Survey asks Utahns to help guide state’s future growth

Photo: Salt Lake City Government

UTAH — Utah has seen exponential population growth in the last 15 years, and that growth isn’t expected to slow down any time soon.

According to estimates earlier this month from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, the state’s population has grown by over 61,000 in the last year, putting Utah’s population at 3.4 million. Earlier this year, the same organization projected that Utah’s population will reach 5.5 million by 2060.

Multiple state agencies, including the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and the Utah Department of Transportation, have released a survey to have Utahns guide future growth.

“Many families choose to stay here, generation after generation. Others recognize all that Utah has to offer and choose to move here. As long as Utah is a quality place, people will stay, and newcomers will arrive. Growth is a part of life when you live in an exceptional state,” said the Guiding Our Growth website. “So it’s not so much if Utah will continue to grow, but how Utah will continue to grow. Growth brings benefits like a broad tax base and more diversity. But growth brings challenges, too, like less affordable housing, strained water availability, and increased traffic congestion.”

The survey, which takes around four minutes to complete, will be open through February 2023. It asks participants a wide array of questions, including what they love about their communities, what challenges are currently facing in their area, and what ideas they have for optimizing Utah’s future growth.

According to the Guiding Our Growth website, additional opportunities for input will be available in the summer of 2023.