This story is the third in a series examining the mass migration of West Coast residents to Idaho.read part 1 and two.
SANDPOINT, ID — In the early 1990s, when hordes of Californians moved to North Idaho, local bumper stickers bore the snarky phrase, “Welcome to Idaho. Now go home.”
The “don’t make my Idaho California” sentiment is still alive and well 30 years later, with tens of thousands of West Coast residents seeking refuge in the Gem State. Recent transplants can be some of the harshest criticisms for new residents.
Nick Kostenborder, who moved to Sandpoint from Portland in 2021, joked, “The moment I signed the mortgage, I was like, ‘This is it. We don’t need any more Oregonians. Build a wall.'” Ta.
Nick Kostenborder was a lifelong Oregonian until pandemic restrictions and social justice uprisings forced him out of Portland in 2021 and moved his family to Sandpoint, Idaho. Although Kostenborder considers himself a liberal, he said he wouldn’t vote against Idaho’s most conservative policies. (Hannah Rae Lambert/Fox News Digital)
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But on a more serious note, he said he understands local residents’ concerns.
“You should be suspicious of newcomers,” Kostenborder said. “I’m going to prove to you that I’m not here to change Portland.”
Ida state is ‘increasing red’ as West Coast conservatives migrate
Recent census data shows that Idaho is one of the fastest growing states in the country, with most of that growth coming from people moving in from the West Coast, not births. Rapid population growth is driving up home prices and tightening inventory, while also raising concerns among conservative Idahoans that their new neighbor will bring liberal policies across state lines. .
But on the political front, Republicans in the Gem State have nothing to fear, according to voter registration data.
“We haven’t changed anything politically,” Bonner County Commissioner Luke Omott said. “Idaho is actually turning red.”
A 2023 analysis of voters who immigrated from other states paints a picture of a red wave rolling into Idaho. Californians were the most likely, with 75% registering as Republicans and just 10% registering as Democrats. More than 60% of Washington and Oregon immigrants who registered to vote in Idaho registered as Republicans.
“They feel like they’re running for their lives from oppressive laws and policies in other states,” says Coeur d’Alene-based real estate agent Seth Horst. He is a former California state trooper who moved to Idaho in 2020.
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For Horst, who runs the podcast and YouTube channel “Residing in North Idaho,” educating potential immigrants about the state’s culture is part of her job.
“We’re getting some pushback from local residents and people who don’t want other people moving here,” Horst said. “but [North Idaho is] It’s no longer a secret. … What’s important now is that people are educated because we want the right people to move here. We want people whose values align with ours, but who don’t want to come here and change their lifestyle. ”
Trent Grandstaff, founder of the real estate group Living Life in North Idaho, was one of the prospective immigrants who had liberal values and wanted to “contribute to the restoration of Idaho.” I remembered.
“I said, ‘For your sake, don’t do that. No one wants that,'” Grandstaff said. “People are spending a lot of money to change their entire lives and get out of cities run by liberals.”
Idaho has a Republican governor and secretary of state. Republicans also control both chambers of the state Legislature. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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Of the three states driving Idaho’s growth, only Washington has avoided overall population decline. California lost nearly 500,000 people between 2018 and 2023, while Oregon saw its first decline in nearly 40 years in 2022, according to Census Bureau data.
“This shows how unique and momentous this moment is,” Portland City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Mingus Mapps previously told FOX News Digital. “We have to get this right. What we need to focus on is homelessness, public safety and economic vitality.”
And West Coast states may be even more anxious as many conservatives flee to Idaho.
Multnomah County, Oregon, lost more than 3,700 Republican voters from May 2020 to March of this year, about 6% of all Republicans. Adjacent Washington County lost about 7,400 Republicans and gained more than 2,000 Democrats during the same period, according to data from the Secretary of State’s Office.
Republicans could have simply re-registered as Democrats or registered with another party, but it’s notable that the losses were overwhelmingly on “one side of the book,” according to DHM Research’s John Horvik. Worth it.
“It suggests that our more conservative friends and Republican neighbors in Multnomah County have decided to go somewhere else,” he said. “Whether it’s going across the river to Clark County, Washington, or going to Idaho.”
