We recently revealed that United States Census Bureau statistics revealed that while Idaho’s population growth continues to outpace the number of residents looking for greener pastures, more than 64,000 people left the state in the span of a single year.
The Census Bureau isn’t the only organization tracking population migration into and out of the Gem State. A moving company named United Van Lines conducts an annual survey of their customers seeking to answer the question “why are you moving?” Last year, Idahoans ranked the following six reasons as their primary reason for looking for a new place to call home:
- #5T – Lifestyle Change (3.2%)
- #5T – Cost (3.2%)
- #4 – Personal and Family Health (6.3%)
- #3 – Retirement (9.5%)
- #2 – Employment (20.6%)
- #1 – Family (46%)
Looking at migration from a 30,000 foot view, we were also able to determine which five states former Idahoans found the most attractive:
- #5 Oregon
- #4 Arizona
- #3 Texas
- #2 Utah
- #1 Washington
Where Are People from Boise Moving To and Why?
As a Boise-based radio station, we wanted to drill things down a little deeper and find out not just what states were appealing to those relocating, but what cities they chose. We were able to determine the top 15 destinations using the United States Census Bureau’s most recent “metro-to-metro migration” data set and it raised some interesting questions.
Can Money Buy Happiness?
The old adage is that it can’t, but one of the biggest complaints people have about Boise is how out of control the cost of living has become here. One of the wide ranging beliefs is that employee salaries haven’t risen to keep up with those increasing costs. That’s why one would assume that maybe people were leaving Boise for the potential of earning more.
The numbers actually revealed the opposite. According to the latest American Community Survey numbers from the Census Bureau, the median family income in Boise is $81,308. Only three cities on the list had a median salary higher than that.
How Expensive is the Boise Housing Market Really?
Whether it’s mortgage or rent, you likely have a large chunk of money coming out of your paycheck to cover your housing costs every month. At press time, the real time data on Realtor.com shows the average home price in Boise is $539,000. Similar data for nine of the 15 cities on this list is lower…