Recent Research
Click on the links below to view the most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
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.
Preparing for the Future: The Potential Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19 on Utah’s Child and Youth Mental Health
Understanding the potential impact of these issues will be important to ensuring a thriving future for Utah’s children.
Utah’s Defense Economy: Economic Impacts and Industry Trends
Utah's defense industry is an integral component of the state's diverse economy, contributing over $19 billion in economic activity.
September 2021 Utah Consumer Confidence
The Gardner Institute measured a modest gain in Utah’s consumer sentiment during September, following two months of sharp declines. The University of Michigan found an increase of similar magnitude among Americans as a whole.
The Connection between COVID-19 and Type 2 Diabetes: Underscoring the Need for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
Research increasingly shows that individuals with type 2 diabetes face a greater chance of experiencing severe complications from COVID-19.
Fact Sheet: Growth Trends in Utah’s Life Sciences Industry
Utah’s mature life sciences industry continues to experience strong growth relative to nationwide trends, even during recessions. Newly released data show that employment trends the Gardner Institute first identified through 2017 persisted into the pandemic. The number of life sciences jobs in Utah jumped 7.2% in 2020. This is the second highest single-year growth among states with large-scale life sciences activity. As for five-year trends, industry employment gains in Utah tempered slightly from 5.0% per year from 2012 to 2017 to 4.8% per year from 2015 to 2020.
Fact Sheet: First Insights – 2020 Census Utah Counties and Communities
The redistricting data is the second statistical release of the 2020 census suite of products.
Fact Sheet: First Insights – 2020 Census Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin in Utah
This Fact Sheet highlights the decade’s changes in race and Hispanic or Latino origin at the state and county level, using the redistricting data from the 2020 Census.
A Visual Guide to Tax Modernization in Utah: User Fees
The 2020 Census results confirmed what Utah residents already sensed: the Beehive State grew faster than any state in the country over the past decade, more than doubling the national growth rate. Growth brings opportunity, but it also brings challenges, as Utahns need an affordable place to live, water to care for basic needs, roads and other infrastructure to support a rapidly growing economy, clean air to breathe, schools and teachers to develop the workforce, and many other attributes of quality growth. In the coming years, Utah leaders must make significant investments if the state is to continue to prosper [...]
August 2021 Utah Consumer Confidence
The Gardner Institute survey of consumer sentiment measured a substantial decline in sentiment among Utahns between July and August of 2021. An even larger decline was reported by the University of Michigan based on their survey of Americans as a whole.
