Moving Trends for 2025

[BigHornRam]

such a boomer.

no, i blame these guys.

View attachment 403774

I have a hunch, your parents played John Denver records till you wanted to puke, when you were a toddler.

 

[TOGIE]

I have a hunch, your parents played John Denver records till you wanted to puke, when you were a toddler.

all i have memory of from my preschool days is Baby Beluga and Don't Fear the Reaper.

depends on which parent i was running errands with on a saturday.

 

[BigHornRam]

1990s look like the biggest spike in Colorado population growth.

Colorado's population has grown significantly from roughly 2.2 million in 1970 to over 6 million by mid-2025. Driven by high net migration, the state more than doubled in size over these five decades, with rapid growth in the 1990s and 2010s. Growth recently slowed to its lowest rate since the 1980s, driven by natural increase rather than migration.
Colorado Public Radio
Colorado Public Radio
+3
Key Population Milestones (1970–Present)
1970: 2,207,259
1980: 2,889,964
1990: 3,294,394
2000: 4,302,015
2010: 5,047,539
2020: 5,773,714
2025 (July 1): 6,012,561

 

[TOGIE]

1990s look like the biggest spike in Colorado population growth.

Colorado's population has grown significantly from roughly 2.2 million in 1970 to over 6 million by mid-2025. Driven by high net migration, the state more than doubled in size over these five decades, with rapid growth in the 1990s and 2010s. Growth recently slowed to its lowest rate since the 1980s, driven by natural increase rather than migration.
Colorado Public Radio
Colorado Public Radio
+3
Key Population Milestones (1970–Present)
1970: 2,207,259
1980: 2,889,964
1990: 3,294,394
2000: 4,302,015
2010: 5,047,539
2020: 5,773,714
2025 (July 1): 6,012,561

Let's get down to the real takeaway: all the folks in Montana and Idaho better start preparing for things to get real whacky in the next 10-20 years. The soil is fertile for the CBD whackos to step over Colorado's bloody twitching corpse towards its next victims.

 

[Nick87]

Let's get down to the real takeaway: all the folks in Montana and Idaho better start preparing for things to get real whacky in the next 10-20 years. The soil is fertile for the CBD whackos to step over Colorado's bloody twitching corpse towards its next victims.

Definitely a factor.

 

[Elktrack]

Let's get down to the real takeaway: all the folks in Montana and Idaho better start preparing for things to get real whacky in the next 10-20 years. The soil is fertile for the CBD whackos to step over Colorado's bloody twitching corpse towards its next victims.

The whacky has already started here.

 

[elkduds]

The whacky has already started here.

So far you've seen the feather on the head of the seagull atop the tip of the iceberg. Exponential growth and change from too many people. Watch perspectives and politics change in response to population density and giant increases in $ available to bend politics to it's own vision.

 

[BigHornRam]

Let's get down to the real takeaway: all the folks in Montana and Idaho better start preparing for things to get real whacky in the next 10-20 years. The soil is fertile for the CBD whackos to step over Colorado's bloody twitching corpse towards its next victims.

Too late. The Bitterroot is now a 50 mile stretch of pot shops.

 

[brymoore]

To late. The Bitterroot is now a 50 mile stretch of pot shops.

Zero in Idaho, legally.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

Zero in Idaho, legally.

And that's why Ontario tops the list of weed sales in Oregon.

 

[brymoore]

And that's why Ontario tops the list of weed sales in Oregon.

I’ve heard of the Ontario and Pullman runs and police pulling over suspected vehicles.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

I’ve heard of the Ontario and Pullman runs and police pulling over suspected vehicles.

Sure. But it's definitely not the metropolis of Ontario that keeps their dispensary revenues higher than some places in the Willamette Valley. That's Ada county.

 

[BigHornRam]

Let's get down to the real takeaway: all the folks in Montana and Idaho better start preparing for things to get real whacky in the next 10-20 years. The soil is fertile for the CBD whackos to step over Colorado's bloody twitching corpse towards its next victims.

And John Denver was the gateway to all this.

"Friends around the campfire, everybody's high......
Rocky Mountain High!"

 

[TOGIE]

And John Denver was the gateway to all this.

"Friends around the campfire, everybody's high......
Rocky Mountain High!"

We could go back further.

I’m laying blame on the Denver Pacific Railway.

 

[LopeHunter]

I left for reasons to start a family. Many the same reason people move out of the city and into suburbs every day, I just made a larger jump, LOL. Some days I regret doing it, some days I don't. I have heard of the death of Chicago, New York, every city in California for my entire adult life. It's all nonsense. It is people imparting their personal views on an entire region, which I get because I don't think I could live in California either because I hate the traffic. Regardless, Urban centers still drive this nation. Those areas that actually can grow are in other states. Large cities on East coast and Chicago would need to stack people on top of people. Boise, ID? Denver, CO? Charlston, SC? Probably more open space there.

Still would place it mostly on weather and boomers going south and west. Despite some of the areas the show inflows, they saw declines in home prices. Places like Austin, Tampa, Miami, Phoenix. I'm not sure how to reconcile the two.

I grew up in the Bible Belt in rural MO.

At 19, moved in-state to take advantage of low tuition to go to University at 19. Was a lot of apprehension at leaving my small town. That passed though as was amazing suddenly being in a city 15x larger as had entertainment choices plus a lot of people to date. And, 6th ranked program in America for my major. Peers were driven to learn. Diversity of thought and backgrounds of peers was refreshing. And, parents no longer my roommates!

At 22, moved in-state to an even larger city (165x my hometown) for a job offer at a location of the world’s 2nd largest employer in my industry. Apprehension with size of city. More entertainment choices. More dating opportunities. Higher cost of living but plenty of discretionary funds with the take home pay from the new job.

At 24, changed jobs in same city to work in a different industry in a new role at a location of the largest employer in their industry with 50% more pay, better benefits, better work culture and more opportunity for career and earnings growth. Saving money.

At 26, transferred with my employer to another state, California. City was 1000x my hometown. Got a raise, more entertainment and dating options, better summer and winter weather and better post-grad education options. Much, much higher living costs so savings rate fell. Killed my progress towards becoming a home owner as home values rising faster than my earnings. Commuting hours per week went from 2.5 hours per week to 8 hours per week with less predictability of time to get somewhere due to traffic craziness. My new work peers and managers were much “sharper” and career-driven in this city.

At 28, took leave from work to get graduate degree at Top 10 program where rode bicycle from apartment I had lived in since moved from Midwest. In-state tuition.

At 30, completed grad degree, took buy-out from employer and started new job 15 miles away so moved to “suburbs” which reduced my commute to 3 hours a week but still a big city. Maybe could afford to buy a 1 bedroom condo but kept renting in case wanted to move in a year or two.

At 32, took a transfer to the NW. New city was smaller though the same size as my initial city after finished undergrad. Zero apprehension.

Similar pay in this new city though greatly reduced cost of living including taxes. Greatly reduced cost to buy a house, better public high schools, short commutes and better air quality. Peers and managers were focused on work/life balance and few were career-driven so was as if was on the B-team for first time in career.

Bought a 3 bedroom house in desirable neighborhood. Put down roots but rainy weather and dreary, dark winters bothered me every year. So, took mid-winter vacations to sunny places.

Had time to fish and hunt. Moved to an even nicer neighborhood after a few years. Wealth accumulation underway. Changed jobs three times the next 30 years to obtain senior executive roles in small companies but stayed in the same city.

At 49, bought a single-level vacation home in the Desert SW. Winter sunshine just two hours away by airplane!! No stairs!!

At 62, retired. Sold home in the NW and began living full-time at the vacation home. Summers are damn hot.

At 64, bought vacation single-level condo in Colorado to spend summers. Likely sell the desert home in a few years. Am once again within a one-day drive to my childhood home.

Why not just stay in my hometown after high school? Wanderlust, always. Was curious of what a bigger city might offer a young man. Undergrad studies prompted the move at 19.

The moves at 22 through 30 were career-driven.

Put down roots at that point. Vacation home choice was somewhere sunny with a daily nonstop flight option under 3 hours.

I never fretted about the politics of my neighbors or where their ancestors were from or their W2 size or net worth. I like people. Some of the most inspiring people I met were not the most successful based on their accumulated wealth or education degrees or job title.

I was dealt a good starting card hand in life and had safety nets from my extended family as launched into adulthood so am cognizant my success was not merely due to my responsible choices and hard work. Fortunate circumstances played a part.

I take that into consideration as encounter other people in my city and around America and on my travels abroad.

I never doubted my core beliefs and enjoy robust discussions as I often learn there are nuances to what might at first seem cut and dried solutions to the world’s problems.

So, I could be happy just about anywhere I have low-crime risk and could have a roof over my head. Am very happy being retired and bouncing between two homes getting a full-year of great weather.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

This looks relevant to the discussion. That 1% has plenty of places to hide.
View attachment 403751

Trying to extrapolate and understand this.. Because in progressive state tax rate states the more ordinary income you make the higher tax rate you pay. Is it primarily capital gains not being subject to state/local tax or at lower rates that makes everything so red?

