Idaho 4th fastest growing state

COEUR d’ALENE - The sign welcoming travelers to Coeur d’Alene saying pop. 34,514 will need to be replaced or repainted.

Actually, many signs across the state will.

Idaho’s populations grew by 21.1 percent from April 2000 to April 2010 according to initial 2010 Census data released Tuesday - the fourth biggest jump in the nation.

While the growth hasn’t yet been pinpointed to individual cities, the 273,629-person bump from the 2000 Census boosts Idaho’s total to 1,567,582 residents.

Overall, the Gem State ranks 40th in population. But the jump more than doubled the national rate of 9.7 percent.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Gary Clark, retired, who moved to the area with his wife, Colleen, from Yuma, Ariz., 14 months ago for the scenery and pace of life. “It worries me. I’m a hypocrite - I don’t want to be - but I don’t want anyone else moving here .” Tom Hasslinger, Cda Press

To what do you attribute Idaho’s population growth?