Bonner County, Idaho: commercial real estate data.
Bonner County, Idaho had an estimated 53,955 residents on July 1, 2024, up 14.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,109, across 1,735 square miles. County output reached $2.55 bn in 2024, 1,833 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 167 7(a) approvals worth $35.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bonner County
How many people live in Bonner County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202451,049
- Households20,283
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$66,979
- Median age48.1
- Median gross rent$1,122 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$487,900
- Home value to household income7.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over38,336
- Population under 189,996
- Share under 1819.6 percent
- Population 65 and over13,477
- Share 65 and over26.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6427,576
- Civilian labor force22,045
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.7 percent
- Rank by population among Idaho counties8th of 44
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1002nd of 3,222
Bonner County is the 8th largest of 44 Idaho counties by population. A median home costs 7.3 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.4 percent against 19.6 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.
Bonner County
Is Bonner County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202453,955
- Census 2020 base population47,109
- Population change since the 2020 census base14.53 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,246
- Births, 2024464
- Deaths, 2024550
- Natural change, 2024-86
- Net domestic migration, 20241,170
- Net international migration, 2024173
- Total net migration, 20241,343
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,513
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents67th of 3,144
The county has grown 14.53 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.
Bonner County
Where are people moving to Bonner County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,931
- People arriving, from those returns3,937
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,329
- Net household movement602
- Adjusted gross income arriving$206.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$113.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$106,889
- Average income of a leaving household$70,315
- Largest single originKootenai County (348 households)
- Largest single destinationKootenai County (221 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kootenai County | 348 | 733 | $27.8 m |
| Spokane County | 144 | 292 | $14.4 m |
| King County | 84 | 182 | $14.9 m |
| Snohomish County | 61 | 131 | $8.3 m |
| Boundary County | 48 | 104 | $3.2 m |
| Pend Oreille County | 47 | 100 | $3.3 m |
| Los Angeles County | 43 | 79 | $8.0 m |
| Maricopa County | 36 | 78 | $2.4 m |
Households arriving report $36,574 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.
Bonner County
What is the Bonner County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.55 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.45 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.8 percent
- GDP change over five years43.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Idaho areas BEA publishes9th of 44
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1095th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$49,870
Output grew 3.8 percent in the latest year and 43.3 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.
Bonner County
Employment by industry in Bonner County
- Covered employment, annual average15,970
- Establishments reporting2,496
- Average annual pay$51,761
- Average weekly wage$995
- Retail trade, employment2,436
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,194
- Manufacturing, employment1,962
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,569
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,909
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,879
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,516
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$41,638
- Construction, employment1,234
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment726
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,436 | 217 | $36,194 |
| Manufacturing | 1,962 | 102 | $66,569 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,909 | 180 | $24,879 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,516 | 256 | $41,638 |
| Construction | 1,234 | 442 | $56,141 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 726 | 294 | $76,445 |
| Other services, except public administration | 662 | 164 | $37,201 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 463 | 40 | $29,579 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,436 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bonner County
How many businesses are in Bonner County?
- Establishments, all industries1,833
- Employment at those establishments14,412
- Annual payroll$676.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents35.9
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.
Bonner County
Building permits in Bonner County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024147
- Declared construction value permitted$31.7 m
- Single family units authorized115
- Multifamily units authorized32
- Multifamily share of units21.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$215,383
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.2
Single-family homes are 78.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Bonner County
SBA loans in Bonner County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded167
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$35.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$211,660
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$453,600
- Largest single approval$3,607,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)804
- Jobs per approval4.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active21
- Distinct industries receiving approvals80
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms15
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter148
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals0.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSite Preparation Contractors (13)
- Most active lenderColumbia Bank (69)
- 504 approvals recorded20
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.2 m
- Average 504 approval$510,150
- Median 504 approval$438,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval3.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.4
- Most active CDCCapital Matrix, Inc. (9)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$45.6 m
The average approval of $211,660 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.0 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. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bonner County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bonner County
Do SBA loans in Bonner County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded43
- Paid in full42
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans2.3 percent
- Status: Paid in full42
- Status: Exempt from disclosure94
- Status: Cancelled21
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed9
Of the 43 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Bonner County
SBA lending by place in Bonner County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending17
- Sandpoint, approvals99
- Priest River, approvals16
- Sagle, approvals13
- Ponderay, approvals12
- Oldtown, approvals5
- Cocolalla, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sandpoint | 99 | $19,109,900 |
| Priest River | 16 | $990,000 |
| Sagle | 13 | $1,406,900 |
| Ponderay | 12 | $5,595,000 |
| Oldtown | 5 | $906,500 |
| Cocolalla | 5 | $347,000 |
| Laclede | 3 | $300,000 |
| North Ponderay | 2 | $625,000 |
| 9 other borrower cities | 12 | $6,067,000 |
Sandpoint accounts for 99 approvals against 16 in Priest River. 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.
Bonner County
How large is Bonner County?
- Land area1,735 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Idaho counties19th of 44
- Width, east to west45.8 mi
- Height, north to south66.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land29
- Establishments per square mile1.06
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.
Bonner County
Flood risk in Bonner County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Bonner County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 160206
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 10
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Bonner 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 Bonner County (community 160206), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 10, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Bonner 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 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 Bonner 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 Bonner County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202451,049
- Households20,283
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$66,979
- Median age48.1
Common questions
Bonner County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bonner County, Idaho?
The Census Bureau estimates 53,955 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 51,049, in 20,283 households, ranking 8th of 44 Idaho counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bonner County's population growing?
The population has grown 14.53 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,109, to 53,955 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 464 births against 550 deaths, with net migration of 1,343. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bonner County?
$66,979. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $487,900, which is 7.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,122 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bonner County?
1,833 establishments, employing 14,412 people with an annual payroll of $676.9 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 Bonner County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,436 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 15,970 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,761, or $995 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bonner County?
167 7(a) approvals totaling $35.3 m since FY2020, across 21 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 20 504 approvals worth $10.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Bonner County get paid back?
Of the 43 loans that have reached a final outcome, 42 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 2.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Bonner County?
147 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $31.7 m. Multifamily was 21.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bonner 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 Bonner County come from?
The largest single origin is Kootenai County, with 348 households. Arriving households report an average income of $106,889 against $70,315 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Bonner 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 Bonner 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.
Bonner County
Cities and places in Bonner.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bonner County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandpoint | city | 9,637 | 99 | Wholly in this county |
| Priest River | city | 1,778 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Ponderay | city | 1,534 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Kootenai | city | 1,022 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Clark Fork | city | 990 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Dover | city | 792 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blanchard | CDP | 651 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Oldtown | city | 428 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Laclede | CDP | 406 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| East Hope | city | 265 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hope | city | 112 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Coolin | CDP | 24 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 25 of the county's 167 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Bonner County, the largest being Sagle (13), Cocolalla (5), North Ponderay (2). 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.