PRO: Aging up

Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts the American Community Survey — a nationwide effort to collect information about communities across the country. 

About 3.5 million addresses are sampled annually, and about 85% of households contacted respond and provide information, painting a constantly evolving picture of towns, cities and counties across the U.S. 

Results from the 2019, 2021 and 2023 iterations of the survey show that Bonner County’s rate of population growth was above the national and state average, and its median household income was below average. Additionally, the surveys indicate that Bonner County’s abundant population of seniors is expanding faster than senior populations in the rest of Idaho and the country. 

Gender and age 

American Community Survey results in 2019, 2021 and 2023 indicate that Bonner County was home to an approximately identical number of men and women. The proportion was perfectly even at 50% each in 2023; 2021 and 2019 showed only a 0.1% disparity in each direction. 

When it comes to age, Bonner County isn’t as balanced. The results show that the county’s demographic landscape skews toward seniors and away from kids. 

Compared to its total population, Bonner County’s proportion of residents younger than 18 across 2019, 2021 and 2023 averaged 19.8%. Idaho and the U.S. had average proportions of 25.2% and 22.4%, respectively. 

For the proportion of residents older than 65, Bonner County was about nine percentage points higher than both the state and the nation in each year examined — meaning a lineup of 10 Bonner County residents would usually include one more senior than a lineup of 10 Idaho or U.S. residents. 

Additionally, Bonner County’s proportion of senior citizens compared to its total population is growing faster than that of the state and nation. The proportion of senior citizens in Idaho and the U.S. grew 7.7 and 7.6 percentage points, respectively, during the period. Bonner County’s proportion went up 9.4 percentage points. 

Post-secondary education 

The proportion of Bonner County residents with an associate’s, bachelor’s or graduate degree rose in 2019, 2021 and 2023 from 17.6% to 19.9% to 21.7%. Both the proportions and rate of change resembled those of Idaho in 2019 and 2021, although the proportion of college-educated residents shrank in Idaho from 2021 to 2023, while it grew in Bonner County. 

Both had a lower proportion than the country as a whole, which showed proportions of 21.8%, 24.2% and 24.0% in the selected years. 

Median household income 

Between 2019 and 2023, median household income rose in the U.S., Idaho and Bonner County. 

The country, state and county saw similar rates of increase from 2019 to 2023, at 25.0%, 31.9% and 29.7%, respectively. 

The country’s median household income was higher than that of Idaho in each year of the survey, which was in turn higher than that of Bonner County. 

The average median household income in the U.S. across 2019, 2021 and 2023 was $70,134. For Idaho, it was $64,873 and for Bonner County it was $56,877. 

Population growth 

Population growth in both Idaho and Bonner County has vastly outpaced that of the U.S. in recent years. The survey results show that the state and county continued to grow faster than the nation during the survey periods, but that Idaho’s rate of growth is slowing. 

Between 2019 and 2021, Idaho’s population grew 5.5%. Between 2021 and 2023, it grew 4.5%. During the same periods, Bonner County’s growth rate held steady at 6.6% and 6.4%. 

The U.S. population grew 1.6% 2019-2021 and 0.8% 2021-2023.

    Bonner County’s proportion of residents under 18 was below those of the state and nation in recent years. Simultaneously, the county’s proportion of seniors was higher than average — and showed a trend of continuing growth that outpaced Idaho and the U.S. Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
  

    Bonner County’s population has expanded faster than that of the state or nation in recent years. Unlike Idaho or the U.S., growth in the county showed no sign of slowing down during the observed periods. Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey