Study shows more people moving to Idaho than leaving

More and more senior citizens are moving into Idaho, according to a new study from Atlas Van Lines. The study tracked the numbers of households travelling from one state to another, and found more people came to Idaho than left.

But what draws the 55 and older crowd into Idaho? Dan Cravens, economist with the Idaho Department of Labor said the low cost of living and the high quality of life are just two reasons.

“You can own a nice home here and it’s a lot more affordable to do that than in many other areas of the country,” Cravens said. “I think the most important driving factor is just the quality of life.”

Many in Idaho, however, would say ‘quality of life’ is a relative term, as Idaho ranks the highest in low-paying jobs, and has a lack of college graduates. Cravens said that low number of highly-educated people has an effect on the highly-paying jobs that want to come to Idaho – employers look for an educated workforce, and Idaho is low on that list.

“Not having a post-secondary education is a barrier to higher paying jobs for a lot of individuals in the state.”

But Cravens said while that is one of the detractors, low crime rates, the low cost of living and high medical quality drives people to move here or move back, especially those thinking of settling down to start a family or start their retirement.

He also said if you’re looking to have a high-paying job, think about all the retirees and the aging population that will be here. They’ll need medical care, and nursing is in-demand.

“And this is our number one in demand hot job right now. Physical therapy is another one, and obviously medical doctors have been in demand for quite some time.”

Cravens also said when discussing reasons to move to Idaho, it’s important to remember the scenic views and many outdoor opportunities available all year.