BOISE -- The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Idaho's Hispanic population increased 6.4 percent from mid-2005 to mid-2006.

Officials say that of the 8,300 Hispanics who became new residents during that time, most chose to live in or near the state's largest metropolitan areas.

More than 80 percent chose to live in the Boise area in Ada and Canyon counties in southwestern Idaho, Coeur d'Alene and surrounding Kootenai County in northern Idaho, Idaho Falls and surrounding Bonneville County in eastern Idaho, and in Twin Falls, Jerome and Blaine counties.

The Census Bureau says those seven counties contain about 62 percent of the state's Hispanic population.