State’s growth a major concern for Idaho residents

BOISE, Idaho – The state of Idaho is growing too fast, according to a majority of Idaho residents in a recent survey conducted by Boise State University.

Boise State released results of its annual Idaho Public Policy Survey. One thousand adults over the age of 18 were surveyed on issues affecting the state, from growth to education, taxes and the environment.

Key findings, according to the survey, were that most are optimistic about the direction in which the state is heading. However, 65 percent of those surveyed believe the quality of education in the state is fair or poor.

When asked about the issue most affecting the state, growth came up most frequently.

Recent numbers from the U.S. Census show Idaho is the fastest-growing state in America, with a 2.09 percent growth in 2018.

Analysts looked at where the growth is coming from and the demographic makeup of those new residents. They found 26.3 percent came from California, 14.3 percent from Washington, 10 percent from Idaho. Nevada and Oregon also accounted for 5 and nearly 8 percent of new residents, respectively.

The average age of new arrivals was between 35 and 39 years old, which is younger than those who have lived in the state longer.

The study also found that those who have moved to Idaho have slightly more education than those who have been in the state for 11 years or more. 46 percent of those who have moved to the state in the last 10 years have at least a Bachelor’s degree, compared to 37 percent of those who have been there for longer.

It also found that those new arrivals are most often Republicans, making up 59 percent of those new to the state.

The survey also asked people how they feel about texting and driving. 86 percent said they would support a statewide policy making it illegal to text or email while driving. 39 percent of those surveyed said they’re guilty of doing it themselves in the last three months, with researcers noting that people generally underreport that type of behavior.

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