Demographics of Utah

Utah is the 30th most populous state in the United States with a population of about 3.3 million, according to projections from the US Census Bureau's 2017 estimates. The state has also been characterized by a tremendous amount of growth in the last decade, with the highest percent increase in population of any state since 2010. ^[1] Utah has a surface area of 84,899 square miles, though around 80% of its population is concentrated around a metropolitan area in the north-central part of the state known as the Wasatch Front.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1850	11,380	—
1860	40,272	+253.9%
1870	86,336	+114.4%
1880	143,963	+66.7%
1890	210,779	+46.4%
1900	276,749	+31.3%
1910	373,351	+34.9%
1920	449,396	+20.4%
1930	507,847	+13.0%
1940	550,310	+8.4%
1950	688,862	+25.2%
1960	890,627	+29.3%
1970	1,059,273	+18.9%
1980	1,461,037	+37.9%
1990	1,722,850	+17.9%
2000	2,233,169	+29.6%
2010	2,763,885	+23.8%
2020	3,271,616	+18.4%
Source: US Census Bureau (1910–2020) [2]

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Utah was 3,205,958 on July 1, 2019, a 16.00% increase since the 2010 United States census. ^[3]

The center of population of Utah is located in Utah County in the city of Lehi. ^[4] As of April 1, 2010 the 2010 census indicated that Utah had a population of 2,763,885. ^[5] In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau determined Utah was the fastest-growing state in the country. ^[6]

Much of the population lives in cities and towns along the Wasatch Front, a metropolitan region that runs north–south with the Wasatch Mountains rising on the eastern side. Growth outside the Wasatch Front is also increasing. The St. George metropolitan area is currently the second fastest-growing in the country after the Las Vegas metropolitan area, while the Heber micropolitan area is also the second fastest-growing in the country (behind Palm Coast, Florida). ^[7]

Utah contains five metropolitan areas (Logan, Ogden-Clearfield, Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and St. George), and four micropolitan areas (Heber, Vernal, Price, and Cedar City).

Birth data

Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.

Live Births by Single Race/Ethnicity of Mother

Race	2013 [8]	2014 [9]	2015 [10]	2016 [11]	2017 [12]	2018 [13]	2019 [14]	2020 [15]	2021 [16]	2022 [17]
White:	47,652 (93.5%)	47,851 (93.5%)	47,381 (93.3%)	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
> Non-Hispanic White	39,401 (77.3%)	39,433 (77.1%)	38,473 (75.8%)	37,791 (74.9%)	36,492 (75.1%)	34,303 (72.7%)	33,363 (71.2%)	33,145 (72.5%)	33,789 (72.3%)	32,461 (70.9%)
Asian	1,785 (3.5%)	1,850 (3.6%)	1,875 (3.7%)	1,185 (2.3%)	1,233 (2.5%)	1,131 (2.4%)	1,092 (2.3%)	1,146 (2.5%)	1,187 (2.5%)	1,210 (2.6%)
Black	728 (1.4%)	740 (1.4%)	823 (1.6%)	523 (1.0%)	569 (1.2%)	521 (1.1%)	580 (1.2%)	576 (1.3%)	594 (1.3%)	606 (1.3%)
Pacific Islander	...	...	...	401 (0.8%)	469 (1.0%)	468 (1.0%)	460 (1.0%)	518 (1.1%)	475 (1.0%)	575 (1.3%)
American Indian	792 (1.5%)	713 (1.4%)	699 (1.4%)	467 (0.9%)	445 (0.9%)	418 (0.9%)	357 (0.8%)	341 (0.7%)	360 (0.8%)	303 (0.7%)
Hispanic (of any race)	7,706 (15.1%)	7,764 (15.2%)	7,876 (15.5%)	7,966 (15.8%)	7,832 (16.1%)	8,133 (17.2%)	8,139 (17.4%)	8,160 (17.8%)	8,358 (17.9%)	8,920 (19.5%)
Total Utah	50,957 (100%)	51,154 (100%)	50,778 (100%)	50,464 (100%)	48,585 (100%)	47,209 (100%)	46,826 (100%)	45,702 (100%)	46,712 (100%)	45,768 (100%)

• Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Ancestry

According to 2010 United States census projections, the racial and ethnic makeup of Utah are as follows:

