Bear Lake County, Idaho: commercial real estate data.
Bear Lake County, Idaho had an estimated 6,779 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,370, across 975 square miles. County output reached $295.7 m in 2024, 168 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $6.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bear Lake County
How many people live in Bear Lake County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,650
- Households2,278
- Average household size2.92
- Median household income$75,260
- Median age40.5
- Median gross rent$632 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$275,000
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income10.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over4,337
- Population under 181,820
- Share under 1827.4 percent
- Population 65 and over1,410
- Share 65 and over21.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 643,420
- Civilian labor force2,898
- Unemployment rate2.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.0 percent
- Rank by population among Idaho counties36th of 44
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2765th of 3,222
Bear Lake County is the 36th largest of 44 Idaho counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 27.4 percent against 21.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Bear Lake County
Is Bear Lake County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20246,779
- Census 2020 base population6,370
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.42 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-4
- Births, 202477
- Deaths, 202453
- Natural change, 202424
- Net domestic migration, 2024-39
- Net international migration, 202410
- Total net migration, 2024-29
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024309
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents358th of 3,144
The county has grown 6.42 percent since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Bear Lake County
Where are people moving to Bear Lake County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving155
- People arriving, from those returns341
- Tax returns filed by households leaving128
- Net household movement27
- Adjusted gross income arriving$10.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,252
- Average income of a leaving household$53,945
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|
Households arriving report $12,307 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Bear Lake County
What is the Bear Lake County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$295.7 m
- County GDP, 2023$280.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.3 percent
- GDP change over five years49.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Idaho areas BEA publishes37th of 44
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2706th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,468
Output grew 5.3 percent in the latest year and 49.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Bear Lake County
Employment by industry in Bear Lake County
- Covered employment, annual average1,998
- Establishments reporting282
- Average annual pay$40,230
- Average weekly wage$774
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment300
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$45,167
- Retail trade, employment286
- Retail trade, average annual pay$24,760
- Construction, employment90
- Construction, average annual pay$40,088
- Manufacturing, employment67
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,120
- Wholesale trade, employment60
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment32
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 300 | 18 | $45,167 |
| Retail trade | 286 | 35 | $24,760 |
| Construction | 90 | 36 | $40,088 |
| Manufacturing | 67 | 8 | $53,120 |
| Wholesale trade | 60 | 17 | $47,823 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 32 | 17 | $64,651 |
| Other services, except public administration | 32 | 11 | $32,977 |
| Information | 3 | 5 | $103,005 |
Administrative and support and waste management services is the largest private sector at 300 jobs, 15.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bear Lake County
How many businesses are in Bear Lake County?
- Establishments, all industries168
- Employment at those establishments1,081
- Annual payroll$41.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bear Lake County
Building permits in Bear Lake County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024130
- Declared construction value permitted$50.4 m
- Single family units authorized130
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$387,443
- Units authorized per 1,000 households57.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Bear Lake County
SBA loans in Bear Lake County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$395,065
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$1,491,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)102
- Jobs per approval6.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter12
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countAll Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing (3)
- Most active lenderZions Bank, A Division of (7)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.2 m
- Average 504 approval$288,000
- Median 504 approval$282,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$7.9 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bear Lake County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bear Lake County
Do SBA loans in Bear Lake County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure11
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Paid in full2
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bear Lake County
SBA lending by place in Bear Lake County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Montpelier, approvals8
- Bloomington, approvals3
- Fish Haven, approvals2
- Paris, approvals2
- St. Charles, approvals1
- Dingle, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Montpelier | 8 | $3,764,600 |
| Bloomington | 3 | $1,641,500 |
| Fish Haven | 2 | $1,060,000 |
| Paris | 2 | $165,000 |
| St. Charles | 1 | $75,000 |
| Dingle | 1 | $10,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bear Lake County
How large is Bear Lake County?
- Land area975 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Idaho counties32nd of 44
- Width, east to west30.1 mi
- Height, north to south41.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land7
- Establishments per square mile0.17
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bear Lake County
Flood risk in Bear Lake County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Bear Lake County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 160225
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Bear Lake County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Bear Lake County (community 160225), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Bear Lake County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 75.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Bear Lake County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Bear Lake County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,650
- Households2,278
- Average household size2.92
- Median household income$75,260
- Median age40.5
Common questions
Bear Lake County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bear Lake County, Idaho?
The Census Bureau estimates 6,779 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 6,650, in 2,278 households, ranking 36th of 44 Idaho counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bear Lake County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.42 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,370, to 6,779 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 77 births against 53 deaths, with net migration of -29. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bear Lake County?
$75,260. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $275,000, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $632 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bear Lake County?
168 establishments, employing 1,081 people with an annual payroll of $41.3 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Bear Lake County?
Administrative and support and waste management services is the largest private sector at 300 jobs, 15.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 1,998 jobs at an average annual pay of $40,230, or $774 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bear Lake County?
17 7(a) approvals totaling $6.7 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $1.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Bear Lake County?
130 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $50.4 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bear Lake County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Are traffic counts available for Bear Lake County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Bear Lake County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Bear Lake County
Cities and places in Bear Lake.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bear Lake County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montpelier | city | 2,694 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Georgetown | city | 739 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Paris | city | 562 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bloomington | city | 255 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Charles | city | 145 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Bennington | CDP | 92 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 17 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Bear Lake County, the largest being Fish Haven (2), Dingle (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby