Demographic Research
An Historic Overview of Office, Industrial, and Retail Development and Their Recent Demand Drivers in Salt Lake City
Over the past few decades, Salt Lake City has experienced not only major residential growth, but also a commercial boom. Utah’s economic success has translated into a vibrant commercial real estate market.
New Americans in Salt Lake County: A Qualitative Study of Service Providers to Immigrants and Refugees
Salt Lake County is home to over half of Utah’s new Americans. This population is ever-changing; the number of arrivals, major country or region of origin, and reason for moving to Utah can fluctuate in any given year. There is no monolithic population of new Americans in Salt Lake County – Salt Lake City’s foreign-born population has different characteristics and needs than that of West Valley, South Salt Lake, or Herriman. The diversity in these communities continues to grow, change, and impact the entire county as people place roots and grow their families.
Race/Ethnicity in the 2018 Wasatch Front Labor Force: An Equal Employment Opportunity Analysis
Current data reveals 1 in 5 Utahns identify as racial minorities, rising 3.8% from 2017 to 2018.1 This is more rapid than the comparable 1.9% year-over growth rate of the total population. Racial and ethnic diversity continues to increase across the nation and in Utah. The extent of this diversity varies significantly by neighborhood, community, and county. For example, minority identification in the Wasatch Front region is closer to 1 in 4 at 24%, while Salt Lake County is 29% minority.
Moving Toward 2020: Utah Commuting Patterns, 2000 to 2010
As Utah’s population has grown and changed, housing developments, employment opportunities, and communities have expanded, and so have the commuting patterns of the employed workers who call Utah home. Analysis of recent county-to-county commuting data demonstrates that Salt Lake County remains the economic hub for the state, even as employment has expanded elsewhere in Utah. This finding is reinforced by an interchange score analysis which quantifies the strength of commuting relationships between partner counties across the state. The scores reveal that while Salt Lake County has several strong commuting partners, important commuting ties are also present in other parts of [...]
Utahns on the Move: State and County Migration Age Patterns
Utahns are on the move. Approximately one in every six Utahns changed residences in 2016, mirroring a national trend of high mobility. As the Utah economy has grown, diversified, and become more globally integrated, the state has emerged as a net in-migration destination. Utah migration patterns vary over time and by geography (counties). Migration is also impacted by economic performance and structure, natural resources (including recreational), and major events (such as the Olympics). In this report, we provide analysis of Utah’s migration history, signature migration characteristics for the 2000-2010 decade, and county migration trends by county typology and stages of [...]
Race/Ethnicity in the Wasatch Front Labor Force: An Equal Employment Opportunity Analysis
Utah’s racial and ethnic diversity continues to increase, along with the rest of the nation. Currently, 1 in 5 Utahns identify as racial minorities, increasing 3.5 percentage points from 2016. However, state level analysis can mask county and region-level variation. For example, in the Wasatch Front region, minority identification is closer to 1 in 4 at 23 percent, and Salt Lake County is 29 percent minority. This information is useful, but how do these trends influence the region’s labor force? Does the Wasatch Front labor force look the same as their total population? How are occupations distributed among different races [...]
Salt Lake City Change Atlas 2019
This Salt Lake City Change Atlas, 2019 presents changes in the city’s population, housing units and related characteristics. Salt Lake City Corporation sponsored the research.
The Utah Demographic and Economic Model
Models certainly do not replace thinking, but rather inform thinking. We build models to organize thought processes, understand relationships, shed light on cause and effect, and, ultimately, help people make INFORMED DECISIONS. In a high-growth state like Utah, long-term demographic and economic projection models provide vital information that helps with education, transportation, water, and other policies. They count on the development, upkeep, and operation of these models to help them make smart decisions and, ultimately, help our state prosper.
Video: Utah’s Long-Term Demographic and Economic Projections
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recently co-hosted the Utah Legislature at a policy summit focused on Utah’s future. The summit opened with this video, which highlights growth and change in Utah. The video presents the findings of the state’s long-term demographic and economic projections such as growth, urbanization, declining fertility, sustained in-migration and an aging population.
