In the United States, the pandemic has seen movement from liberal areas to conservative regions, a migration that follows real estate prices – Republican-leaning states tend to have cheaper housing. But it also comes at a time when Americans are, in ways not seen before, letting politics guide where they choose to reside. U.S. census estimates show states that voted for Donald Trump in the last presidential election saw their populations grow, on average, nearly 10 times faster between April 1 and July 1 of 2020 than those that voted for Joe Biden.

Of the 10 states that saw the greatest percentage of inbound moves, eight voted for Trump. At the top of the list: Idaho, followed by South Carolina.

Idaho County has tripled the size of its mapping department as it works through a surge in applications from property owners splitting parcels of land to make way for new homes. Last year, the county issued 167 new addresses. So far this year, it has issued 202.

As The Globe’s Nathan VanderKlippe writes, what’s happening in Idaho is happening across the country.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-their-own-private-idaho-in-the-pandemic-us-conservatives-get-out-of