Surprise! Close To 57% Of Idahoans Are Transplants From Different States

It’s no secret that Idaho has experienced a population boom over the past decade. With the significant influx of new residents, where someone is from has become a hot button issue. 

The challenges the Boise area and other parts of the state have experienced because of growth are no secret. Homes that were once affordable are now unattainable for families whose dream was to become homeowners. After the great recession, the median sale price in the state’s most populated county dropped to as low as $171,000 in 2011. According to “We Know Boise Real Estate,” it was $545,000 in July 2024. That’s an increase of nearly 219%.

READ MORE: Boise Residents Are Abandoning the Treasure Valley for These 15 Appealing Cities

The steep increase in housing prices isn’t just painful for would be home buyers. Rental costs have exploded too. The Boise first apartment we lived in after moving out on our own was $625 a month. Today, that same one bedroom apartment on the edge of downtown rents for $1475, an increase of about 78%. 

Plus more residents means more traffic. The agencies in charge of our roads are doing the best they can to catch up, but that’s led to seemingly endless construction. Orange cones are a regular part of almost every commute. 

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These factors, along with other concerns about the economy and political landscape, can certainly cause tension between people with an Idaho birth certificate and those who moved here after they were born, whether that was at age two or 22.

Nobody chooses where they’re born. Their parents make that decision for them, so it's disheartening when you meet someone new and they feel compelled to apologize for where they grew up in that introduction. 

And it’s an apology they probably don’t need to make according to data from the United States Census Bureau. According to their latest “State of Residence by Place of Birth” table, people born in Idaho only represent about 43% of the state's population. While it’s easy to point fingers at the recent growth, native Idahoans being outnumbered by people with birth certificates from other states isn’t a new phenomena. 

They have the same tables dating back to 2010, before Idaho’s housing prices hit rock bottom. In 2010, it was estimated that Idaho’s population was 47% people born in Idaho vs 53% people born out of state. 

So where were the majority of Idahoans born? Census Data suggests it’s one of these 15 states or areas.