Population estimates show boom in Idaho

Idaho saw its population boom by 2.2% over the last year, leading the nation in population growth during that period, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data estimates.

The Gem State was followed by Nevada (2%), Utah (1.9%) and Washington (1.7%), and western states accounted for seven of the 10 states to see the biggest growth in terms of percentage of population between July 2016 and July 2017, according to the data.

Idaho boasts a strong economy and an unemployment rate of 2.9%. The state’s Department of Labor earlier this year published a forecast predicting population would grow by about 1.4% annually through 2025, pushing Idaho's population to about 1.9 million residents.

Domestic migration drove change in Idaho and Nevada, while an excess of births over deaths played a major part in the growth of Utah, said Luke Rogers, chief of the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates branch.

Texas tallied the biggest numeric growth, with its population increasing by nearly 400,000 residents in 2017. The state’s population now stands at nearly 28.3 million residents — an increase of more than 3 million since 2010.

Meanwhile, seven states and Puerto Rico recorded population losses over the last year.

Illinois lost more than 33,000 residents, dropping to the sixth-mostpopulous state in the union with 12,802,023 residents. It’s the fourth straight year that Illinois has recorded a population decline, according to the census data.

Wyoming had the largest percentage decline among states, about 1%.

The U.S. population grew by 2.3 million to 325.7 million, a less than 1% increase in population.