Recent Research
Click on the links below to view the most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
November 2025 Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey
Utah’s consumer sentiment rose 3.2% in November, according to the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey. This increase (from 73.4 in October to 75.8 in November) is within the survey’s margin of error
Northwest Valley Datapoints: Northwest Salt Lake County Demographics
Northwest Valley, home to 331,328 Utahns, includes five communities ranging in size from 36,000 residents in Kearns to nearly 140,000 in West Valley City. Between 2020 and 2024, populations grew in Magna and the west side of Salt Lake City but declined slightly in Kearns, Taylorsville, and West Valley City.
Contributions of College Sports in Utah
Division I collegiate athletics at Utah public universities confer substantial benefits to the community and their respective universities.
Fertility Rates in Flux: A County-Level Analysis of Utah’s Fertility Rates, 2013-2023
The impacts of Utah’s nearly continuous fertility decline since 2008 vary throughout the state. Most county fertility rates remain above the replacement fertility of 2.1, but approximately two-thirds of Utah’s counties experienced significant declines.
Utah 2065: Long-Term Planning Projections
Utah’s demographic and economic future will be marked by significant growth and change. Over the next four decades, projections indicate that Utah’s population will increase from nearly 3.6 million residents to 5.6 million, an increase of 2 million people (the approximate size of Idaho today).
Commuting in Utah: Commuter Flows Between Utah’s Counties, 2017-2021
Most Utahns live and work in the same county; however, between 2017 and 2021, 17.3% of the state’s working residents traveled to a different county for employment.
October 2025 Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey
Utah’s consumer sentiment dropped 8.4% in October, according to the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey.1 This decrease (from 80.1 in September to 73.4 in October) is statistically significant.
Tax System Design: Administration and Compliance
Tax burdens extend beyond the dollar amount of tax paid and the associated drag on economic activity (“deadweight loss”). These additional burdens include compliance costs for households and businesses and administrative costs for governments. Different taxes incur different compliance and administrative costs.
