Latah County is a county in Idaho, United States, on the Palouse plateau in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 39,517 at the 2020 census and covers 1,077 square miles (2,790 km2) centred near 46°50′24″N 116°40′36″W.
Moscow is the county seat, and its postal code is 83843. The county holds 9 incorporated cities and roughly two dozen smaller unincorporated communities; it has no civil townships and sits in the Pacific time zone (FIPS code 16057).
Towns & Villages in Latah County
Latah County’s settlements range from the college city of Moscow to farm hamlets scattered across the Palouse. Nine places carry city incorporation under Idaho law; the rest are unincorporated communities, several of them former railroad sidings or post-office stops with little left today but a grain elevator or a church. Populations are shown where the 2020 census reports a figure for the place; other small communities are marked with a dash.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow | City · seat | 25,435 | 83843 |
| Genesee | City | — | 83832 |
| Troy | City | — | 83871 |
| Potlatch | City | — | 83855 |
| Deary | City | — | 83823 |
| Juliaetta | City | — | 83535 |
| Kendrick | City | — | 83537 |
| Bovill | City | — | 83804 |
| Onaway | City | — | 83843 |
| Viola | Unincorp. | — | 83872 |
| Princeton | Unincorp. | — | 83857 |
| Avon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harvard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Helmer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Aspendale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blaine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cora | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cornwall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crescent | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Estes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Freeze | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hampton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lenville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nora | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Potlatch Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sherwin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slabtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stanford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vassar | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 83843 — Moscow (also serves Onaway)
- 83832 — Genesee
- 83871 — Troy
- 83855 — Potlatch
- 83823 — Deary
- 83535 — Juliaetta
- 83537 — Kendrick
- 83804 — Bovill
- 83872 — Viola
- 83857 — Princeton
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Avon, Harvard, Helmer and Joel share the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Latah County sits on the Palouse, a belt of wind-deposited loess hills that runs across the Washington–Idaho line, with the steeper, timbered breaks of the Palouse River canyon cutting through its northern edge. The Potlatch River drains the northeastern part of the county before joining the Clearwater. Elevation ranges from around 2,300 feet along the river bottoms to over 4,000 feet in the forested hills near Bovill. Bordering counties are Benewah County to the north, Clearwater County to the east, Nez Perce County to the south, and Whitman County, Washington, to the west.
Demographics
Latah County recorded 39,517 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 37 people per square mile — well above the statewide average because the University of Idaho concentrates most of the population in and around Moscow, the largest community by a wide margin, followed by Genesee. The county’s median household income runs below the Idaho median of $74,942, reflecting a large share of student and part-time-worker households in Moscow that pulls the countywide figure down relative to the state.
Economy & Local Life
The University of Idaho, the state’s land-grant institution founded in 1889, is by far the county’s largest employer, drawing roughly two of every five working residents into education, research or related services. Outside Moscow, the economy runs on Palouse wheat, barley, lentil and canola farming, plus timber from the forested eastern half of the county around Bovill and Deary. Latah County was also home to the Potlatch Corporation’s lumber operations for much of the 20th century, giving the town of Potlatch its name.
History
Latah County was organized on May 14, 1888, carved out of Nez Perce County by act of the U.S. Congress — it is often cited as the only Idaho county created directly by Congress rather than by the territorial or state legislature. The name comes from a Nez Perce word describing a place associated with pine trees and the pestle used to grind camas roots. The University of Idaho was chartered in Moscow the following year, well before Idaho achieved statehood, and has shaped the county’s economy and culture ever since.
Getting There
US Highway 95 runs north–south through Moscow, and Idaho Highways 3, 6, 8 and 9 connect the smaller towns to the east.
- Pullman, Washington — 8 miles west
- Lewiston — 30 miles south
- Coeur d’Alene — 85 miles north
- Spokane, Washington — 85 miles northwest
Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport, on the Washington–Idaho line just west of the county, offers the nearest commercial air service, with connections through Seattle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Latah County?
It is in north-central Idaho, on the Palouse, bordering Washington state to the west.
What is the population of Latah County?
39,517 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Latah County?
1,077 square miles (2,790 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the Latah County seat?
Moscow, home to the University of Idaho.
How many towns are in Latah County?
Nine incorporated cities, plus around two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Latah County?
Moscow uses 83843; other towns include Genesee 83832, Troy 83871, Potlatch 83855, Deary 83823, Juliaetta 83535, Kendrick 83537 and Bovill 83804.
What university is in Latah County?
The University of Idaho, the state’s land-grant university, founded in Moscow in 1889.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Idaho.