Gooding County is a county in Idaho, United States, in the Magic Valley region along the Snake River. It had a population of 15,598 at the 2020 census and covers 729 square miles (1,890 km2) of land plus 4.7 square miles (12 km2) of water, centred near 42°58′N 114°48′W.
Gooding is the county seat, and its postal code is 83330. The county has four incorporated cities, several unincorporated communities, and no civil townships. It sits in the Mountain time zone (UTC−7, UTC−6 during daylight saving), and its FIPS code is 16047.
Towns & Villages in Gooding County
Gooding County has four incorporated cities and a handful of small unincorporated places, mostly sited along the old Oregon Short Line railroad and the Snake River canyon. CDP/Unincorp. below marks places with no city government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gooding | City · seat | 3,610 | 83330 |
| Wendell | City | 3,022 | 83355 |
| Hagerman | City | 846 | 83332 |
| Bliss | City | 318 | 83314 |
| Tuttle | Unincorp. | — | 83330 |
| Appleton | Unincorp. | — | 83330 |
| Fuller | Unincorp. | — | 83330 |
Tuttle, Appleton and Fuller are unincorporated rail sidings and farm communities near Gooding, without their own post offices; mail there is addressed to Gooding’s 83330 ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 83330 — Gooding (also serves Tuttle, Appleton and Fuller)
- 83355 — Wendell
- 83332 — Hagerman
- 83314 — Bliss
Geography
Gooding County lies in south-central Idaho on the north side of the Snake River, which forms much of its southern boundary and drops over Thousand Springs and the falls near Hagerman on its way through the canyon. The northern part of the county rises onto the Camas Prairie foothills, while irrigated farmland fed by canals off the Snake River Plain covers the south and center of the county around Gooding and Wendell. Elevations range from around 3,000 feet in the river canyon near Hagerman to over 5,000 feet in the northern hills. The county borders Camas County to the north, Elmore County to the west, Twin Falls County to the south, and Jerome County and Lincoln County to the east.
Demographics
Gooding County’s population was 15,598 at the 2020 census. Gooding and Wendell are its two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Idaho median of $74,942, reflecting its agricultural economy. Population density is roughly 21 people per square mile, well below the statewide average, typical of Idaho’s rural Magic Valley counties.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Gooding County’s economy — dairy farming, potatoes, sugar beets and alfalfa hay dominate the irrigated valley floor, and the county is home to several large dairy operations along the Snake River Plain. Hagerman’s stretch of the river, fed by the Thousand Springs aquifer discharge, supports a concentration of commercial trout farms; the area is sometimes called the trout capital of the United States. Gooding hosts a county fairgrounds and is the retail and government center for the county.
History
The Idaho Legislature created Gooding County on January 28, 1913, by dividing it from Lincoln County. The county and its seat are named for Frank R. Gooding, Idaho’s 7th governor and a later United States Senator; a town had already been platted on land he owned at the Toponis rail station in 1907 and incorporated as Gooding in 1908. The Oregon Short Line railroad, completed through the area in the early 1880s, shaped the county’s original town sites, including the small sidings of Tuttle, Appleton and Fuller.
Getting There
Interstate 84 crosses the northern part of the county, and US Routes 26 and 30 run through Gooding and Wendell along with State Highway 46.
- Twin Falls — 25 miles southeast
- Boise — 100 miles west
- Jerome — 20 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gooding County?
It is in south-central Idaho, in the Magic Valley region along the Snake River, between Twin Falls and Mountain Home.
What is the population of Gooding County?
15,598 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Gooding County?
729 square miles (1,890 km2) of land, plus 4.7 square miles (12 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Gooding County?
Gooding.
How many towns are in Gooding County?
Four incorporated cities — Gooding, Wendell, Hagerman and Bliss — plus a few small unincorporated places.
What ZIP codes are in Gooding County?
83330 (Gooding), 83355 (Wendell), 83332 (Hagerman) and 83314 (Bliss).
What is Gooding County known for?
Its Snake River trout farms near Hagerman, dairy and potato farming, and the Thousand Springs area along the river canyon.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Idaho.