64,000 People Recently Left Idaho and These Are the 6 Big Reasons Why

For the last 47 years, a moving company called United Van Lines has done an annual migration survey to see which states were the most popular destinations to move to and which states people had enough of. 

Idaho appeared on their “Top 10 States to Move To” for seven straight years from 2014-2021. In fact, the Gem State found itself at the very top of that list in 2019 and 2020. It started to look like interest in Idaho was starting to fade as we sunk as low as #15 in 2022 and #21 in 2023. 

READ MORE: Transplants Outnumber Native Idahoans in These 18 Significant Idaho Cities

Unfortunately for those who hate growth, Idaho was back up to #11 when they released the 2024 results. The results also showed that Idaho’s inbound traffic outpaces its outbound traffic 56.51% to 43.49%. That said, no Idaho cities appeared on the list of top inbound Metropolitan Statistical Areas. 

Where Are Idahoans Moving To?

Those numbers show that while some people are looking for a better life in the Gem State, there’s still enough people who have had enough and are ready for a fresh start. Starting over in a new place as an adult can be difficult but some places just feel “right” when it’s time to move on from a situation that’s no longer serving you for one reason or another. 

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The United States Census Bureau’s latest state-to-state migration numbersf show that 64,970 people left Idaho in a single year. These were the top destinations for greener pastures. 

#5 Oregon: 6.3%

#4 Arizona: 7.8%

#3 Texas: 8.8%

#2 Utah: 10.4%

#1 Washington: 11.5%

Why Did Nearly 65,000 People Leave Idaho?

That was something that United Van Lines was very interested in while putting together their 2024 list and surveyed the people they were moving. Here’s the ranking of what they said were their primary drivers to leave Idaho last year.