Utah Economy
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute provides analysis and data-driven, context-specific insights about the Utah economy. We prepare in-depth studies on key Utah issues in partnership with stakeholders in the private sector and in state and local government. Our research provides vital information that decision-makers and the public use to help Utah prosper.
Utah’s Engineering and Computer Science Workforce
Innovative engineering and computer science professionals— along with the higher education institutions that prepare many of them for the workforce—create vast economic and societal value for Utah
Utah’s Engineering and Computer Science Workforce: Higher Education and Economic Trends
Innovative engineering and computer science professionals— along with the higher education institutions that prepare many of them for the workforce—create vast economic and societal value for Utah.
October 2022 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment rose from 63.9 in September to 66.0 in October, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumers. A similar survey by the University of Michigan found sentiment rose slightly from September (58.6) to October (59.9) among Americans as a whole.
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, Second Quarter 2022
During the first six months of 2022, total permitted construction value reached $7.23 billion, a 1.8% decrease over the same time period from 2021 (see Table 1). However, when controlling for inflation, the construction value decreased 6.0% (see Figure 1). This is the first decrease in inflation-adjusted construction value activity since 2012.
The Changing Dynamics of the Wasatch Front Apartment Market
The demand for rental housing increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in higher rental rates across the Wasatch Front.
September 2022 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment fell from 66.0 in August to 63.9 in September, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumers. A similar survey by the University of Michigan found sentiment essentially unchanged from August (58.2) to September (58.6) among Americans as a whole.
Utah’s Direct Selling Industry
Utah is a global hub for the direct selling business model. The state’s established direct selling industry anchored over 38,000 well-paying jobs and added significantly to state and local tax revenues as part of its 2020 economic impacts.
An Economic Analysis of Utah’s Direct Selling Industry
Utah’s established direct selling industry anchored over 38,000 well-paying jobs and added significantly to state and local tax revenues as part of its 2020 statewide economic impacts.
August 2022 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment increased from 62.9 in July 2022 to 66.0 in August 2022, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute’s Consumer Sentiment Survey, after three consecutive months of decline. A similar survey by the University of Michigan during the same period found an increase in sentiment among Americans as a whole, rising from 51.5 to 58.2.
Ivory-Boyer Construction Report, 1st Quarter 2022
After three years of increases, permitted construction value decreased between 2021 Q1 and 2022 Q1. During the first three months of 2022, total permitted construction value reached $3.46 billion, a 2.2% decrease over the same time period from 2021.