Utah saw a slight decline in population growth in the past year, but still gained nearly 56,000 new residents between July 2022 and July 2023, a new report shows.
“Statewide population growth in 2023 is high but slowed after an intense start to the decade,” said Emily Harris, senior demographer at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. “Net migration continues to drive population growth in the state, but natural increase went up for the first time since 2013 as deaths sharply declined due to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Overall, population growth slowed from 1.7% in 2022 to 1.6% in 2023.
July 1, 2023, estimates produced by the Utah Population Committee show a total Utah population of 3,456,482, adding 55,989 residents to the state since July 1, 2022. The midyear reference date reflects a post COVID-19 era, with rising inflation, increasing interest rates, and a moderation of high growth from the last few years.
Utah hit the 3 million mark in October 2015.
What drove the population growth?
Net migration reached 31,558 in 2023, declining from a record 34,939 in 2022. Still, it accounted for 56% of total state growth this year, declining from 60% of growth in 2022 and 58% in 2021. The impact of net migration on overall growth follows national trends, where it has been the driver in growing areas since 2020, according to the report.
The state also saw a natural increase (births minus deaths) for the first time since 2013, totaling 24,431 and accounting for 44% of the total growth. The increase is the result of a steep decline in deaths, a signal that COVID-19 deaths are starting to subside, according to the report. COVID-19 sharply increased deaths in 2021 and 2022 statewide, going up by 14.9% in 2021 and 6.1% in 2022 but dropping by -10% in 2023.
After an increase in annual births in 2022, births in 2023 declined again, continuing Utah’s trend of declining births since 2008.
Net migration is more volatile than natural increase and sensitive to societal and economic situations, according to the report. Positive net migration is often an indicator of favorable economic conditions, particularly in the western United States. Utah’s low unemployment rate in 2023, combined with slightly lower natural increase, resulted in net migration continuing to be the dominant driver of growth for the latest population estimates.
Where did Utah grow?
Twenty-seven of the state’s 29 counties experienced growth in 2023, with about two-thirds of those counties driven by net migration. Carbon and Wayne counties were the only populations that decreased in 2023, losing 82 and 20 residents, respectively.
Utah County has been the largest driver of statewide growth for the last five years. It added the most population, totaling 22,063 new residents, over 39% of the state’s population growth. Salt Lake (25%), Davis (9%) and Washington (8%) counties also contributed large shares of state growth in 2023, the report says.
Iron County had the fastest growth for a county with more than 5,000 residents for the second year in a row at 3.7%, but decreasing from last year’s increase of 4.2%. Utah (3.1%), Piute (4.7%), Daggett (4.5%), Rich (3.1%), Juab (2.6%), Kane (2.6%), Washington (2.4%), Wasatch (2.3%), and Tooele (2.2%) counties all grew by over 2%.