OSLRR Homedale Branch, 1931
Homedale’s story
126 years in pictures
Census counts: 225 in 1930, 2,881 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1931 and 4 maps from 1898 on.
- 1900Homedale is settled
HomedaleID
A town of 3,138, settled in 1900.
Population
3,138
2025 Census estimate · +8.7% since 2020
Typical home
$356K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
34.0
years
Jobs based here
820
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#38 of 58 in ID
Is Homedale a good place to live?
Homedale gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $356K, 4.1 years of the Boise City metro’s $86K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 38th of 58 in Idaho. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top, and the median household income is $62K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Of the 59 Idaho towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Homedale.
What makes Homedale stand out
Where Homedale beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
4.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Homedale4.9
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical ID town3.9
Civic lifeA−
26% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Idaho town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Homedale$356K
Idaho$477K
Cost of livingA−
More affordable than 75% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A commuter town
88% of working residents leave Homedale for work
Where Homedale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
820jobs based in Homedale
12%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Homedale grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Idaho), ordered by how far Homedale is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.1 of 20; 5.7% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →HealthWest Valley Medical Center 12.5 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life4.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.0; 7% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Homedale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Homedale, and how to reach them.
PowerIdaho Power11.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Homedale water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Homedale’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 hereOwyhee County ClerkOwyhee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2023
ZIP code8362883628 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 Homedale.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Homedale’s workers commute out
The average commute for its 1,289 working residents takes 30.3 minutes, against 21.6 across Idaho.
Most working residents leave Homedale for work: only 12% work in town. Homedale’s average trip to work is 30 minutes, against 20 minutes in Idaho’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Homedale has added 98 jobs, to 820 in 2023.
12%work in town
| Homedale | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 23% | 8% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Homedale12%
Boise City14%
Nampa14%
Caldwell12%
Meridian6%
19 mi
median commute distance
820
jobs based in Homedale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Homedale fall behind 51% of Idaho districts
Its public schools are run by the Homedale Joint District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Homedale High School, with 400 students.
49%of ID districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homedale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 524 | C |
| Homedale High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 400 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ID on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Homedale, with inland flooding at the top
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
Homedale is less healthy than 71% of U.S. towns
Homedale beats the Idaho average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 20% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Homedale, where Idaho’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 8.1%. 24% of Homedale adults worry about having enough food.
29%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Homedale | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 11% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 23% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Idaho
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Homedale | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.9% | 8.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 20.3% | 10.7% |
West Valley Medical Center
12.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
9th
percentile among ID towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living, Homedale earns an A−
The typical Homedale home is worth about $356,000, up 1.3% in a year, 25% below the Idaho typical home.
$356KZillow home value
| Homedale | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 68% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,078 a month | $1,125 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Homedale$356K
Idaho$477K
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Homedale
Homedale has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. The July high in Homedale is 94°F.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–42°
Spring38–67°
Summer55–90°
Fall37–67°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Homedale
Homedale's reported crime rate is below Idaho's. Homedale’s property crime rate is 3.4 per 1,000 residents. 7 violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Homedale | Idaho towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 3.4 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 2.2 per 1,000 residents | 2 | 1.8 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Homedale2.2
Idaho2.4
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Homedale3.4
Idaho8.4
U.S.19.5
7
violent crimes reported in 2023
11
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Homedale
19pages on Homedale
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 51% of ID districts · 3 schoolsSafety2.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthCBetter than ID on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$356K typical home · up 1.3% in a yearWork & commuteC−$62K median household income · 820 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Homedale
About 1 of every 100 Homedale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Idaho.
About Homedale
City in Idaho, United States
Homedale is a city in Owyhee County Idaho. As of the 2020 census, Homedale had a population of 2,881. The town name was chosen by drawing names from a hat during a community picnic. Homedale is part of the Boise metropolitan area. It was, at one time, the terminus of a branch of the Oregon Short Line Railroad.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,231 ft
- ZIP code
- 83628
- Area code
- 208
Questions about Homedale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Homedale, ID a good place to live?
Homedale grades C+ overall, better than 41% of U.S. towns and #38 of 58 in Idaho. It grades C for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Homedale, ID expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
What is Homedale, ID known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Scott Matlock and Niles Fulwyler.