Driving north on Idaho State Highway 16 through the mountains and into a valley, folks will pass through the peaceful city of Emmett. The small area of 8,000 residents has a hometown, country feel with decades-long traditions. “We’re in the sweet little valley protected by the mountains on all sides. When you drop down into it, you get a magical feel,” says Lisa Bowman Zeiter, associate broker at Homes of Idaho, who grew up in Emmett. The town was incorporated in 1900, and its growth resulted from the irrigation projects that allowed the city to become the agricultural hub it is today. “Emmett is known as the Valley of Plenty. We have a river that runs through and helps with irrigation on the fields, so that’s why we get a lot of fresh food,” Bowman Zeiter says. “We produce all the food you need, from strawberries to cherries to grains.”
The city’s population grew about 11% between 2020 and 2023. Like the rest of Treasure Valley, most new residents in Emmett are from out-of-state. “People tend to move here to get a larger piece of property and irrigation,” Bowman Zeiter says. “We get people from California, Oregon, Washington and sometimes Texas.” According to Gem County, some of the area’s major employers are the Emmett School District, Valor Health and the county.
The Payette river winds through northern Emmett in Gem County.
Downtown Emmett in Gem County is home to the annual Harvest Festival on Main st.
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Ranchette properties within new subdivisions
Emmett takes pride in its acres of open land, but the community’s growth has forced it to add subdivisions. “We never had new subdivisions before, but then some started going in around 2005 and 2010,” says Bowman Zeiter. “Then, within the last year, they started building two to three more subdivisions; one of them has a pool.” These areas, named Highland and Harvest Valley, are located on the city’s east side. Ranchette properties are available on the outskirts or inner city; often, these have farms and private sheds. Ranches and traditional homes are the most common housing styles.
The median single-family price is around $425,000, $90,000 below the median price in Boise. Lot sizes range from a quarter-acre to about 17 acres; prices range from $295,000 to more than $1.6 million. While some lots are big enough for development, the city follows strict guidance. New areas only open up for development after others reach their capacity. “It’s not easy to develop in Emmett. They are strict and firm with their rules,” Bowman Zeiter says.
Many residents in the town of Emmett in Gem County have acres of land for horses and livestock.
Iconic prairie style homes with acreage lots can be found on the outskirts of northwest Emmett.
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Ample recreation opportunities within a two-hour radius
Tons of recreation options are easily accessible in Emmett. “If you’re an outdoorsman of any kind, it’s got all the recreation options there or close by,” Bowman-Zeiter says. “We have camping, hunting, fishing, white water rafting -- the only thing we can’t do is surf. People here do go to the mountains on the weekends for recreation.” The Payette River hugs the north side of the city, and Emmett has more than 17 acres of parkland.
Emmett City Park offers a splash area and athletic courts, while Blaser Park hosts farmers’ markets. While not all Emmett parks are within walking distance of homes, the city is working to improve access to parks for all residents. Golfers can take their clubs to the Gem County Golf Course for a round of 18. When winter strikes, locals can hit the slopes of three nearby resorts. Bogus Basin is the closest resort, around 45 miles away, while Tamarack Ski Resort is 90 miles north. Brundage Mountain Resort is 112 miles north.
Gem County has several lakes great for fishing and boating.
Make a day trip up to Bogus Basin for a family ski day.
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Trendy shops popping up in Downtown Emmett
Emmett has developed its historic downtown area into a pedestrian-friendly shopping destination. “Downtown Emmett is a charming little walkable area with antique stores and all kinds of little shops that have homemade soups and sandwiches,” Bowman-Zeiter says. Folks can walk along Washington Avenue and enjoy tasty treats from bars, coffee shops, steakhouses and Mexican restaurants. Roe-Ann’s Drive Inn has been a longtime city gem with its old-school retro décor. “It’s got one of those old hanging phones,” Bowman-Zeiter says. “It’s got the most amazing ice in your drinks. For people that grew up here and came back, it’s a must stop.”
Check out the annual Gem County Harvest Festival every September in Emmett.
Find local mom and pop eateries on. Main st in downtown Emmett.
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More than 55,000 people attend Emmett Cherry Festival
The Emmett Cherry Festival is the city’s signature event, celebrating the community’s long history of agriculture. The century-old gathering, held in June, features carnival rides, parades, pageants and plenty of cherries over the course of a week. More than 55,000 people from across Idaho come to Emmett to attend.
At the end of September, the Emmett Harvest Festival Street Fair commemorates the turn of the season. Located along Main Street, the festival has arts and craft vendors, pumpkins and hayrides. Locals can buy fresh produce and goods from the Emmett Farmers Market in Blaser Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays from May to October.
Stroll through downtown Emmet and learn the history of Gem County through artistic murals.
Festive artwork lines the streets of Emmett during the Gem County Harvest Festival.
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Four-day school week at Emmett School District
Students can study at Emmett Independent School District. The C-plus district consists of eight schools and teaches more than 2,600 students. Starting in 2024, Emmett adopted a four-day, Monday through Thursday school week.
Emmett High School has several sports fields including a football field.
Kenneth Carrberry Elementary serves students in Gem County from its campus in Emmett.
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30 miles to Boise
Emmett is an entirely car-dependent area. Idaho State Highway 52 connects to Highway 16 south of the city, and from there, it’s about a 30-mile drive to Boise. Traffic gets congested the closer drivers get to the capital. More than 73% of Emmett residents drive 10 miles or more to work, so the city is working to provide more job diversity and local transportation to ease the burden of commuting. The Boise Airport is the nearest commercial airport; travelers can catch direct flights to 28 Midwest and West Coast cities.
Climate-wise, Emmett has four seasons. Temperatures can reach more than 100 degrees in the summer and occasionally drop into single digits in the winter. Snow falls in the wintertime, but it doesn’t accumulate. “Overall, it’s pretty okay weather. We always say if it snows, it’ll melt by 10 a.m.,” Bowman-Zeiter says. Emmett is surrounded by an area prone to wildfires, which means the city is likely to have more days with unhealthy air quality for some residents.
Beautiful downtown Boise is the place to be for food, fun, and festivals.
Residents relax to the easy tunes of Afrosonic at Alive After 5 in downtown Boise.
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Crime Prevention Council helps combat crime
Emmett's crime dipped by 7% in 2023. The highest number of reported offenses were assaults, drug violations and larceny. The police department has multiple programs to continue this downward trend, including neighborhood watch programs and the Emmett Area Crime Prevention Council, a group of citizens who work to make the city safer.
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