BOISE, Idaho — Two Western states known for rugged landscapes and wide-open spaces are bucking the trend of sluggish U.S. population growth, which dipped to the lowest level since the Great Depression.
In Utah, births largely drove what has been the fastest growth in the country over the past decade. In neighboring Idaho, newcomers from California and other states helped it capture the second spot.
Both states have long been lightly populated. Their expansion comes with breakneck economic growth that has driven housing prices far above wages and sparked concern about strains on infrastructure.
