The University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, housed in the David Eccles School of Business, is Utah’s premier economic and public policy research institute. We develop and share economic, demographic, public finance, and public policy research that sheds light and helps state leaders make informed decisions. We serve as a vital gathering place for policy leadership that benefits all Utahns.
The University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, housed in the David Eccles School of Business, is Utah’s premier economic and public policy research institute. We develop and share economic, demographic, public finance, and public policy research that sheds light and helps state leaders make informed decisions. We serve as a vital gathering place for policy leadership that benefits all Utahns.
Recent Research
The Benefits of Higher Education to Utah
Education and training help Utahns earn more income, secure more stable employment, achieve greater upward mobility, participate less in public assistance programs, and garner other positive individual and societal benefits.
January 2025 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment was unchanged at 91.3 in January, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment.
State and County Population Estimates for Utah: 2024
July 1, 2024 estimates produced by the Utah Population Committee indicate a total Utah population of 3,506,838, adding 50,392 residents to the state since July 1, 2023.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2025 (Tri-fold Brochure)
Visitors spent a record $12.71 billion in Utah’s economy in 2023, generating 159,800 total jobs and a record $2.35 billion in state and local tax revenue. Utah ski resort visitation was the second highest on record during the 2023-2024 season (6.7 million skier days).
Medicaid Funding 101
Medicaid funding and CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program) fund health care services for about 340,000 low-income Utahns (about 11% of Utah’s population). As a jointly funded state/federal program, funding shares vary by state.
