The Town FilesMountain Home, Idaho
City in Elmore County · population 15,979 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $309,400
- Household income
- $63,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 96°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 31.7
Mountain Home is a city of 15,979 people in Elmore County, Idaho. The median home is worth $309,400, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more of a college town than 88% of Idaho towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Idaho towns, more vibrant than 80% of Idaho towns.
How Mountain Home 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 Mountain Home is worth $309,400, above the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $63,125, which is more affordable than 40% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $1,155 a month. 67.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mountain Home | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,400 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $1,155 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $63,125 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 67.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Mountain Home
| People | Mountain Home | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.7 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 23.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 91.2% |
Weather in Mountain Home
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 27.0°F. About 7.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mountain Home since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 26, 2013 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 29, 2014.
Severe weather in Elmore County since 1996
Elmore County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2017 | Flood | DR-4333: Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4310: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| August 13, 2013 | Fire | FM-5043: Elk Fire |
Jobs and pay in Elmore County
Elmore County had 7,531 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,221 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Mountain Home itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Mountain Home
9 public schools with 3,641 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNTAIN HOME SR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 894 | 16.9 |
| WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 542 | 22.6 |
| HACKER MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-6 | 537 | 19.9 |
| MOUNTAIN HOME JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 514 | 17.7 |
| EAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 422 | 21.1 |
| NORTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 360 | 18.9 |
| RICHARD MCKENNA CHARTER SCHOOL - MONTESSORI (charter) | K-8 | 211 | 17.6 |
| BENNETT MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 103 | 20.6 |
| RICHARD MCKENNA CHARTER SCHOOL - ONSITE (charter) | 9-12 | 58 | 14.5 |
Towns near Mountain Home
- Mountain Home AFB, ID10.2 mi · 3,191 people · home —
- Glenns Ferry, ID23.3 mi · 1,282 people · home $197,900
Mountain Home questions
Is Mountain Home, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mountain Home scores better for retirees than 26% of Idaho towns and quieter than 13%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.7).
How much does a house cost in Mountain Home?
The median owner-occupied home in Mountain Home is valued at $309,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,125, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,155 a month.
What is the weather like in Mountain Home?
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 27.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Mountain Home get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mountain Home since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 26, 2013. 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)