Mountain Home, Idaho

Mountain Home, Idaho
Clockwise from top: Historic Turner Hotel, Elmore County Courthouse, Mountain Home Air Force Base, St. James Episcopal Church
Location of Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho
Coordinates: 43°07′30″N 115°41′53″W / 43.12500°N 115.69806°W / 43.12500; -115.69806
Country United States
State Idaho
CountyElmore
Area
  Total
6.35 sq mi (16.45 km2)
  Land6.06 sq mi (15.70 km2)
  Water0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2)
Elevation
3,150 ft (960 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
15,979
  Density2,636.8/sq mi (1,018.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code
83647
Area code208
FIPS code16-54730
GNIS feature ID2411185
Websitemountain-home.us

Mountain Home is the largest city in and the county seat of Elmore County, Idaho, United States. The population was 15,979 in the 2020 census. The population in 2024 is projected to be 16,921. It is the principal city of the Mountain Home Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Elmore County.

Mountain Home was originally a post office at Rattlesnake Station, a stagecoach stop on the Overland Stage Line, about seven miles (11 km) east of the city, on present-day US-20 towards Fairfield. With the addition of the Oregon Short Line Railroad in 1883, the post office was moved downhill and west to the city's present site.

Mountain Home Air Force Base, an Air Combat Command installation, is located 12 miles (20 km) southwest of the city. Opened in 1943 during World War II, it was originally a bomber training base and later an operational Strategic Air Command bomber and missile base (1953–65). It switched to Tactical Air Command and fighters in January 1966, which was succeeded by Air Combat Command in 1992.