. The median home is worth $225,400, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more walkable than 90% of Idaho towns, more vibrant than 84% of Idaho towns, more of a college town than 84% of Idaho towns.
How Jerome ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Jerome is worth $225,400, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $66,894, which is more affordable than 86% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $947 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jerome | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,400 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $947 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $66,894 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 73.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Jerome
| People | Jerome | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 31.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.0% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.8% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 91.2% |
Weather in Jerome
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 10.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.2 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jerome since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 9, 1990 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 21, 1970.
Severe weather in Jerome County since 1996
Jerome County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4310: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
| September 1, 2000 | Fire | DR-1341: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Jerome County
Jerome County had 12,175 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,608 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Jerome itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Jerome
8 public schools with 4,253 students, about 19.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEROME HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,156 | 19.0 |
| JEROME MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 972 | 19.1 |
| HORIZON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-3 | 646 | 18.5 |
| SUMMIT ELEMENTARY | 2-5 | 613 | 20.4 |
| JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-3 | 601 | 20.0 |
| HERITAGE ACADEMY (charter) | PK-8 | 175 | 17.5 |
| FALLS CITY ACADEMY | 6-12 | 83 | 13.8 |
| JEROME ACADEMY | K-12 | 7 | 7.0 |
Towns near Jerome
- Wendell, ID10.3 mi · 2,917 people · home $242,100
- Twin Falls, ID11.0 mi · 51,807 people · home $321,300
- Filer, ID11.5 mi · 2,738 people · home $247,500
- Kimberly, ID14.6 mi · 4,626 people · home $339,400
- Buhl, ID14.9 mi · 4,558 people · home $247,500
- Gooding, ID18.2 mi · 3,707 people · home $186,100
Jerome questions
Is Jerome, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jerome scores better for retirees than 1% of Idaho towns and quieter than 9%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Jerome?
The median owner-occupied home in Jerome is valued at $225,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,894, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $947 a month.
What is the weather like in Jerome?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.2 inches of snow.
Does Jerome get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jerome since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 9, 1990. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)