Demographics
The Gardner Institute provides demographic decision support to the Utah State Legislature and Office of the Governor. We produce population estimates and projections, as well as applied demographic research focused on Utah. We represent the state in work with the Census Bureau, including the State Data Center Program and Federal State Cooperatives for Population Estimates and Projections. We work with the Census Bureau in production, distribution, and analysis of their product.
We are your demographic resource.
Insight: Utah’s Household Trends: A 2020 Census Perspective
By: Eric Albers and Heidi Prior Oct 6, 2023 – Hello, fellow Census data enthusiasts! Today, we are exploring Utah’s households, armed with the newest 2020 Census DHC Data. The household landscape changed quite a bit over the past decade. Here are some of the highlights from our newest Fact Sheet. […]
Demographic Impacts of Zero Migration in Utah – A Projection Scenario
Net migration has become a more dependable contributor to population growth in Utah. A simulation of zero migration highlights what those contributions are—with Utah’s projected population being 1.4 million less, or 23% smaller, than the 2021 Vintage baseline projected population in 2060.
Insight: Migration’s Contributions to Population Growth
By: Mike Hollingshaus Sep 29, 2023 – A new fact sheet explores net migration’s cumulative effects on Utah’s projected population growth – without it, Utah’s population would include 1.4 million fewer residents in 2060. Natural increase (births minus deaths) and net migration are the two sources of growth. Both have been important in Utah’s past, but recently net migration has become more prominent. That trend will likely continue, though our projections maintain positive natural increase in Utah through 2060. […]
Working from Home in Utah
By Heidi Prior • Published: September 25th, 2023 • 2 min read Sep 25, 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated growth in the number of Utahns who work from home. Between 2019 and 2021, Utah’s home-based workforce nearly tripled, and the share of workers based at home rose from 7.4% to 20.0%, according to the 2021 1-year data from the American Community Survey. […]
Fact Sheet: Utah’s Home-Based Workers
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated growth in the number of Utahns working from home. In 2021, 1 in 5 (20%) Utahns worked from home, compared with fewer than one in thirteen (7.4%) in 2019.
Insight: New Detailed Race and Ethnic Group Insights from 2020 Census
By: Mallory Bateman and Heidi Prior Sep 21, 2023 – Today the Census Bureau released new data on racial and ethnic groups, providing insights into 300 detailed race and ethnic groups and over 1,100 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages. This data was collected as part of the 2020 census and comes from the Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A (Detailed DHC-A). […]
Fact Sheet: Utah’s Changing Households
The Utah's Changing Households Fact Sheet shows that the state was the fastest-growing in the country between 2010 and 2020, not only in total population but also in housing units and households.
Utah’s Declining Fertility Rate
Fertility in the U.S. and Utah has steadily declined almost every year since the Great Recession in 2008. Final 2021 data revealed that the U.S. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) increased for the first time since 2014, along with 29 other states and Washington D.C. However, Utah’s TFR remained the same at 1.9.
Insight: Explosive Growth in Utah’s 65 and Older Population
By: Heidi Prior Aug 15, 2023 – One of the banner narratives from the 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics file is the significant aging of the population in the United States. […]
Fact Sheet: Utah’s Older Population: 2020
In 2020, 381,797 residents age 65 or older lived in Utah. The majority (60%) of these older Utahns were 65 to 74 years old and represent the oldest members of the baby boom generation. The next oldest age group, Utahns 75 to 84, was less than half the size of the 65 to 74 population and made up 29% of the older population.