The Town Files

Lapwai, Idaho

City in Nez Perce County · population 1,169 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lapwai is in IdahoLapwai
Median home
$113,700
Household income
$57,439
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 91°
Snow a year
37 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
30.9

Lapwai is a city of 1,169 people in Nez Perce County, Idaho. The median home is worth $113,700, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks better for retirees than 87% of Idaho towns.

Lapwai in our rankings:

How Lapwai 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.

Lapwai lifestyle rankings vs other Idaho townsRetirement87th pctFamilies15th pctQuiet69th pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyers62nd pctYoung professionals34th pctVibrancy23rd pctHip & trendy50th pctCollege town55th pctUpscale51st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit58th pctDriving34th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Lapwai is worth $113,700, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $57,439, which is more affordable than 100% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,017 a month. 61.9% of households own their home.

Lapwai vs Nez Perce County vs typical Idaho townLapwaiNez Perce CountyTypical Idaho townHome value$113,700$334,700$291,900Household income$57,439$72,599$66,924Monthly rent$1,017$1,015$1,029
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Idaho towns with 500+ people.
HousingLapwaiTypical Idaho town
Median home value$113,700$291,900
Median rent$1,017$1,029
Median household income$57,439$66,924
Home value ÷ income2.0×4.5×
Homeownership61.9%73.7%
Median year built19751977
Seasonal / vacation homes1.5%—

Who lives in Lapwai

PeopleLapwaiTypical Idaho town
Median age30.936.6
Age 65 and over12.8%16.5%
Under 1830.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher17.4%21.7%
Below the poverty line19.4%11.4%
Veterans12.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home3.4%8.4%
Average commute14.2 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband86.7%91.2%

Weather in Lapwai

July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 30.3°F. About 12.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.1 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.

Lapwai monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing42°30°Jan47°32°Feb55°36°Mar62°41°Apr72°48°May79°54°Jun91°61°Jul90°60°Aug80°52°Sep63°42°Oct49°35°Nov41°30°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.18.41.06.61.35.31.42.61.70.51.30.10.50.50.61.10.31.24.91.18.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Lewiston Nez Perce Co Ap station (10.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lapwai since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1962 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 1997.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lapwai by decade01950s21960s01970s01980s21990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 20, 2012.

Severe weather in Nez Perce County since 1996

Storm events in Nez Perce County since 1996 by typeHail21Flood14Wildfire14High Wind39Heavy Snow93Debris Flow9Dense Smoke5Flash Flood14
NOAA Storm Events Database, Nez Perce County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Nez Perce County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026Severe StormDR-4917: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 7, 2026Straight-Line WindsDR-4905: Straight-Line Winds
July 26, 2024FireFM-5520: Gwen Fire
July 16, 2024FireFM-5510: Texas Fire
August 13, 2021FireFM-5407: Bedrock Fire

Jobs and pay in Nez Perce County

Nez Perce County had 21,969 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,589 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Lapwai itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.

Largest industries in Nez Perce CountyManufacturing4,152 jobs · $71,715Health care & social assistan…3,260 jobs · $52,487Retail2,425 jobs · $40,821Hotels & restaurants1,812 jobs · $21,586Finance & insurance1,150 jobs · $88,351Construction1,134 jobs · $64,065
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Nez Perce County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Nez Perce 2.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Lapwai

2 public schools with 513 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
LAPWAI MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL6-1226714.8
LAPWAI ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK-524614.5

Towns near Lapwai

Lapwai questions

Is Lapwai, Idaho a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lapwai scores better for retirees than 87% of Idaho towns and quieter than 69%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).

How much does a house cost in Lapwai?

The median owner-occupied home in Lapwai is valued at $113,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,439, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,017 a month.

What is the weather like in Lapwai?

July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 30.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.9 inches of precipitation a year and 37.1 inches of snow.

Does Lapwai get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lapwai since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1962. The typical Idaho town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lapwai's Census boundary (GEOID 1645370). Comparisons use the median of Idaho towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.