Big cities getting bigger

COEUR d'ALENE - Coeur d'Alene outpaced the state when it comes to population growth, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Thursday.

In fact, Idaho's bigger cities attracted more people in the last decade on a whole, while many of their rural counterparts saw a decrease - a migration trend that has held steady for several decades, the data shows.

"It's because the economic opportunities are greater," Idaho Department of Labor Spokesman Bob Fick said of the shift. "A lot of this movement has been dampened in the last two and a half years because of the recession, but during the good times urban areas tend to prosper."

The data released by the U.S Census Bureau shows that the Boise, Idaho Falls and Coeur d'Alene metropolitan areas posted growth rates above the statewide rate of 21.1 percent from 2000 to 2010.

In all, 80 percent of the state's population growth over the decade occurred in the 11 metropolitan counties. Coeur d'Alene's population grew to 44,137, a 27.9 percent increase.

On the flip side, eight rural counties lost population during the 10-year period. Butte, Minidoka, Clearwater, Clark, Caribou, Bear Lake, Elmore and Shoshone counties all lost numbers.

Shoshone and Elmore counties suffered the largest losses at more than 7 percent.

Wallace is down to 784 people, an 18.3 percent drop, and Kellogg lost 275 people, an 11.5 percent fall.

"This has been going on for decades in Idaho," Fick said of the migration trend where rural areas tend to have limited opportunity for job growth compared to cities.

"And that tends to limit opportunities," he said.

While jobs could be a reason to locate to the Lake City, some residents said that Coeur d'Alene's landscape and outdoor opportunities also attract people from bigger cities looking for a better quality of life or to retire.

"Look around," said Coeur d'Alene resident Chuck Finan. "Where else can you be on the lake, have mountains all around you, and be an hour away from all the skiing?"

Finan moved to the area in the 1960s, and didn't need the recently-released data to tell him about the growth his eyes have seen.

"It used to be a sleepy little town," he said, adding that the migration trend will likely continue. "We've already lost the hometown feel."

Statewide the population grew 273,000 to nearly 1.57 million.

Teton County posted the highest growth rate at 69.5 percent.

A contributing factor to Idaho's population grown was the increase in its Hispanic population, which accounted for more than a quarter of the growth - more than 74,000 - to reach 176,000, or 11.2 percent of the total population, the release stated.

In 2000 there were just over 100,000 Hispanics in Idaho.

Some counties like Power in southeastern Idaho would have suffered a loss in population without the Hispanic growth.

Coeur d'Alene's Hispanic population grew by 2,740 people, a 108 percent increase from 2000 to 2010. That increase accounts for 3.8 percent of the overall population, according to the release.

"Everyone knows the Hispanic population is more and more a part of Idaho every year," Fick said. "When you look at it over a decade it becomes very clear."

Also growing in overall population were Jerome and Twin Falls counties, Lincoln County, Madison County, and Valley County.

The Census Bureau report is available online at http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html.