Custer County, Idaho
| Custer County, Idaho | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Idaho |
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 Idaho's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | January 8, 1881 | |
| Named for | General Custer gold mine | |
| Seat | Challis | |
| Largest city | Challis | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4,937 sq mi (12,787 km2) | |
| • Land | 4,921 sq mi (12,745 km2) | |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2), 0.3% | |
| Population | ||
| • (2010) | 4,368 | |
| • Density | 0.9/sq mi (0/km²) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 | |
| Website | www |
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Custer County is a rural mountain county located in the center of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,368. The county seat is Challis. Established in 1881, the county was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold was discovered five years earlier. Custer County relies on ranching, mining, and tourism as its main resources.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,937 square miles (12,790 km2), of which 4,721 square miles (12,230 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (0.3%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Idaho by area.
The Lost River Range, the state's highest mountains, are located in eastern Custer County. The highest is Borah Peak, the highest natural point in Idaho at 12,662 feet (3,859 m). On the western border of the county is Idaho's famous Sawtooth Range; the tallest is Thompson Peak in Custer County, above picturesque Redfish Lake. Twenty miles (32 km) east are the White Cloud Mountains, the tallest of which is Castle Peak at 11,815 feet (3,601 m).
The Salmon River and Big Lost River flow through Custer County.
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,342 people, 1,770 households, and 1,196 families residing in the county. The population density was 0.88 people per square mile (0.34/km²). There were 2,983 housing units at an average density of 0.60 per square mile (0.23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.28% White, 0.55% Native American, 0.02% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 4.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.6% were of English, 17.0% German, 10.9% Irish and 9.9% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
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