Blog Post

By: Mike Hollingshaus

Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author alone and do not reflect an institutional position of the Gardner Institute. We hope the opinions shared contribute to the marketplace of ideas and help people as they formulate their own INFORMED DECISIONS™.

Today, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute published Utah demographic state and county profiles that summarize our detailed population estimates for the period 2010 through 2019. These number were distilled come from our full online datasets. The updated profiles present each counties’ fundamental demographic information on a single streamlined page (front and back). We recommend them for anyone interested in Utah demographics, beginners and experts alike.

COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of good demographic data. While the long-term health effects are still unknown, research shows certain population groups are at more likely to die if they contract the disease, especially older adults and racial/ethnic minorities. Knowing how many Utahns fit these definitions, and where they tend to live, can help plan an effective response and evaluate the success of targeted policies. The Gardner Institute’s demographers strive to estimate these numbers as accurately as possible so health professionals and policymakers can be confident their research and decisions are based upon sound data.

The new 2020 decennial census numbers will provide an even more updated picture of our state’s demographics, but we all have to wait a little bit longer. The Census Bureau plans to release our state’s 2020 population numbers in increasingly detailed installments over the next couple of years. In the meantime, we plan to continue updating our models so Utahns always have a solid demographic data core ready at their fingertips.

Mike Hollingshaus is a senior demographer at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.