Demographic Research
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[...]
Insight: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
By: Emily Harris Labor Day marks the end of the busy moving season, spanning from May to September. When times are good, it is easier for individuals and families to move, whether that’s to another city, county, or state. Times are certainly good right now in Utah. […]
Insight: Race/Ethnicity in the Wasatch Front Labor Force: An Equal Employment Opportunity Analysis
By: Emily Harris State and local governments are required to submit an annual demographic analysis of their workforce to ensure that they are compliant with the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Act. Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability, and more, and applies to personnel functions including hiring, compensation, promotions, and termination.[1] Most public and private organizations with over 15 employees are required to follow these federally mandated EEO practices. Employers that embrace and ensure these EEO policies are more likely to have quicker talent recruitment, higher retention, and better overall employee satisfaction. […]
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.
Insight: Utah’s Aging Population Presents Opportunities and Challenges
By: Mike Hollingshaus Utah’s population is getting older—the percentage of children is getting smaller, and the percentage of elderly Utahns is growing. When I tell people this, they often ask: “but doesn’t Utah have the youngest population in the country?” The answer is “yes, and it probably will for a long time.” Even so, the average age of the population is steadily rising. What do the data say about the future of Utah’s aging population? And what does this mean for housing policy and planning decisions? The answers to these questions help us prepare for the Utah of the future.[...]
Insight: Migration
By: Emily Harris When I look around at my coworkers and friends, it seems that I can only count a few that are actually born and raised in Utah. This is interesting because the data indicate that the majority of the population does not move. There is a small subset of the population that does move for a number of reasons: employment change, marriage, independence, college, cheaper or better housing, the list goes on and on. There may also be a few things that falsely inflate my personal perception of Utah’s highly mobile population: I am in my late 20s,[...]
Insight: National American Indian Heritage Month
By Mallory Bateman The Intermountain West has a long and rich heritage of indigenous people calling it home. From the pre-Columbian people who lived here roughly 700 to 2,000 years ago to the members of the eight tribal nations whose boundaries currently fall within the state border, these diverse cultures have impacted the statewide population. November is National American Indian Heritage Month, so we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight American Indian people living in Utah. […]