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.
Policy Brief: The Value of Higher Education
Utah’s degree-granting institutions also train Utah’s workforce, generate significant economic contributions as major employers in the communities they serve, and create discoveries that improve life quality.
January 2024 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment rose 2.0% in January (from 79.8 in December to 81.3), according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment. A similar survey by the University of Michigan found that sentiment rose 13.3% among Americans as a whole during the same time (from 69.7 to 79.0).
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2024
Utah’s travel and tourism industry maintains a positive trajectory despite challenges such as surging inflation, high gas prices, and U.S. recession fears.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, February 2024 (Tri-Fold Brochure)
Visitors spent a record $11.98 billion in Utah’s economy in 2022, generating 151,800 total jobs and a record $2.12 billion in total state and local tax revenue.
An Economic Summary of Utah’s Cultural Arts Industry, 2022
Utah’s cultural industry, including the design, education, entertainment, fashion, film, humanities, and traditional arts sectors, generated $14.9 billion in output (direct spending) and supported an estimated 69,820 Utah jobs in 2022.
The Role of Nonprofit Hospitals in Utah’s Health Care System
The majority of Utah hospitals are nonprofit organizations that provide charity care and medical discounts; community education, services, and research; donations of time and money; and essential health services throughout the state.
U.S. and Utah Economic Overview: 2023 Summary and 2024 Outlook
The U.S. and Utah economies remain deeply interconnected. Even with some minor differences in composition and in particular indicators such as unemployment or GDP growth, the state and national economies generally move in tandem. This policy brief summarizes the 2023 performance in the U.S. and Utah economies and provides a 2024 outlook.
2024 Utah Economic Report to the Governor Highlights
The Utah Economic Council projects continued economic growth in 2024, albeit at a decelerated pace compared to 2023.
2024 Economic Report to the Governor
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute presented the 36th Economic Report to the Governor to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at the 2024 Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit, hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber. The report highlights the resilience of the U.S. economy in 2023 and projects continued, albeit slowed, economic growth in 2024.
2024 ERG Tables
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute presented the 36th Economic Report to the Governor to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at the 2024 Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit, hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber. The report highlights the resilience of the U.S. economy in 2023 and projects continued, albeit slowed, economic growth in 2024.