Recession Suppresses Population Movement Within The Northwest

By Doug Nadvornick | March 25, 2010 5:10 p.m. | Updated: June 16, 2010 11:56 p.m. | Coeur d'Alene, ID

New Census Bureau estimates show the Northwest added people between 2008 and 2009. These numbers precede the actual 2010 headcount. The headline is that the struggling economy put a damper on movement within the region.According to the Census Bureau, a few Northwest cities showed strong population growth in 2009. In Washington, the Tri-Cities, Moses Lake and Olympia all added more than two percent to their populations. Idaho Falls and Hood River, Oregon are among the region's other strong performers.But many cities showed little or no growth.In Idaho, Labor Department spokesman Bob Fick says people continue their movement from rural to urban areas. But he said the bad economy and a bad housing market are putting a damper on the long-term trend.“I think what you saw is the continuing migration, albeit much slower because are just having trouble moving. They can't sell their homes. So that keeps them tied down," he said.Fick says about half of the Gem State's counties saw more people move out than move in. He says many rural folks left for better opportunities in larger cities like Boise or Coeur d'Alene. Several outlying southern Oregon cities, such as Klamath Falls and Coos Bay, also showed a net loss of people from 2008 to 2009.

© 2010 Northwest News Network

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