Map
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Location in the state of
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!style="background:#efefef;"| Formed
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!style="background:#efefef;"| Area - Total - Land - Water
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The county is home to North Fork of the Clearwater River, and a small portion of the South Fork of the Clearwater and the Clearwater. Both the Clearwater, and the Lolo Pass, in the southeast corner of the county, were made famous by Lewis and Clark. Elias D. Pierce and Wilbur F. Bassett made the first discovery of gold in Idaho, on Orofino Creek (Canal Gulch) in 1860, one mile (1.67 kilometers) north of present-day Pierce. Also in the county are the Dworshak Reservoir, Dworshak State Park, Dworshak National Fish Hatchery, and the Dworshak Dam, third highest dam in the United States.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,444 km² (2,488 mi²). 6,375 km² (2,461 mi²) of it is land and 69 km² (27 mi²) of it (1.07%) is water.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 8,930 people, 3,456 households, and 2,481 families residing in the county. The population density was 1/km² (4/mi²). There were 4,144 housing units at an average density of 1/km² (2/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.82% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 2.03% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. 1.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,456 households out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 29.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 113.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,071, and the median income for a family was $37,259. Males had a median income of $31,426 versus $21,694 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,463. About 9.70% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.
