Wyoming’s population grew the fourth-fastest in the country during the last year. Adjusting for natural population changes, a net 6-thousand people moved into the state between July 2011 and the same month in 2012.
State Economic Analysis division Senior Economist Wenlin Liu says that’s probably because of Wyoming’s healthy job market .
“For Wyoming, Migration growth is mostly driven by employment increase.”
Liu says oil and gas jobs predictably drew workers to Wyoming, and a recent turnaround in the housing market led to more construction jobs in the state.
“And we hope that housing market, related to construction, will continue to improve in 2013.”
Liu says the tourism and hospitality sector also attracted people from out of state.
At about 5-point 4- percent, Wyoming’s unemployment rate is well below the 8-percent national average.
