Bottom Rung: Migration By The Numbers

The latest driver’s license data suggests more 20-somethings are leaving Idaho than ever before. The net loss of Idahoans aged 21-30 last year was 149. The data show 11,530 young people moved to Idaho from other states in 2012, while 11,679 left.

Source: Idaho Department of Labor | Idaho Department of Transportation

The Idaho Department of Labor is keeping an eye on this unsettling trend; young people are leaving the state in search of higher-paying jobs while retirees from out-of-state are moving in faster than ever.

The shift will have a “profound impact” on Idaho’s economy and workforce says Idaho Department of Labor researcher Bob Uhlenkott.

We’ve mapped migration patterns twice, once in May 2012 with IRS data, and again last month using driver’s license data. It’s the driver’s license data Uhlenkott likes to use because it’s more current. It doesn’t lag behind several years the way Census or IRS data does.

Here’s a look at the top 10 states where young Idahoans moved:

[spreadsheet key=”0AiLU6Cs5LWZIdDNlREpaY0ZPRXFpU1JoRndaV3Zwb3c” source=”Idaho Department of Labor | Idaho Department of Transportation” sheet=0 filter=0 paginate=0 sortable=0]

The driver’s license data among people 51 and older show a net gain for Idaho. There are now 5,638 more people in this age group living in Idaho.

Source: Idaho Department of Labor | Idaho Department of Transportation