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Mountain Home, Idaho facts for kids

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Mountain Home, Idaho
City of Mountain Home
Historic Turner Hotel
St. James Episcopal Church in Winter
Elmore County Courthouse
MHAFB Aircraft
Clockwise from top: Historic Turner Hotel, Elmore County Courthouse, Mountain Home Air Force Base, St. James Episcopal Church
Location of Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho
Location of Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho
Country  United States
State  Idaho
County Elmore
Area
 • Total 6.35 sq mi (16.45 km2)
 • Land 6.06 sq mi (15.70 km2)
 • Water 0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2)
Elevation
3,146 ft (959 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 14,206
 • Estimate 
(2019)
14,562
 • Density 2,402.97/sq mi (927.81/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code
83647
Area code(s) 208
FIPS code 16-54730
GNIS feature ID 0374044

Mountain Home is the largest city and county seat of Elmore County, Idaho, United States. The population was 14,206 in the 2010 census. Mountain Home is the principal city of the Mountain Home, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Elmore County.

Mountain Home was originally a post office at Rattlesnake Station, a stagecoach stop on the Overland Stage Line, about seven miles (11 km) east of the city, on present-day US-20 towards Fairfield. With the addition of the Oregon Short Line Railroad in 1883, the post office was moved downhill and west to the city's present site.

Mountain Home Air Force Base, an Air Combat Command installation, is located 12 miles (20 km) southwest of the city. Opened in 1943 during World War II, the base was originally a bomber training base and later an operational Strategic Air Command bomber and missile base (1953–65). It switched to Tactical Air Command and fighters in January 1966, which was succeeded by Air Combat Command in 1992.

Geography

Mountain Home is located at 43°8′13″N 115°41′40″W / 43.13694°N 115.69444°W / 43.13694; -115.69444 (43.136812, -115.694474), at an elevation of 3,146 feet (959 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.36 square miles (16.47 km2), of which 6.07 square miles (15.72 km2) is land and 0.29 square miles (0.75 km2) is water.

About 8 miles (13 km) to the northwest are the Crater Rings, a National Natural Landmark.

Mountain Home experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with short, cold winters and hot, dry summers.

Climate data for Mountain Home (1971–2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 37.6
(3.1)
44.9
(7.2)
53.6
(12.0)
62.5
(16.9)
71.6
(22.0)
82.3
(27.9)
91.7
(33.2)
91.2
(32.9)
79.5
(26.4)
66.2
(19.0)
48.5
(9.2)
38.2
(3.4)
64.0
(17.8)
Average low °F (°C) 20.4
(−6.4)
24.4
(−4.2)
29.7
(−1.3)
35.1
(1.7)
42.8
(6.0)
50.4
(10.2)
56.7
(13.7)
55.5
(13.1)
45.8
(7.7)
35.4
(1.9)
26.9
(−2.8)
20.3
(−6.5)
36.9
(2.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.32
(34)
0.97
(25)
1.19
(30)
0.92
(23)
0.86
(22)
0.59
(15)
0.38
(9.7)
0.20
(5.1)
0.68
(17)
0.76
(19)
1.32
(34)
1.38
(35)
10.57
(268.8)
Source: NOAA (normals, 1971–2000)


Highways

Mountain Home, Idaho 4
A main street in the city
  • I-84.svg - Interstate 84 bypasses the city, running about a mile east; it links with Boise 45 miles (72 km) to the northwest and Twin Falls 86 miles (138 km) to the southeast
  • US 20.svg - US 20 splits from I-84 at exit 95, and heads eastbound toward Fairfield and over to Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho
  • ID-51.svg - SH-51 heads south-southwest towards Bruneau and on to Elko, Nevada, changing to Nevada State Route 225 midway through the Duck Valley Indian Reservation
  • ID-67.svg - SH-67 heads west-southwest toward the air base and on to Grand View via SH-167

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 233
1900 529 127.0%
1910 1,411 166.7%
1920 1,644 16.5%
1930 1,243 −24.4%
1940 1,193 −4.0%
1950 1,887 58.2%
1960 5,984 217.1%
1970 6,451 7.8%
1980 7,540 16.9%
1990 7,913 4.9%
2000 11,143 40.8%
2010 14,206 27.5%
2019 (est.) 14,562 2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

Bengoechea Hotel, Mountain Home, Idaho
Bengoechea Hotel
Mountain Home, Idaho 1
A street in the city

At the 2010 census, there were 14,206 people, 5,648 households and 3,686 families living in the city. The population density was 2,340.4 inhabitants per square mile (903.6/km2). There were 6,249 housing units at an average density of 1,029.5 per square mile (397.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.2% White, 3.3% African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, 4.8% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 11.9% of the population.

There were 5,648 households, of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.7% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.

The median age in the city was 29.8 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 to 44; 20.7% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.3% male and 48.7% female.

Notable people

  • Korey Hall - NFL player
  • Richard McKenna - novelist
  • Ford Rainey - actor
  • James F. Reilly - former NASA astronaut and geologist
  • Victor Wooten - musician

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mountain Home (Idaho) para niños

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