Migration Boosted Idaho’s Population

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) — Strong migration helped Idaho to its largest population gain since before the Great Recession. U.S. Census Bureau figures released this week show Idaho's population was up more than 1.3 percent during 2014. That's the ninth strongest growth in the nation, and Idaho's strongest since 2008.

The Idaho Mountain Express reports that the state's estimated population was above 1.6 million in mid-2014. It rose by more than 21,000 people from a year earlier. Nearly 9,400 more people moved to Idaho from other states and countries than moved out of the state between mid-2013 and mid-2014, the highest net migration total since 2008.

Three-quarters of those immigrants were from other states. The national population rose 0.7 percent to almost 319 million. North Dakota led population gains with an increase of 2.2 percent.