More People Are Leaving Idaho Then Moving Here (sales, real estate)

[pll]

"Idaho joined the rust belt as a place more people were leaving than moving to in 2008.
For the first time since at least 1993, more people left Idaho than moved here, according to Atlas Van Lines. Idaho was the only Northwestern state to lose more residents than it gained.
The Northwest and Southwest attracted the largest number of people during 2008, while Midwestern Rust Belt states saw the greatest loss.
Atlas began conducting the annual study in 1993."

This article was in todays Idaho Statesman newspaper. Where is everyone going and why? Is this because of all the layoffs at Hewlett-Packard and Micron?

[quadracer111]

Im sure it has to do with the snow lately and are HUGE drop in jobs here..

[ejay]

Ditto. I also think that a lot of people left because they don't like the life style. It's pretty tough to live poor. And when your money runs out and you can't get a job that pays the bills there is only one place to go. Home... My buddy lives in eldorado hills ca and he sees Idaho plates all the time there. He usually talks to them at the gas station and that is the reason they give him. I think so far he has told me of twenty people saying what I said above. They also told him that the californians don't like people from Idaho and they have gotten the finger for the Idaho plates. And had comments made to them about being a racist from Idaho. I feel for them they get it coming and going lol.. Tough place to be...

[boi2socal]

Not including international migration more people are leaving California than moving in. These numbers are from the state. Not a moving company. Yet the moving company shows more moves into California...hmmm...

Also to add to other posts...I have lived here for nearly five years and two of which I had Idaho plates on my car and never had anyone be unusually rude to me or "dislike" me for being from Idaho. Truth be told most Californians don't know where Idaho is. I see Idaho plates around here maybe once or twice a year, unless I'm near Disney. And that doesn't count.

[pll]

Maybe the lower home prices in California is bringing them back.

[ejay]

When I went to Cali a few years ago I got the finger for my plates. And I got a lot of questions about the "North Idaho Nazis" Call me a liar I don't care.

[Sage of Sagle]

"Call me a liar I don't care"???? Are you just feeling truculent tonight? Nobody is calling you a liar....people are just sharing their own experiences.

[boisefan88]

People move to where there is work.

It was a nice ride for the past 10 years. Everyone had a job, everyone was cashing in on their homes. The chickens are coming home to roost, and the house-of-cards economy we've built and fooled ourselves with has crumbled.

I just heard on KTVB that Adams County had 1 of 5 of their residents looking for a job. That's 20% unemployment. I wouldn't doubt that most other rural counties are in similar throws. And it's getting just as bad in many of the cities.

You just can't have an economy built on real estate and tourism. Ask Avimor how their homes sales have been.

[Need2Leave]

This is the first time they have ever seen this (population contraction) as long as they have kept such stats... I've been saying it for a while and I'll say it again... this "downturn" is going to be just a wee bit worse than "they" are letting on... best of luck all

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by pll

"Idaho joined the rust belt as a place more people were leaving than moving to in 2008.
For the first time since at least 1993, more people left Idaho than moved here, according to Atlas Van Lines. Idaho was the only Northwestern state to lose more residents than it gained.
The Northwest and Southwest attracted the largest number of people during 2008, while Midwestern Rust Belt states saw the greatest loss.
Atlas began conducting the annual study in 1993."

This article was in todays Idaho Statesman newspaper. Where is everyone going and why? Is this because of all the layoffs at Hewlett-Packard and Micron?

Not sure where the numbers are coming from, but it's probably their clients? Regardless of the loss of people, Idaho is still growing. According to the US Census, despite the slow economy, Idaho was still the sixth fastest growing state in the country. In order to calculate the numbers the census takes into consideration natural increase(more people being born than dying), plus domestic migration to figure out population growth. The only two states that lost population were Michigan and Rhode Island.

Spokesman.com | Idaho, Washington growing fast | Dec 23, 2008

These are unprecedented times....unemployment is high and the economy has slowed, so for obvious reasons people are going to leave, not sure why that seems like a mystery?? If people are having trouble finding work, they're going to move if they find an opportunity elsewhere.