Idaho Falls Out of the Top 10 Most Popular States For First Time Since 2014

For the past 46 years, United Van Lines has done a study tracking state-to-state migration patterns. The results from 2022 were just released and it appears that the interest in moving to Idaho is waning. 

Idaho first appeared on their “Top States to Move To” list in 2014 in the #10 spot. After that, the secret was out. We jumped to #4 in 2015 and 2016, #3 in 2017 and 2018 and #1 in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, our popularity as a new home started to cool and we fell to #9. This year? Our run in the top 10 came to an end. 

The United Van Lines VP of Corporate Communications explained why Idaho is no longer a top destination by saying:

“With an influx of new residents, housing prices and other living costs start to increase over time, and these popular destinations become hot spots for inflation. As a result, the study underscored that Americans are moving from expensive cities to lower-density, more affordable regions.”  

Now, before you get too excited we didn’t plummet all the way to the bottom of the list. When we downloaded their full data set, they had Idaho ranked #15 with 55% inbound traffic and 45% outbound traffic. 

Why Are People Leaving Idaho?

The amount of outbound traffic from Idaho is up 5.5% from 2021 and 15.2% from 2020. While conducting their survey, United Van Lines asks people about the motivation behind their move. In 2022, about 57% of the people who left Idaho said that they were moving for family reasons. Almost 23% said they were leaving for a job opportunity. Retirement and cost of living tied for third place with 11.43%. 

Who is Leaving Idaho?

Baby Boomers over the age of 65 accounted for 41.67% of the outbound traffic from Idaho last year, followed by 25% of Gen Xers between the ages of 45-54. As far as the income level of those moving? It was surprisingly balanced. Those making $50,000-$74,999 and $100,000-$149,999 a year each accounted for 25% of the outbound traffic. Those making $0-$49,999 and $150,000+ each accounted for 20%. 

Who’s Still Interested in Idaho?

Simply put, Boomers and Gen Xers who are making good money. People 55 and older made up nearly 74% of people who moved to Idaho in 2022. Nearly 73% of people who moved here have a household income of $100,000 or more. 

So, Which States Made 2022’s Top 10?

We dug into the United Van Lines list, compiled some things that are attractive about each state and put together this list for you. Tennessee, Florida, West Virginia, and New Hampshire also placed ahead of Idaho when it came to inbound traffic in 2022.