Quote of the Day
Idaho was a 2020 move-to darling, and it’s back in the spotlight. Since its high of 320 searches in for every 100 out 6 years ago — the state has taken a backseat to the headliners. It’s not that move-ins stopped, in fact the state has maintained positive inflow and sustained a steady rise of interest year after year.
And the proof is in the pudding. New U.S. Census data shows that 80% of Idaho counties grew their populations in 2025 and Idaho was among the top ranked inbound states of 2025 with a survey from United Van Lines showing family as the #1 driver.
One reason may be increasing Californian exits. A California Policy Lab analysis found that in the last five years net moves from California to Idaho increased over the last five years and that for each Idahoan that moves to the Golden State, it receives more than two in return. moveBuddha data backs that inflow story; of searches made early in 2026, 24% of moves to Idaho are from California. Additional analysis finds that housing costs are a driving factor.
Ryan Carrigan
April 8, 2026
Moving Trends in 2026: Where Americans want to move right now
I have mixed feelings about this. I know what happened to Colorado with out of state invaders. I’m tempted to suggest we build a wall to keep the rats from California out. This is even though my brothers and I were born in California. Of course, none of us stayed there for more about two weeks. And I have lots of relatives there.
On the hand, there is some confirmation that my choice of Idaho as the number one place in the world I want to live is the right one.
So, about all I can do is:
- Encourage the right type of people to move and buy the property close to my little spot and give me a little bit of a buffer.
- Keep giving people tips for your move to Idaho.
Doubly so for Wyoming! But so far, our challenging climate has kept most of the Left Coast lookie-loos limited to part year residence and non-voting status. One improvement might be requiring 10 years of continuous residence prior to getting voting rights.
https://wakeupwyo.com/the-wyoming-citizenship-oath-a-pledge-for-potential-new-arrivals/
My wife and I are political and economic refugees from the Soviet Socialist State of Minnesota. We’d been coming to Wyoming since the 1980’s and loved the land and the culture of independence. We moved here after I retired from the job which had pretty much kept us there; my wife had retired earlier. We now live in TinyTown™ in NW Wyoming, been here for only 6 years.
It’s important to remember the distinction between “refugees” who come here determined to maintain the cultures and attitudes that attracted us in the first place, as opposed to “colonizers” who shit the bed where they’re coming from (KKKalifornia, NewEffinYork, etc.) and are intent on recreating what is rapidly turning into the hellscapes that their politics made them into.
And we see it all the time here. Bike lanes? Nobody rides a bicycle for more than a few days a year (NOT counting the single-track off-roaders, they’re crazy in a different way), and bike lanes are just one of the left-wing’s many ways of making traffic bad in their attempt to get rid of private vehicles. We try to point out to our neighbors these insidious ways that the collectivists try to implement their Fabian socialism, but most people don’t know just how well they conceal the evil underpinnings.
Maybe a five year moratorium on voting in local and state elections after they establish residency. They can only vote Federal.
I grew up in northern Nevada and Wyoming. I have lived in north Idaho for over 35 years. I’ve watched the Californians take over Nevada, I’m watching them trying to do the same to Wyoming and Idaho. Even if they’re “conservative”, they think differently than us. I have made some wonderful friends from California and watching them I have realized that conservatives from Cali are not the same as conservatives from cowboy culture based Nevada and Wyoming. California may be farther west than Nevada, Wyoming, or Idaho but they are NOT western. I summarize it as being west coast easterners. Just my opinion.
I’ve been in NH since 1978 and never regretted it.
in 1986 my ship pulled into Todd Shipyard in Seattle and even then I saw the signs everywhere telling Californians to go home. We can all see what they did to a formerly sane and thoroughly nice place in just 30 years.
Same thing happened to WA, way back when, probably OR as well.
It’s probably happening to MT as well.
BTW, and sorry for the nit-pickery, but this chaps my hide: “the proof is in the pudding” is so very stupid and I see it far too often..
It’s a misapplication of a inaccurate quote.
It’s “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Kurt
Nick Freitas has an interesting take on this problem: You have to pass legislation that actively repels them, because if you just have a low tax, high freedom, business friendly environment, they will happily move there to save money and then vote for all the crap that ruined their blue states in the first place.
What legislation repels them?
Guns. Abortion restrictions.
Still not hanging on the previous comment correctly. Not a complaint or anything urgent, just that I understand from your previous commentary that you don’t see it, so just letting you know.
Yes. I see it. I think it because of a UI change they made in the WordPress blog app. I should do some testing…
I may seek refuge in Idaho if Oregon continues its downward slide. The pushback against new,taxes is a glimmer of hope. Don’t worry I have guns have grown to hate Democrats
I’m looking at relocating – I am specifically looking at states that are NOT getting attention for relocation.
Texas, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, etc get in the news – so I’m looking at Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas; their political climate is as good or better than the others but they are lower profile. I am also looking at places that do not have code enforcement outside of cities – I don’t want to have to give details of everything I’m doing to the state or have an inspector show up to look at what I have.
I used to live in West Virginia, and would consider going back there as well IF I could find a job in Eastern or Southern West Virginia AND find what I’m looking for for land. Unfortunately the Eastern version of Californians are looking closely at WV, so it might be the next Idaho.
P.S. In the last presidential election, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Alaska had every county go for one candidate (Trump). Only with Trump on the ballot has every county in a state gone for one candidate.
I’m looking at Arkansas too. I really love the Ouachita mountains. I just need to convince my wife.