The Town FilesWendell, Idaho
City in Gooding County · population 2,917 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $242,100
- Household income
- $57,266
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 42.1
Wendell is a city of 2,917 people in Gooding County, Idaho. The median home is worth $242,100, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). It ranks better transit than 85% of Idaho towns.
How Wendell 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 Wendell is worth $242,100, below the typical Idaho town ($291,900). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $57,266, which is more affordable than 63% of Idaho towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 70.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wendell | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,100 | $291,900 |
| Median rent | $815 | $1,029 |
| Median household income | $57,266 | $66,924 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.9% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wendell
| People | Wendell | Typical Idaho town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 36.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.9% | 21.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 11.4% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 8.4% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 91.2% |
Weather in Wendell
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 10.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.2 inches of snow (typical Idaho town: 38.8 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wendell since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Idaho town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 10, 1990 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 1993.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 22, 2014.
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 Wendell itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Wendell
3 public schools with 1,111 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WENDELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 431 | 18.7 |
| WENDELL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 351 | 18.5 |
| WENDELL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 329 | 16.5 |
Towns near Wendell
- Jerome, ID10.3 mi · 12,349 people · home $225,400
- Gooding, ID11.2 mi · 3,707 people · home $186,100
- Buhl, ID12.5 mi · 4,558 people · home $247,500
- Filer, ID15.3 mi · 2,738 people · home $247,500
- Twin Falls, ID19.1 mi · 51,807 people · home $321,300
- Kimberly, ID23.7 mi · 4,626 people · home $339,400
Wendell questions
Is Wendell, Idaho a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wendell scores better for retirees than 36% of Idaho towns and quieter than 48%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Wendell?
The median owner-occupied home in Wendell is valued at $242,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,266, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Wendell?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.2 inches of snow.
Does Wendell get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wendell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 10, 1990. 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)