Map of Idaho highlighting Boise County

 

Boise County was once a rich gold mining district and led the entire west in gold production during the western Gold Rush in the 1860s and 1870s.  Gold was discovered in the Boise Basin in 1862. At one point, Idaho City was the largest city (in terms of population) in the entire Pacific Northwest.

Idaho City in 1887

Today, Boise County is known for its outdoor recreation and location for second homes.  Residents of the Boise Valley frequent Boise County all year-round for camping, fishing, whitewater rafting, and hiking, and many maintain cabins in or near Idaho City, Garden Valley, Lowman, or Crouch.  Some neighborhoods in Boise County (with an Idaho City address) act as bedroom communities to the city of Boise.  Boise County is part of the Boise-Nampa MSA.  There are approximately 6,670 full-time residents of Boise County.

Due to the travel requirement in Boise County, Metro Appraisals covers Boise County on a per-quote basis.

Boise County includes the following towns and communities: