Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Economy, job opportunities driving migration to Nebraska

By Katie Schubert

Omaha, NE – A new report shows eight Nebraska counties grew in 2009 thanks to state-to-state migration.

David Drozd of UNO's Center for Public Affairs Research says the uncertain economy has led more people to move to Nebraska. Nebraska's unemployment rate is 4.2 percent, half the national average.

Drozd says the migration trend is evident in both urban and rural counties. "Among all major county types, like metro counties, kind of our regional centers like Columbus and Norfolk and Grand Island, as well as our small rural counties, each of those had a net gain or an improvement over the last year, so all of Nebraska is beginning to see improvements."

Drozd says job opportunities and demographics have a lot to do with the migration. He points to Colfax, Dodge, Platte, and Saline counties, which all had their best net migration in a decade. He believes job opportunities are driving the migration.