Blog Post

By Natalie Young

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™.

May 21, 2020 – Today, the Census Bureau released 2019 population estimates for incorporated places (cities and towns) and housing unit estimates at the state and county level from Census 2010 to July 1, 2019. This fact sheet covers the information in this blog as well as additional findings and a data table of populations for all cities and towns in Utah.

The city level estimates utilize locally submitted building permits as the basis to estimate population. They are then controlled to the county estimate totals, which were published in March 2020.

National Picture

Cities in the southern region of the United States experienced some of the fastest and largest population gains between 2018 and 2019, largely driven by cities in Texas. The West was the next major contributor, with five cities in the top fifteen for population gains. The South and West also had the fastest-growing cities since Census 2010.

Housing units increased steadily in most states. Texas, Florida, California, and North Carolina added the most housing units from 2018 to 2019.

Utah in the National Context

According to the 2019 housing unit estimates, Utah experienced the nation’s fastest housing unit growth between 2018 and 2019 at 2.2%. Idaho was second, while Colorado and Texas tied for third. Since 2010, Utah had the second fastest increase in housing units (15.7%) behind North Dakota (19.7%). For both time periods, most of the absolute growth in Utah’s housing units occurred in Salt Lake, Utah, and Washington counties. The fastest housing growth since 2010 occurred in Wasatch, Washington, and Utah Counties, with Wasatch County ranking 10^th in the nation. Recent growth is strong: Census Bureau analysis indicates that most counties in Utah grew faster in the past year than their average growth over the decade so far.

Of large cities (population 50,000 or more in 2019), Herriman ranked first in the nation for population growth in the past year (15.0%) and for growth this decade. The city’s population more than doubled since Census 2010, standing at 51,348 in 2019. South Jordan and Lehi ranked 12^th and 15^th nationally for growth in these large cities this decade, at 51.8% and 46.0%. Vineyard, located in central Utah County, was the fastest growing place (with a population over 1,000) in the nation since 2010, when its population was just 139. Its population is now estimated at 11,866.

Utah at the Top of National Rankings

All of the data released by the Census Bureau today can be found here.

Natalie Young is a research analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.