Public Policy
The Gardner Institute provides data-driven, context-specific insights about public policy in Utah. We prepare in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies on key Utah issues in partnership with private-sector stakeholders and state and local government. Our research provides vital information decision-makers and the public use to help Utah prosper.
Featured Research
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, 1st Quarter 2019
The total statewide value of permit authorized construction during the first quarter of 2019 is $2.0 billion. This value is within a few million dollars of an all-time first quarter high in 2018 (inflation adjusted). Nonresidential construction value is particularly strong with a total of $641 million, up 35 percent over 2018. The number and value of residential permits issued, however, are down from the strong first quarter of 2018. Nevertheless, first quarter 2019 is still the second highest year in residential value since 2006 and the second highest in residential permits since 2007.
May 2019 Economic Summary
The Utah economy exceeded expectations in 2018, adding a total of 48,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.3% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. A tightening labor market (3.1 percent unemployment) applied upward pressure on personal income. Annual income per capita increased to $45,174, a 3.9 percent increase from last year.
April 2019 Economic Summary
The Utah economy exceeded expectations in 2018, adding a total of 48,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.3% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. A tightening labor market (3.1 percent unemployment) applied upward pressure on personal income. Annual income per capita increased to $45,174, a 3.9 percent increase from last year.
March 2019 Economic Summary
The Utah economy exceeded expectations in 2018, adding a total of 48,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.3% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. A tightening labor market (3.1 percent unemployment) applied upward pressure on personal income. Annual income per capita increased to $45,174, a 3.9 percent increase from last year.
The Year in Charts: Utah’s Housing Market 2018
The Year in Charts summarizes the performance of Utah’s housing market in 2018. The following 25 charts provide a record of current conditions, show long-term trends, and highlight important changes underway in the both the home building and real estate markets. The charts are divided into two major groups: (1) Residential Construction and (2) Residential Real Estate Sales.
The Economic Impacts of Utah Retirement Systems Pension Payments in the State of Utah in 2018
Utah Retirement Systems (URS) administers defined contribution and defined benefit (pension) retirement plans for employees of 476 state and local government entities. This report examines the economic impacts of defined benefit pension payments made by URS to Utah residents in 2018, and compares these impacts with those estimated in 2015.
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, Year End 2018
Utah’s construction activity in the fourth quarter of 2018 tapered off. However, due to a strong start in the beginning of the year, the statewide value of construction totaled nearly $8.5 billion, a 3.3 percent increase from 2017. Residential construction remained the driving force behind Utah’s construction industry, comprising 61 percent of the state’s total construction value in 2018. This year saw a 5.5 percent increase in the total number of residential units, with 24,241 units, the highest number of units in 12 years. Nonresidential construction remained above $2 billion for the year, for the fourth year in a row, [...]
February 2019 Economic Summary
The Utah economy exceeded expectations in 2018, adding a total of 48,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.3% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. A tightening labor market (3.1 percent unemployment) applied upward pressure on personal income. Annual income per capita increased to $45,174, a 3.9 percent increase from last year.
Industry Snapshot: Utah’s Tech Industry
The tech industry develops digital platforms that enable the ubiquitous information economy. Tech companies provide software for many applications. They manufacture and distribute computers and devices used by individuals and organizations. The industry also encompasses e-commerce and IT support. This document and the companion research brief present preliminary results of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s research program for 2018 and 2019 on Utah’s innovation economy. We are preparing a more comprehensive report for publication in July 2019.
