The University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, housed in the David Eccles School of Business, is Utah’s premier economic and public policy research institute. We develop and share economic, demographic, public finance, and public policy research that sheds light and helps state leaders make informed decisions. We serve as a vital gathering place for policy leadership that benefits all Utahns.
Recent Research
November 2025 Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey
Utah’s consumer sentiment rose 3.2% in November, according to the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey. This increase (from 73.4 in October to 75.8 in November) is within the survey’s margin of error
Northwest Valley Datapoints: Northwest Salt Lake County Demographics
Northwest Valley, home to 331,328 Utahns, includes five communities ranging in size from 36,000 residents in Kearns to nearly 140,000 in West Valley City. Between 2020 and 2024, populations grew in Magna and the west side of Salt Lake City but declined slightly in Kearns, Taylorsville, and West Valley City.
Contributions of College Sports in Utah
Division I collegiate athletics at Utah public universities confer substantial benefits to the community and their respective universities.
Fertility Rates in Flux: A County-Level Analysis of Utah’s Fertility Rates, 2013-2023
The impacts of Utah’s nearly continuous fertility decline since 2008 vary throughout the state. Most county fertility rates remain above the replacement fertility of 2.1, but approximately two-thirds of Utah’s counties experienced significant declines.
Utah 2065: Long-Term Planning Projections
Utah’s demographic and economic future will be marked by significant growth and change. Over the next four decades, projections indicate that Utah’s population will increase from nearly 3.6 million residents to 5.6 million, an increase of 2 million people (the approximate size of Idaho today).
