Biz 'Bite:' Coeur d'Alene MSA 2nd fastest population growth in nation

IBR Staff//April 8, 2022//

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The U.S. Census Bureau has an entire nation of numbers to crunch, so sometimes it takes up to a year or more to see some new statistical findings. This time, it took the Census nine months to look at population change during the pandemic period of July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021. Just to make all our lives interesting, the Census likes to use July 1 as a beginning and ending date.

In the Census list of population changes for metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), two of Idaho’s six MSAs made the top-10 list of MSAs in terms of population growth as a percentage: Coeur d’Alene MSA at the number two spot and Boise MSA at the number six spot. Preston, Idaho, gets an honorable mention as the county seat of Franklin County, since that county is included in the Logan MSA.

The table shows all 10 of the fastest growing MSAs. Note that only four states shared the top-10 spots. Half of the fastest-growing MSA were in the inland Northwest and half were in the coastal South.

Top-10 MSAs in Percent Growth of Population
Rank	MSA	State	Base Population April 1, 2020	Population July 1, 2020	Population July 1, 2021	Percent Growth
1	St. George	Utah	180,279	181,924	191,226	5.1%
2	Coeur d’Alene	Idaho	171,362	172,646	179,789	4.1%
3	Myrtle Beach-North Conway	S.C.-N.C.	487,722	491,582	509,794	3.7%
4	Punta Gorda	Florida	186,847	187,960	194,843	3.7%
5	The Villages	Florida	129,752	130,897	135,638	3.6%
6	Boise City	Idaho	764,718	769,581	795,268	3.3%
7	Lakeland-Winter	Florida	725,046	729,233	753,520	3.3%
8	Provo-Orem	Utah	671,185	674,967	697,141	3.3%
9	Cape Coral-Fort Myers	Florida	760,822	764,679	787,976	3.0%
10	Logan	Utah	147,348	147,796	152,083	2.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau