Recent Research
Recently Published
The most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, Year-End 2019
In 2019, the value of permit-authorized construction in Utah totaled $9.8 billion, the highest year ever in both current and inflation-adjusted dollars. Sixty percent of the total construction value was in the residential sector, which rose 12.5% from 2018 to $5.8 billion. The strength of the residential sector is a result of robust growth in multifamily development. Apartments alone experienced an 80.6% increase in units from 2018. Nonresidential construction value in 2019 was $2.6 billion. Activity in the office and professional, and industrial and warehouse sectors drove commercial construction value in the state at $693.2 million and $671.9 million, respectively.[...]
February 2020 Economic Summary
Utah’s total personal income reached $156.1 billion* in the third quarter of 2019, rising 6.0% from the third quarter of 2018. Utah’s growth ranked 3rd in the nation. Nationally, personal income increased 4.5% over the same period.
Race/Ethnicity in the 2018 Wasatch Front Labor Force: An Equal Employment Opportunity Analysis
Current data reveals 1 in 5 Utahns identify as racial minorities, rising 3.8% from 2017 to 2018.1 This is more rapid than the comparable 1.9% year-over growth rate of the total population. Racial and ethnic diversity continues to increase across the nation and in Utah. The extent of this diversity varies significantly by neighborhood, community, and county. For example, minority identification in the Wasatch Front region is closer to 1 in 4 at 24%, while Salt Lake County is 29% minority.
A Roadmap for Improving Utah’s Behavioral Health System, 2020
Utah is in the midst of a behavioral health crisis. High suicide rates, untreated anxiety and depression, serious mental illness, and high rates of opioid use disorder and other drug-related deaths are all signs of the need for accessible, affordable, and comprehensive behavioral health services.
Economic Impacts of Utah’s Energy Industry, 2017
Utah’s diverse energy industry plays a significant role in the state’s economy. It encompasses traditional fossil fuels and renewable resources. The mining sector produces crude oil, natural gas, and coal. Power producers generate electricity from hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass resources and distribute it within the state and across the western U.S. Five refineries process crude oil from Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Canada, and Utah has the only licensed and operating uranium mill in the country. Dozens of firms manufacture machinery for mining and the oil and gas fields as well as turbines, generators, transformers, and other electrical equipment.[...]
Survey of Utah’s Top Homebuilders
Increasing prices and a shortage of new housing units continue to be a challenge across the State of Utah. The goal of the survey of Utah’s top homebuilders is to shed light on market sentiment and provide insight into the issues and opportunities facing our housing market. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute conducted the survey of Utah's top homebuilders in fall 2019. Of the 24 homebuilders contacted, 19 participated. The survey participants were identified using Construction Monitor rankings of top homebuilders. Surveys were conducted through either in-person or telephone interviews.
January 2020 Economic Summary
Utah’s unemployment rate was 2.3% in December 2019, lower than the December 2018 rate of 3.2%. The national unemployment rate was 3.5% in December 2019, lower than the December 2018 rate of 3.9%.
Utah Travel and Tourism County Profiles, 2018
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute has prepared economic profiles that track travel and tourism data for each of Utah's 29 counties.
Moving Toward 2020: Utah Commuting Patterns, 2000 to 2010
As Utah’s population has grown and changed, housing developments, employment opportunities, and communities have expanded, and so have the commuting patterns of the employed workers who call Utah home. Analysis of recent county-to-county commuting data demonstrates that Salt Lake County remains the economic hub for the state, even as employment has expanded elsewhere in Utah. This finding is reinforced by an interchange score analysis which quantifies the strength of commuting relationships between partner counties across the state. The scores reveal that while Salt Lake County has several strong commuting partners, important commuting ties are also present in other parts of[...]