Idaho’s per capita farm income lead grows

By Sean Ellis

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

POCATELLO - That Idaho again led the West last year in total farm revenue on a per capita basis shouldn't be a big surprise. Idaho has had the top spot in that category for many years now.

But that Idaho's lead in per capita farm revenue is widening despite being one of the fastest-growing states in the nation is a bit surprising.

The per capita farm revenue number is derived by dividing a state's total farm revenue by its total population.

According to USDA data released Sept. 3, Idaho had a per capita farm income total of $5,804 in 2024. That is almost $200 per person more than last year's total of $5,617.

Among the 11 Western states, that put Idaho well ahead of No. 2 Montana, which came in at $4,332 in per capita farm income in 2024. Idaho's lead in per capita farm income over Montana grew, from $1,119 in 2023 to $1,472 in 2024.

"That we can maintain and even grow our lead in per capita farm income despite our rapid population growth is impressive," said University of Idaho Agricultural Economist Brett Wilder, who compiled the numbers.

"Idaho has agricultural producers who are good about adopting technological change and are leaders in the industry who are becoming even more efficient at producing more value per acre," he said. "That's one of the reasons we continue to raise that per capita farm income number."

The per capita farm income number is a simple way to show people, especially elected officials, how important agriculture is to the average person in Idaho compared to other states, Wilder said.

"It's important to remember that although Idaho has a relatively small economy, agriculture is a huge part of it and is important to everyone who lives in the state," he said.

The USDA data shows Idaho's 22,000-plus farmers and ranchers produced $11.79 billion in total farm revenue last year. Divided by the state's population of 2.03 million people, that worked out to $5,804 of farm revenue produced per every Idahoan.

The per capita number is derived from gross farm revenue and not net farm revenue, which is what the farmer actually gets after expenses are subtracted from revenue.

Idaho's per capita farm revenue number was $4,287 in 2017. Since that time, Idaho has had one of the fastest-growing populations in the nation.

The fact that Idaho's per capita farm income number continues to grow despite the state's rapid population increase shows that agriculture continues to grow in Idaho and is not stagnating at all, Wilder said.

At $3,595, Wyoming came in at No. 3 among the 11 Western states in per capita farm income in 2024.

New Mexico ranked fourth among those states in per capita farm income ($1,957), followed by Oregon ($1,653), Colorado ($1,598), Washington ($1,568), and California ($1,543).

Utah was next at $724, Arizona came in at $689 and Nevada was at $315.

When it came to total farm-gate revenue, California brought in $61 billion in 2024, making that state No. 1 in the nation in that category.

In the West, Washington was second in total farm-gate revenue with $12.6 billion in 2024, followed by Idaho with $11.8 billion.

Colorado was fourth in the West with $9.6 billion, and followed by Oregon ($7 billion), Arizona ($5.3 billion), Montana ($5 billion), New Mexico ($4.2 billion), Utah ($2.6 billion), Wyoming ($2.1 billion) and Nevada ($1 billion).