• 88.6% White or European
• 2.8% Asian American
• 1.8% American Indians and Alaskan Natives
• 1.6% African American
• 1.3% Pacific Islander
• 6.9% Some other race
• 13% Hispanic/Latino (of any race)

Demographics of Utah (csv)

By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	95.20%	1.14%	1.84%	2.20%	0.97%
2000 (Hispanic only)	8.62%	0.16%	0.26%	0.08%	0.05%
2005 (total population)	95.01%	1.32%	1.69%	2.40%	0.95%
2005 (Hispanic only)	10.39%	0.23%	0.26%	0.10%	0.05%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	10.37%	28.78%	2.04%	21.00%	8.53%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	8.09%	23.37%	0.78%	20.69%	8.43%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	33.30%	61.74%	9.53%	28.88%	10.45%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Utah Population Density Map

Main article: National and ethnic cultures of Utah

The largest ancestry groups in the state are: ^[18]

• 27.7% British: (10.3% English, 4.7% Scottish, 2.2% Welsh, & 1.4% Scotch Irish)
• 14.9% Scandinavian: (5.9% Danish, 4.3% Swedish, & 2.4% Norwegian)
• 12.4% German
• 7.0% American
• 6.1% Irish
• 3.9% Italian
• 3.4% Polish
• 2.2% French
• 1.3% Swiss

Utah County has the largest Icelandic American population, while Sanpete County is about a fifth (17%) Danish American. Swedish Americans and Norwegian Americans outnumbered English Americans or British Americans ancestry in Central Utah (i.e. Heber City). Finnish Americans, Polish Americans, Russian Americans and Ukrainian Americans are significant in number throughout the state (esp. Carbon County, Utah and Wasatch County, Utah areas). The Wikipedia article Utah Italians describes the state's small but established Italian-Americans community. And the percentage of persons of Spanish Americans ancestry including those of Basque descent are also present. Most Utahns are of Northern European descent. ^[19]

In the 2010 census estimates, 89.2% of the state population is white and European American. ^[20] Hispanics are the next largest group with 13.0%, followed by Asians at 1.7% and Native American at 1.3%. The largest Latino group is Mexican. ^[21]

Religion

See also: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah

Religion in Utah (2014) ^[22]

   Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (55%)

   Protestantism (13%)

   Catholicism (5%)

   No religion (22%)

  Other religion (4%)

  Don't know (1%)

Percent Latter-day Saint by county

Legend

•      70-74%
•      65-69%
•      60-64%
•      55-59%
•      50-54%
•      45-49%
•      40-44%
•      35-39%

As of 2020, 60.68% of Utahns are reported as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ^[23] The LDS Church has historically reported membership numbers for the state of Utah but did not do so in 2021; a church spokesperson said this was because the numbers they had did not "accurately reflect membership numbers and trends" so the current number of members that the LDS church claims in Utah is unknown. ^[24]

Latter-day Saints make up about 49% (28% active) of the population in Salt Lake County, making it the fifth minority LDS county in the state, joining Carbon, San Juan, Summit, and Grand. Salt Lake County Latter-day Saints mainly reside in the southern part of the valley (Draper, South Jordan, and parts of West Jordan). ^[25] Rural areas tend to have larger proportions of LDS, but nearly all counties have seen decreasing percentages affiliated with the church since 2009. Several explanations have been given to explain this decrease, such as relocation, members resigning, and a decreasing birth rate in the state. However, contrary to the declining membership trend, Utah County, home of Brigham Young University, has seen a modest uptick in membership since 2009 to nearly 85%, making it second only to Morgan County at 86.1%. ^[26]

Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially maintains a policy of neutrality in regards to political parties, ^[27] the church's doctrine has a strong regional influence on politics. Another doctrine effect can be seen in Utah's high birth rate (the highest of any U.S. state, and 25 percent higher than the national average). ^[28] The Latter-day Saints in Utah tend to have conservative views when it comes to most political issues and the majority of voting-age Utahns are unaffiliated voters (60%) who vote overwhelmingly Republican. ^[29] John McCain polled 62.5% in the 2008 presidential election while 70.9% of Utahns opted for George W. Bush in 2004.