 

[SAJ-99]

I grew up in the Bible Belt in rural MO.

At 19, moved in-state to take advantage of low tuition to go to University at 19. Was a lot of apprehension at leaving my small town. That passed though as was amazing suddenly being in a city 15x larger as had entertainment choices plus a lot of people to date. And, 6th ranked program in America for my major. Peers were driven to learn. Diversity of thought and backgrounds of peers was refreshing. And, parents no longer my roommates!

At 22, moved in-state to an even larger city (165x my hometown) for a job offer at a location of the world’s 2nd largest employer in my industry. Apprehension with size of city. More entertainment choices. More dating opportunities. Higher cost of living but plenty of discretionary funds with the take home pay from the new job.

At 24, changed jobs in same city to work in a different industry in a new role at a location of the largest employer in their industry with 50% more pay, better benefits, better work culture and more opportunity for career and earnings growth. Saving money.

At 26, transferred with my employer to another state, California. City was 1000x my hometown. Got a raise, more entertainment and dating options, better summer and winter weather and better post-grad education options. Much, much higher living costs so savings rate fell. Killed my progress towards becoming a home owner as home values rising faster than my earnings. Commuting hours per week went from 2.5 hours per week to 8 hours per week with less predictability of time to get somewhere due to traffic craziness. My new work peers and managers were much “sharper” and career-driven in this city.

At 28, took leave from work to get graduate degree at Top 10 program where rode bicycle from apartment I had lived in since moved from Midwest. In-state tuition.

At 30, completed grad degree, took buy-out from employer and started new job 15 miles away so moved to “suburbs” which reduced my commute to 3 hours a week but still a big city. Maybe could afford to buy a 1 bedroom condo but kept renting in case wanted to move in a year or two.

At 32, took a transfer to the NW. New city was smaller though the same size as my initial city after finished undergrad. Zero apprehension.

Similar pay in this new city though greatly reduced cost of living including taxes. Greatly reduced cost to buy a house, better public high schools, short commutes and better air quality. Peers and managers were focused on work/life balance and few were career-driven so was as if was on the B-team for first time in career.

Bought a 3 bedroom house in desirable neighborhood. Put down roots but rainy weather and dreary, dark winters bothered me every year. So, took mid-winter vacations to sunny places.

Had time to fish and hunt. Moved to an even nicer neighborhood after a few years. Wealth accumulation underway. Changed jobs three times the next 30 years to obtain senior executive roles in small companies but stayed in the same city.

At 49, bought a single-level vacation home in the Desert SW. Winter sunshine just two hours away by airplane!! No stairs!!

At 62, retired. Sold home in the NW and began living full-time at the vacation home. Summers are damn hot.

At 64, bought vacation single-level condo in Colorado to spend summers. Likely sell the desert home in a few years. Am once again within a one-day drive to my childhood home.

Why not just stay in my hometown after high school? Wanderlust, always. Was curious of what a bigger city might offer a young man. Undergrad studies prompted the move at 19.

The moves at 22 through 30 were career-driven.

Put down roots at that point. Vacation home choice was somewhere sunny with a daily nonstop flight option under 3 hours.

I never fretted about the politics of my neighbors or where their ancestors were from or their W2 size or net worth. I like people. Some of the most inspiring people I met were not the most successful based on their accumulated wealth or education degrees or job title.

I was dealt a good starting card hand in life and had safety nets from my extended family as launched into adulthood so am cognizant my success was not merely due to my responsible choices and hard work. Fortunate circumstances played a part.

I take that into consideration as encounter other people in my city and around America and on my travels abroad.

I never doubted my core beliefs and enjoy robust discussions as I often learn there are nuances to what might at first seem cut and dried solutions to the world’s problems.

So, I could be happy just about anywhere I have low-crime risk and could have a roof over my head. Am very happy being retired and bouncing between two homes getting a full-year of great weather.

Great story. A lot of successful people I know did similar things. They considered moving or some other big decision and asked themselves if it would benefit them in the long term. Simple as that. Not much consideration of taxes or politics (except for those that moved to DC), just whether or not they could foresee a positive out of it. Everyone moves for their own reasons. Unfortunately there are too many Americans that won't move out of the "holler" that MeMaw and PawPaw moved into a hundred years ago. Some for legit reasons and some not, but all sad stories. Then they complain the Government has forgot about them.