Recent Research
Click on the links below to view the most recent research published by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
State and County Population Estimates for Utah: 2018
The Utah Population Committee (UPC), chaired by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, produced Utah’s state and county population estimates for July 1, 2018. These estimates indicate that the state added approximately 402,000 people since April 1, 2010, reaching an estimated 3,166,647 Utahns. From 2017 to 2018, the population grew by 52,664 people. This is an annual growth rate of 1.69 percent, a deceleration from the previous year’s 1.93 percent.
Video: Census 2020: What You Need to Know
Utah is a place of dynamic growth and change, and in order for us to have an accurate understanding, we must know who we are and who we are becoming. The Census provides us with a gold standard of data to help accomplish just that, so that we can paint an accurate portrait of what our state and our nation will look like for generations to come.
Social Determinants of Health: A National Perspective
The majority of a person's health is impacted by factors outside of the health care system: genetics, social, environmental, and behavioral. Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes (HealthyPeople.gov).
A Visual Guide to Tax Modernization in Utah
Utahns share a common interest in a state and local tax system that provides for our needs, keeps the economy strong, and remains viable over the long term. This visual guide to tax modernization presents economic and demographic realities impacting Utah’s current sales and use tax system.
October 2018 Economic Summary
The Utah economy remains healthy. Every major industrial sector expanded in 2017, contributing a total of 43,500 new jobs over the year. An annual employment growth rate of 3.1% is on par with the state’s long-term average and is among the strongest in the nation. In 2017, Utah’s construction sector posted the highest job growth with 5.4%.
The Root of the Issue: Utah’s Social Determinants of Health Symposium Proceedings
On August 17, 2018, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and the Hatch Center for Civility & Solutions jointly hosted the annual Kem C. Gardner Policy Symposium “The Root of the Issue: Utah’s Social Determinants of Health.” The symposium focused on strategies and innovations for addressing social determinants of health, which are the conditions in which people are born, live, work, and play that affect their health risks and outcomes.
Informed Decisions 2018 Election Brief
Voters have much to consider this year as they fill out their ballots. The Gardner Policy Institute and the Hinckley Institute of Politics of the University of Utah present Informed Decisions 2018, an election brief offering expert analysis on important issues Utahns face this election season. The Gardner Policy Institute also conducted a focus group of Utah voters and two roundtable discussions with policy experts, providing the voter depth and context for each issue.
Defining Utah’s Middle Class
At the request of the President’s Office at the University of Utah and in support of the Alliance for the American Dream, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute reviewed leading definitions of the middle class, with an emphasis on income-based measures. We estimated middle class income levels and populations for Utah and the U.S. for selected years since 1980. We expect these definitions and results will support efforts to create pathways to Utah’s middle class and improve stability for people already there.
Salt Lake and Utah County Subcounty Estimates, 2010-2017
As more years pass since the decennial census, the need for current housing and population estimates intensifies. This is crucial in Utah, the third fastest-growing state in the nation (2016 to 2017). This report presents annual subcounty population, household, and housing unit estimates for cities and census tract areas in Salt Lake and Utah county from 2010 to 2017. For both counties, 2016 to 2017 represents the largest and most rapid population growth of this seven-year period. Though Utah County is about half the population of Salt Lake County, it gained more new residents from 2016 to 2017, proving that [...]
