Recent Research
Recently Published
The most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute
November 2021 Utah Consumer Confidence
Utah’s consumer sentiment fell in November, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute’s Utah Consumer Confidence Survey. The University of Michigan measured a similar decline among Americans as a whole
The State of the State’s Housing Market
Utah's housing market faces a severe imbalance that creates record price increases for homeowners and renters. The COVID-19 pandemic made the housing shortage worse by disrupting supply chains for building materials and distorting demand through lower interest rates and increased liquidity. For renters, the path to ownership narrowed further. Rental vacancy rates dropped to record levels and rental rates increased dramatically in the large Wasatch Front counties. Analysts expect price acceleration and production to remain positive in 2022. A housing bubble looks unlikely.
Utah’s Demographics and COVID-19 Death Rates: A Data Update
Utah has a lower COVID-19 per-capita death rate (also called the crude death rate, or CDR) than the U.S. as a whole. The national cumulative CDR for the year of April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2020, was 167 deaths per 100,000 people, while the Utah rate was 65 deaths per 100,000 people. A 2020 report attributed a quarter of the CDR difference up through July 1, 2021, to Utah’s younger population.
2020 Census in Utah Summary Report
This document serves as a record of activities undertaken as part of Utah’s 2020 Census effort, focusing on the period leading up to and during the enumeration.
October 2021 Utah Consumer Confidence
Utah’s consumer sentiment was largely unchanged between September and October, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute’s Utah Consumer Confidence Survey. In their survey representing Americans as a whole, the University of Michigan likewise found little change over the prior month.
Fact Sheet: Family Caregivers in Utah
A growing body of family caregivers in Utah provide unpaid care to family members or friends with health problems or disabilities. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide key information about Utah's caregivers, their challenges, and the economic value they provide.
2020 Census in Utah, Appendix 3: Public Outreach
Funding appropriated in the fall of 2019 by the Utah Legislature allowed the Utah Statewide Complete Count Committee to dedicate $1 million toward outreach efforts to encourage Utahns to participate in the 2020 Census.
2020 Census in Utah, Appendix 2: Geography
AGRC LUCA Presentation at Utah State Data Center Conference
2020 Census in Utah, Appendix 1:Differential Privacy
The Demography Team at the Institute is mandated by the state to create long-range population projections at the state and county level and annual population estimates at the state, county, and subcounty level to inform planning and investment purposes for state and local government.
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, 2nd Quarter 2021
Construction activity continued its record-breaking momentum into the second quarter of 2021. As the economy recovered, the rebound in commercial activity added to the record-setting residential market. The total permit-authorized construction value in Utah during the first half of 2021 was $6.71 billion, an increase of 35.2% over last year and a year-to-date record.