The Town FilesGooding, Idaho
City in Gooding County · population 3,707 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,100
- Household income
- $41,899
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 92°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 32.6
Gooding is a city of 3,707 people in Gooding County, Idaho. The median home is worth $186,100, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks more walkable than 96% of Idaho towns, more vibrant than 93% of Idaho towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Idaho towns.
How Gooding ranks
Percentile among Idaho towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Idaho towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Gooding is worth $186,100, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $41,899, which is more affordable than 55% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $861 a month. 60.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gooding | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,100 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $861 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $41,899 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.7% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gooding
| People | Gooding | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.6 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 29.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.6% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.5% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 91.2% |
Weather in Gooding
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 9.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 69 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gooding since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 20, 1988 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 6, 2009.
Severe weather in Gooding County since 1996
Gooding County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2017 | Flood | DR-4333: Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4310: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Gooding County
Gooding County had 6,743 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,813 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Gooding itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Gooding
6 public schools with 1,469 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOODING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 489 | 16.3 |
| GOODING HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 385 | 18.3 |
| GOODING MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 287 | 15.9 |
| NORTH VALLEY ACADEMY (charter) | K-12 | 175 | 12.5 |
| IDAHO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND | PK-12 | 110 | 6.1 |
| GOODING ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER | 9-12 | 23 | 11.5 |
Towns near Gooding
- Wendell, ID11.2 mi · 2,917 people · home $242,100
- Jerome, ID18.2 mi · 12,349 people · home $225,400
- Buhl, ID23.5 mi · 4,558 people · home $247,500
- Filer, ID26.3 mi · 2,738 people · home $247,500
- Twin Falls, ID28.8 mi · 51,807 people · home $321,300
Gooding questions
Is Gooding, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gooding scores better for retirees than 32% of Idaho towns and quieter than 15%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.6).
How much does a house cost in Gooding?
The median owner-occupied home in Gooding is valued at $186,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,899, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $861 a month.
What is the weather like in Gooding?
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Gooding get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gooding since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 20, 1988. The typical Idaho town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)