Recent Research
Click on the links below to view the most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
Salt Lake and Utah County Subcounty Estimates, 2010-2019
Utah’s ongoing growth perpetuates the need for current housing and population estimates for cities and neighborhoods. This analysis provides these estimates for Salt Lake and Utah Counties, which are home to over half of Utah’s population and have contributed 54% of the growth that has made Utah the fastest-growing state this decade. Salt Lake County grew 1.0% from 2018 to 2019, Utah County grew 2.8%, and both counties experienced their largest growth in housing units of any year this decade.
Measuring Economic Diversity: The Hachman Index, 2018
Utah is a leader among U.S. states for industrial diversity. A Hachman Index analysis using 2018 GDP data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and aggregated to the two-digit NAICS code, reveals that Utah’s industrial distribution is very similar to that of the United States.
Fact Sheet: U.S. Census Bureau Estimates by County, Metropolitan, and Micropolitan Areas, 2019
Each year, the Census Bureau produces population estimates at varying levels of geography. The Census Bureau’s most recent release on March 26, 2020, provides population estimates with components of population change for counties, metropolitan areas, and micropolitan areas in the United States and Puerto Rico.
COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s mission is to develop and share economic, demographic, and public policy research that sheds light and helps people make INFORMED DECISIONS™. In times of uncertainty, we seek to share our expertise by providing economic leadership as well as practical and common-sense commentary related to the public’s well-being. We hope the information provided by our seasoned research team will both inform and comfort Utahns as we navigate the impacts of COVID-19 in Utah.
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.
