Blog Posts
Insight: Utah’s Infant Mortality Rate
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™. […]
Insight: Utah’s Single Population
By: Heidi Prior 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™. Planning to attend your family Thanksgiving celebration without a date? You aren’t alone! When grandma asks why you aren’t married yet, try sharing these Census Bureau findings. […]
Insight: The Intersection of Housing and Health Care
By: Laura Summers 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™. […]
Insight: Utah’s Pacific Islander Community
By Heidi Prior 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™. August was Pacific Island Heritage Month in Utah. Though the festivities have mostly wrapped up, it’s never too late to reflect on data around this unique segment of Utah’s population. Utah has a long history of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander residents, but this blog summarizes findings from the most recent data – the[...]
Energy Insight: The Energy Shock of Putin’s War
Motor gasoline prices have been top of mind for Utah motorists since Putin’s war in Ukraine began in late February. The war is the primary factor boosting Utah’s regular unleaded prices from $3.80 per gallon in September 2021 to $5.25 per gallon in July 2022.
Insight: 2021 1-Year American Community Survey Estimate Release
By: Mallory Bateman, Director of Demographic Research Yesterday the Census Bureau released the 2021 1-Year American Community Survey (ACS) Estimates. Utah popped in the national press release as having the highest share of people with private health insurance coverage (77.8%). Due to the 2020 1-Year Estimates being experimental, the Census Bureau does not recommend comparing them with other years. We will make comparisons between 2019 and 2021. […]
Insight: Back to School: Getting to Know Utah’s Student Population
By: Andrea Thomas Brandley Can you think of anything better than crisp new school supplies, planning a new school routine, and the excitement of embarking on another year of learning? Okay, okay, I’m not naïve. I recognize you can probably think of a hundred things. But as someone who has always wanted to go to school forever, I love the start of a new school year. Even though I am no longer a formal student or teacher, I can feel a shift in the air as nearly a million Utah K-12 and college students get ready to start a new[...]
Insight: High and Low Projection Scenarios for Utah and its Counties
By: Mike Hollingshaus The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute created a new low- and high-growth scenario product for the state and all 29 counties for the first time. This information supplements the regularly-produced baseline long-term planning projections with alternative plausible futures for the state and counties. The figure highlights the range for the total population statewide, with the low scenario coming in at 4.4 million residents in 2060 and the high at 6.3 million. The baseline projection is 5.5 million residents. […]
Insight: Reflections on Affordability in Utah’s Housing Market
By: James Wood A companion piece to “Housing Affordability: What Are Best Practices and Why Are They Important?”, Gardner Policy Institute, University of Utah, November 2020. For nearly 50 years, Utah’s housing market has been at the center of my professional career. In 1972, I was hired as a graduate assistant at the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). Thayne Robson, the director, wanted me to help with BEBR’s construction database. Housing was already an interest of mine. I had just finished a research paper on national housing trends. The opportunity to learn about local trends[...]
Insight: COVID-19 Rankings: Where Does Utah Fall?
By: Laura Summers Given that COVID-19 is now (somewhat) in our rear-view mirror, it is interesting to look-back to see how well our state performed. Unfortunately, this pandemic impacted more than just a person’s health, and there are a myriad of economic, social, and education-related measures one could examine when evaluating a state’s performance. […]