News Releases

May 20, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — A new summary analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute provides socioeconomic insights in urban and rural Utah. Nine of every ten Utahns live in an urban area, as defined by the Census Bureau. While all counties contain some rural residents, ranging from 1-82% of residents, 11 counties are considered completely rural. “Utah’s urban and rural residents share similar income levels, household types, and educational attainment but vary in age profile and racial and ethnic makeup,” said Mallory Bateman, director of demographic research at the Gardner Institute. “Health metrics and housing dynamics[...]

May 17, 2024 (Salt Lake City) —The Utah Economic Council this week honored retiring Utah Department of Workforce Services chief economist Mark Knold with its Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his 34 years of service to the state. […]

May 17, 2024 (Salt Lake City) —A new summary analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute shows that Utah has the largest share of religious adherents of any state, with an estimated 76% of the population. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of adherents of the largest religions of the state increased, while the number of congregations in the state also increased by 8.3%, from 5,557 in 2010 to 6,018 in 2020. […]

May 15, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — National surveys estimate that between 12% and 25% of Utah adults have a disability. A new summary analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute finds that data across different surveys show that Utahns with a disability are more likely to have less income, lower education attainment, higher housing cost burdens, lower access to health coverage, and poor health. […]

 May 13, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — Despite Utah’s standing as the youngest state in the nation, its population continues to grow older due to declining fertility rates and the aging of the adult population. A new summary analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute dives into different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of Utahns by age group, highlighting differences between younger and older Utahns. […]

May 9, 2024 (Salt Lake City) – Utah’s consumer sentiment decreased by 2.2% in April (from 78.0 in March to 76.3), according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment. A similar survey by the University of Michigan found that sentiment decreased by 2.8% among Americans as a whole during the same time (from 79.4 to 77.2). Utah’s April consumer sentiment marks a second consecutive month of lower sentiment in Utah than the nation. […]

April 18, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — Utah is home to 15 ski resorts, including the nation’s largest (Park City). A new fact sheet from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute shows that Utah’s ski industry contributed $1.94 billion in nonresident visitor spending during the 2022/23 ski season, generating $197.9 million in state and local tax revenue. The industry directly supported 25,980 statewide jobs and experienced a record 7.1 million skier days during this same ski season. […]

April 16, 2024 (Salt Lake City) – Each year, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recognizes individuals and entities that work, often behind the scenes and with little fanfare, to help our community prosper. We call them “Informed Decision Makers” and select them based on criteria consistent with the Institute’s committable core values: responsibility to the community, integrity and relevance, accountability, collaboration, and a positive work environment. […]

Decrease marks the first instance where a Utah economic indicator performed worse than the nation April 5, 2024 (Salt Lake City)  - Utah’s consumer sentiment decreased by 2.9% in March (from 80.3 in January to 78.0), according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment. A similar survey by the University of Michigan found that sentiment increased by 3.1% among Americans as a whole during the same time (from 76.9 to 79.4). Both figures are within the margin of error of their respective surveys. This marks the first instance of a Utah economic indicator performing worse[...]

Report details varying employment conditions and needs of Utah’s family caregivers April 4, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — Utah’s unpaid family caregivers are a heterogeneous group and provide care for friends and family members in various ways. Although many Utah caregivers balance the demands of work, family, and caregiving in ways they feel are acceptable, certain subsets of caregivers defined by age, gender, income, employment status, hours of caregiving, and living situation need more support. […]