If a state has natural beauty and is doing well economically, people will move to it.
It’s a double-edged sword and always will be. Want less people? Have a cruddy state.
I agree, natural beauty such as Colorado any where near the hills, valleys, mountains, bodies of water, will attract the people. I would say though, population density and greedy politicians are a major problem. I say fewer people per square mile. And now I will look for wild mills to tilt. Just like Don Quixote.
But why does Mississippi have half as many people as Alabama? Seems both of those states are equal on the suck-meter, and they’re right next to each other. (I’ve never been to either one, except for about two hours in NW Mississippi one morning when I was still OTR trucking).
I learned about the population difference yesterday on a covid vaccine thread. Was surprised at how different their populations are.