STAR, Idaho — Star is growing, and fast.
The city is nearing 20,000 people, which is almost 10,000 more than were counted towards the city's population during the 2020 census. And for this rural community, all that rapid growth makes for a sensitive subject around town.
The city of the Star is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, attracting new residents from across the country.
"That's the American dream. You get to move around and better your life and give yourself better opportunities," said Trevor Chadwick, the Mayor of Star.
Banks, restaurants, big box stores, and other services are being built on the increasingly busy State Street.
Mayor Chadwick continued, "Not a lot of people like the bigger brands coming in, I understand that. But those bigger brands bring the cash that allows a lot of those bigger facilities to be built so that our smaller mom-and-pop shops have the ability to have a business location."
However, with so many new opportunities, local real estate agent Michaela Codding says they are trailed by more people using those services.
"We do see a lot of Californians. Many people are leaving the Meridian and Boise areas. They come to Star for the small-town [feel], community, and less [traffic] congestion. Prices have gone up quite a bit. We are not where the Eagle is, but we are getting there," shrugged Codding.
Idaho News 6 spoke with some Star locals, who say they are all for new businesses. However, they think officials are missing the mark when it comes to planning for a growing population while also maintaining the city's small-town character.
Mayor Chadwick finished by saying that some level of development is unavoidable. "I think one thing people should know is that even if the city of the Star said no to an annexation, it doesn't mean it wouldn't develop in the county, and the county creates more development."
Between the amount of open land and the growing demand for new businesses, the population in the area is projected to continue its upward trajectory, with more and more people settling in Star each year.