In 2000, the Religious Congregations and Membership Study ^[30] reported that the three largest denominational groups in Utah are Latter-day Saint, Catholic, and Evangelical Protestant. The LDS Church has the highest number of adherents in Utah (at 1,493,612 members), followed by the Catholic Church with 97,085 members reported and the Southern Baptist Convention, reporting 13,258 adherents. According to a report produced by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, the self-identified religious affiliations of Utahns over the age of 18 as of 2014 are: ^[31]

• Christianity 74%
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 55%
  • Evangelicals 7%
  • Mainline Protestants 6%
  • Catholic 5%
  • Black Protestant Churches <1%
  • Eastern Orthodox <1%
  • Jehovah's Witnesses <1%
  • Other Christian <1%
• Unaffiliated 22%
  • Nothing in particular 18%
  • Atheist 3%
  • Agnostic 2%
• Non-Christian Faiths 4%
  • Islam 1%
  • Buddhism 1%
  • Hinduism <1%
  • Judaism <1%
  • Other World Religions 1%

Culture

2012 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Survey [32]	Mormons (U.S.)	U.S. Avg.
Married	75%	52%
Divorced or separated	5%	13%
Children at home (average)	4.6	1.8
Attendance at religious services (weekly or more)	88%	40%

Recently, Utah has experienced an in-migration of population from other U.S. states which served to change the state's sociocultural/political character. The percentage of Utah residents who are LDS has declined while the number of the religiously unaffiliated has increased.^{[ citation needed ]}

The warmer climate and temperate medium-elevation areas of Iron, Juab, Millard, Sanpete and Washington counties record population growth rates from the 1980s to early 2010s.^{[ citation needed ]}

The state witnessed some splits, and sects of Mormonism are evident: Bickertonites, Church of Christ and ex-Mormons; and the FLDS fundamentalist communes in the rural communities like Hildale in southernmost Utah and the nearby towns of Colorado City, Arizona and Fredonia, Arizona adjacent to the Arizona Strip on the state boundary with Arizona.^{[ citation needed ]}

Also there is an active lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community which thrives in the Salt Lake metropolitan area.^{[ citation needed ]}

Utah has a high total birth rate, ^[28] and the youngest population of any U.S. state.

In 2000, 49.9% female and 50.1% male constituted the gender makeup of Utah. ^[33]

Obesity rate

The age-adjusted percentage of Utah adults who were obese increased from 19.5% in 2000 to 28.4% in 2018. Utah ranked 40th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[34]

References

1. "US States - Ranked by Population 2022".
2. "Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020)". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
3. "QuickFacts Utah; UNITED STATES". 2018 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
4. "Population and Population Centers by State: 2000". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2001-12-12. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
5. "Resident Population Data: Population Change". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
6. Utah is Fastest Growing State Archived April 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine . Press Release by US Census Bureau. Dated December 22, 2008. Accessed December 23, 2008.
7. "St. George growth 2nd fastest in U.S." Deseretnews.com. 22 September 2005. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
8. "Births: Final Data for 2013" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
9. "Births: Final Data for 2014" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
10. "Births: Final Data for 2015" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
11. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
12. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
13. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
14. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
15. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
16. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
17. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
18. American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "2006–2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates". Factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on February 11, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
19. "Demographics & Statistics - Utah.gov: The Official Website of the State of Utah". Utah.gov. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
20. "Utah Demographic Statistics". Infoplease.com. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
21. "Utah Department of Health".
22. "Adults in Utah". Pew Research Center.
23. "Utah sees Latter-day Saint slowdown and membership numbers drop in Salt Lake County". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
24. "LDS Church withholds membership data from Utah for first time in decades. Here's why". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2022-01-02.
25. "Salt Lake County is becoming less populated by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. — Utah County is headed in the other direction" . Retrieved 2018-04-12.
26. "Salt Lake County is now minority Mormon, and the impacts are far reaching". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
27. "Political Neutrality". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 2010-12-11.
28. Davidson, Lee (August 19, 2008). "Utah's birthrate highest in U.S." Deseret News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
29. "Deseret Morning News – Utah Voters Shun Labels". Deseretnews.com. January 28, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
30. "State Membership Reports". thearda.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
31. "Adults in Utah - Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
32. "Mormons in America" (PDF). Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. January 12, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
33. "Gender in the United States". Nationalatlas.gov. Archived from the original on 2005-10-18. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
34. "Adult Obesity Rates".

Further reading

• (1994) "Immigration to Utah" article in the Utah History Encyclopedia. The article was written by Richard L. Jensen and the Encyclopedia was published by the University of Utah Press. ISBN 9780874804256. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024 and retrieved on May 14, 2024.