Benewah County, Idaho: commercial real estate data.
Benewah County, Idaho had an estimated 10,529 residents on July 1, 2024, up 10.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 9,532, across 777 square miles. County output reached $557.6 m in 2024, 275 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $8.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Benewah County
How many people live in Benewah County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,142
- Households4,072
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$59,794
- Median age45.5
- Median gross rent$875 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$293,500
- Home value to household income4.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,206
- Population under 182,235
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,426
- Share 65 and over23.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,481
- Civilian labor force4,459
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.4 percent
- Rank by population among Idaho counties30th of 44
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2472nd of 3,222
Benewah County is the 30th largest of 44 Idaho counties by population. A median home costs 4.9 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.9 percent against 22.0 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Benewah County
Is Benewah County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202410,529
- Census 2020 base population9,532
- Population change since the 2020 census base10.46 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024129
- Births, 2024120
- Deaths, 2024122
- Natural change, 2024-2
- Net domestic migration, 2024132
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 2024132
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,097
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents137th of 3,144
The county has grown 10.46 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Benewah County
Where are people moving to Benewah County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving337
- People arriving, from those returns704
- Tax returns filed by households leaving227
- Net household movement110
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$70,279
- Average income of a leaving household$46,903
- Largest single originKootenai County (73 households)
- Largest single destinationKootenai County (64 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kootenai County | 73 | 157 | $5.2 m |
| Spokane County | 28 | 59 | $1.3 m |
| Latah County | 20 | 42 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $23,376 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Kootenai County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Benewah County
What is the Benewah County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$557.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$534.0 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years42.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Idaho areas BEA publishes32nd of 44
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2336th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$54,981
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 42.1 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.
Benewah County
Employment by industry in Benewah County
- Covered employment, annual average3,392
- Establishments reporting427
- Average annual pay$56,185
- Average weekly wage$1,080
- Manufacturing, employment494
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$72,586
- Retail trade, employment328
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,226
- Accommodation and food services, employment191
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$15,323
- Transportation and warehousing, employment175
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$62,260
- Health care and social assistance, employment137
- Construction, employment124
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 494 | 20 | $72,586 |
| Retail trade | 328 | 35 | $31,226 |
| Accommodation and food services | 191 | 40 | $15,323 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 175 | 27 | $62,260 |
| Health care and social assistance | 137 | 24 | $37,782 |
| Construction | 124 | 62 | $44,224 |
| Other services, except public administration | 89 | 25 | $33,880 |
| Wholesale trade | 71 | 14 | $206,880 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 494 jobs, 14.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Benewah County
How many businesses are in Benewah County?
- Establishments, all industries275
- Employment at those establishments2,172
- Annual payroll$107.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.1
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.
Benewah County
Building permits in Benewah County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202455
- Declared construction value permitted$10.7 m
- Single family units authorized55
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$195,214
- Units authorized per 1,000 households13.5
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.
Benewah County
SBA loans in Benewah County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$312,311
- Median 7(a) approval$77,150
- 10th percentile approval$13,500
- 90th percentile approval$494,500
- Largest single approval$4,800,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)102
- Jobs per approval3.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals15
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer3.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter26
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLogging (9)
- Most active lenderBanner Bank (18)
The average approval of $312,311 sits well above the median of $77,150, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 3.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benewah County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Benewah County
Do SBA loans in Benewah County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 10 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.
Benewah County
SBA lending by place in Benewah County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- St. Maries, approvals25
- De Smet, approvals1
- Plummer, approvals1
- Fernwood, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| St. Maries | 25 | $8,579,700 |
| De Smet | 1 | $80,000 |
| Plummer | 1 | $50,000 |
| Fernwood | 1 | $35,000 |
St. Maries accounts for 25 approvals against 1 in De Smet. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benewah County
How large is Benewah County?
- Land area777 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Idaho counties34th of 44
- Width, east to west33.4 mi
- Height, north to south27.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land13
- Establishments per square mile0.35
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.
Benewah County
Flood risk in Benewah County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Benewah County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 160014
- 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 Benewah County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Benewah County (community 160014), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Benewah County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Benewah 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 Benewah County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,142
- Households4,072
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$59,794
- Median age45.5
Common questions
Benewah County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Benewah County, Idaho?
The Census Bureau estimates 10,529 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 10,142, in 4,072 households, ranking 30th of 44 Idaho counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Benewah County's population growing?
The population has grown 10.46 percent since the 2020 census base of 9,532, to 10,529 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 120 births against 122 deaths, with net migration of 132. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Benewah County?
$59,794. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $293,500, which is 4.9 times income, and median gross rent is $875 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Benewah County?
275 establishments, employing 2,172 people with an annual payroll of $107.2 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 Benewah County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 494 jobs, 14.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,392 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,185, or $1,080 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Benewah County?
28 7(a) approvals totaling $8.7 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $77,150. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Benewah County?
55 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $10.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Benewah County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Benewah County come from?
The largest single origin is Kootenai County, with 73 households. Arriving households report an average income of $70,279 against $46,903 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Benewah 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 Benewah 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.
Benewah County
Cities and places in Benewah.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Benewah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Maries | city | 2,915 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Plummer | city | 1,162 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| De Smet | CDP | 135 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Parkline | CDP | 91 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tensed | city | 71 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fernwood | CDP | 0 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
Nearby