Left, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is a popular destination for West Coast movers. Real estate agent Seth Horst said the city is clean, has a friendly atmosphere and doesn’t have the homeless problem that plagues other Western cities like Portland. (Hannah Rae Lambert/Fox News Digital)
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Brian Zielinski isn’t worried about the impact on Oregon State or his old home Washington State.
“It’s their loss,” said Zielinski, who moved to Idaho last June and recently opened a gun store in Post Falls. “If wealthy and productive individuals and families want to leave an oppressive state…that will only benefit Idaho as a state and harm Washington, Oregon, and California.”
Mayor: Population growth brings economic opportunity and housing difficulties
Coeur d’Alene Mayor Jim Hammond has lived in North Idaho for half a century. A lot has changed in him over that time, but the biggest difference these days is I don’t A familiar face. I had extra time at grocery store sales and Chamber of Commerce events because I knew so many people there. Now he doesn’t know the names of the people he passes in town.
“I’m surprised by that,” said Hammond, who also served as a Republican state senator from 2006 to 2012.
Hammond sees both positives and negatives to North Idaho’s rapid growth.
“If we get big enough to support businesses…we can strengthen our economy,” he said. “We don’t go somewhere else to shop. We don’t go somewhere else to work. We do it all within the community. So these funds It’s all about staying within the community.”
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Nearby Sandpoint started as a timber town, but was forced to change direction as the logging industry declined. Its proximity to Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain makes it a destination for natural outdoor recreation. Tourism jobs are largely seasonal and low-paying, so Mayor Jeremy Grimm has promoted the area as a great place to work and play and has sought to attract other businesses, including high-tech and manufacturing. He said he was there.
“If you can find a business in the heart of a city or in a place like Sandpoint, it’s very easy for CEOs and business owners to make that choice,” Grimm said.
But that strategy may have worked too well.
“It was easy to start a company out of California, for example, because the cost of living was much lower here, and the cost of housing at the time was much lower,” Hammond said. House prices are now “not as competitive” as they once were, he added.
“I’m worried that I won’t be able to afford a house for my children.”
Grimm spoke to Fox News Digital from a new development on the north side of town. There, new homes on lots as small as 5,200 square feet are listed for $600,000 to $800,000.
“Our economy is very diverse, from aerospace to food manufacturing to medical device manufacturing, but at the end of the day, many of these jobs don’t support what it takes to buy a home like this,” he said. said.
Mayor Jeremy Grimm said Sandpoint’s population has grown by about 10 percent in two years, creating a housing shortage and straining infrastructure. (Hannah Rae Lambert/Fox News Digital)
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Daniel Hanson, whose family has lived in the Sandpoint area for more than 100 years, said people born in Idaho are being forced from their homes. He and his wife built a home in 2000 on a small piece of land for about $500,000. The most recent tax appraisal values the home at $1.3 million, he said.
“It’s out of reach,” Hanson told Fox News. “I’m concerned that our children will be able to build homes far from our area.”
Grimm hopes a surge in new inventory will help. He said developers are building about 1,200 new homes in the city, which has a population of about 10,000.
“We hope it will help our business grow.” [and] “It’s about attracting quality employees,” he said, “because we want to make sure that anyone who wants to move their business here does so.”
Idaho’s population growth has slowed somewhat since jumping nearly 3% in 2020. But Horst still hears almost every day from disgruntled West Coast families who want to move to the Gem State.
“The more we see these ridiculous policies in place in other states, the more good people who think, ‘I’ve had enough’ are pushed to their limits,” he said.
Idaho bills itself as a great place to work and play, combining its stunning scenery with fewer taxes and regulations than its western neighbor. But the influx of new residents has led to soaring home prices, a problem that has long plagued Idahoans. (Hannah Rae Lambert/Fox News Digital)
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And while some lifelong residents may resent rapid growth, Omot said “newcomers and old-timers alike” can work together to maintain the quality of life he experienced as a child. He said he hopes so.
“People suffer when the fields next door are turned into houses,” he says. “But it also brought jobs. It brought families, it brought new churches, it added libraries. When we see a new doctor, we are grateful to have access to new technology and treatments.” To do.”
Ramiro Vargas contributed the accompanying video.
