Carey, Idaho, 2013
Carey’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 701 in 1910, a low of 100 in 1940, 685 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and a map from 1979 on.
- 1884Carey is settled
CareyID
A town of 727, settled in 1884.
Photo: User:akampfer · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
727
2025 Census estimate · +5.1% since 2020
Typical home
$499K
+6.8% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
26.4
years
Jobs based here
154
A commuter town
Is Carey a good place to live?
Carey’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where Idaho’s towns sit at 20 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 1 of the 60 Idaho towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Carey. Carey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
727 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Carey: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carey, and how to reach them.
PowerIdaho Power11.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCarey Water and SewerNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carey’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Idaho you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBlaine County ClerkBlaine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code8332083320 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Carey.
Schools
The schools Carey’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Blaine County District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carey Public SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 272 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Carey has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Carey for work: only 11% work in town. Jobs based in Carey grew to 154 in 2023, 56 more than in 2013. Carey’s median household income is $59,000, against $67,000 in Idaho’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
11%work in town
| Carey | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Carey11%
Hailey22%
Ketchum15%
Bellevue6%
Boise City4%
24 mi
median commute distance
154
jobs based in Carey
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Carey, with avalanches at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Carey
Carey has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 12° and about 46 inches of snow falls in a winter.
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–33°
Spring31–57°
Summer48–83°
Fall31–60°
Sep 9
typical first frost
Jun 16
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Carey’s adults smoke cigarettes than in the typical Idaho or U.S. town
19% of adults smoke cigarettes in Carey. Carey beats the Idaho average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 30% of adults get no exercise outside work in Carey.
| Carey | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 73% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Idaho
1 better13 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Carey | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7% | 8.3% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.7% | 12.8% |
St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center
31.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Homes in Carey are worth about $499K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Carey home is worth about $499,000, up 6.8% in a year, close to the Idaho typical home.
$499KZillow home value
| Carey | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,063 a month | $1,117 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Carey$499K
Idaho$477K
+6.8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carey
18pages on Carey
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Carey; the nearest are
College of Southern IdahoCommunity college · Public · Twin Falls57.3 mi$3,360 in-state tuitionIdaho State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Pocatello82.2 mi$8,610 in-state tuitionCollege of Eastern IdahoCommunity college · Public · Idaho Falls98.9 mi$3,390 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Carey residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Idaho.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Carey for work
Where Carey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
154jobs based in Carey
11%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Carey
City in Idaho, United States
Carey is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. The population was 685 at the 2020 census. Carey is primarily an agricultural city and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver Creek and the Little Wood River. Further west is the Big Wood River Valley, leading to the Sun Valley resort.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,783 ft
- ZIP code
- 83320
- Area code
- 208
Questions about Carey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carey, ID a good place to live?
Carey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Carey, ID known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Pete T. Cenarrusa and Carolyn Meline.