BOISE, Idaho — The population boom in Idaho is showing no signs of slowing down. New numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Idaho led the entire country in population growth rate for the fifth year in a row.
Over the past year, Idaho has gained 53,151 new residents for a growth rate of 2.9%. The biggest driver for growth was people moving to Idaho from other states. Census data shows 48,876 of Idaho’s newest residents came from another state.
Idaho’s population now sits at an estimated 1.9 million people. Some of Idaho’s neighbors showed big growth as well, with Utah and Montana ranking second and third for growth rate.
Washington ranked No. 23, with a growth rate of .3% and 19.907 new residents. Oregon added 4,611 new residents, for a growth rate of .1%.
Texas led all states with the biggest numerical population growth of 310,288 new people, followed by Florida. Idaho ranked No. 9 overall in this category, with Washington following at 14th.
Overall, the U.S. population grew by just .1%, which is the slowest growth ever in the country. The Census Bureau attributes the slow growth to fewer people moving internationally to the U.S., decreased fertility, and increased deaths due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report noted a trend of people moving away from large urban areas which resulted in several large states losing population, including California, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Texas and Florida were the only two states in the top six that gained population over the past year.