U.S. census Bureau Estimates by County, Metropolitan, and Micropolitan Areas, 2021

Each year, the Census Bureau produces population estimates at varying levels of geography. The Census Bureau's most recent release on March 24, 2022, provides population estimates with components of population change for counties, metropolitan areas, and micropolitan areas in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Fact Sheet March 2022 U.S. Census Bureau Estimates by County, Metropolitan, and Micropolitan Areas, 2021 How Does Utah Compare Nationally? This release highlighted four Utah areas – one county and three metropolitan statistical areas – for ranking in the top 10 nationally: • • Utah County had the tenth largest annual numeric increase, adding 21,843 new residents. St. George, Provo-Orem, and Logan metropolitan areas ranked first (5.1%), eighth (3.3%), and tenth (2.9%) highest annual percentage growth, respectively. Utah's County Highlights The first release of the 2021 Vintage estimates highlighted Utah as the 2nd fastest-growing state (1.7%), with the 7th largest numeric increase (56,291), from 2020 to 2021. Net migration played a larger than usual role in the components of change, contributing 59% of annual statewide growth. This is particularly unusual at the state level, where natural increase is usually the primary driver of Utah's population growth. Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute 2020 to 2021 Change Net Migration Net Migration 2021 Estimate State of Utah 3,337,975 56,291 1.7% 22,992 33,380 41% 59% Beaver County 7,249 173 2.4% 38 135 22% 78% Natural Increase Area Natural Increase Share of Change Percent The National Picture The latest release indicates the COVID-19 pandemic left its mark on the 2021 population estimates. First, around three-quarters of the nation's counties experienced natural decrease, up from about 50% of counties in 2020. Second, domestic net migration increased, meaning more counties saw population growth this year than in previous years, even though more counties experienced natural decrease. Lastly, micropolitan areas and medium-sized counties saw more population growth than metropolitan areas and large counties, a trend reversal from previous years. Table 1: 2021 Census Bureau Estimates, State of Utah and Counties Absolute Each year, the Census Bureau produces population estimates at varying levels of geography. The Census Bureau's most recent release on March 24, 2022, provides population estimates with components of population change for counties, metropolitan areas, and micropolitan areas in the United States and Puerto Rico. Box Elder County 59,688 1,780 3.1% 307 1,490 17% 84% Cache County 137,417 3,890 2.9% 1,335 2,569 34% 66% Carbon County 20,372 -93 -0.5% -5 -91 5% 98% Daggett County 976 24 2.5% 2 21 8% 88% Davis County 367,285 3,793 1.0% 2,563 1,146 68% 30% Duchesne County 19,790 209 1.1% 123 82 59% 39% Emery County 9,967 130 1.3% 13 118 10% 91% Garfield County 5,129 39 0.8% -1 38 0% 100% Grand County 9,663 -18 -0.2% 19 -35 100% 0% Iron County 60,519 2,879 5.0% 401 2,512 14% 87% Juab County 12,155 331 2.8% 76 257 23% 78% Kane County 7,992 319 4.2% 18 306 6% 96% Millard County 13,164 149 1.1% 53 96 36% 64% Morgan County 12,657 265 2.1% 54 214 20% 81% Piute County 1,487 50 3.5% 2 49 4% 98% 82% 2,597 93 3.7% 19 76 20% Salt Lake County Rich County 1,186,421 185 0.0% 6,799 -6,759 100% 0% San Juan County 14,489 -36 -0.2% -22 -18 61% 50% Sanpete County 29,106 598 2.1% 116 486 19% 81% Sevier County 21,906 360 1.7% 41 320 11% 89% Summit County 43,093 641 1.5% 178 465 28% 73% Tooele County 76,640 3,359 4.6% 565 2,836 17% 84% Uintah County 36,204 586 1.6% 242 340 41% 58% Utah County 684,986 21,843 3.3% 8,256 13,655 38% 63% Wasatch County 36,173 1,141 3.3% 170 981 15% 86% Washington County 191,226 9,302 5.1% 237 9,204 3% 99% Wayne County 2,558 61 2.4% 5 56 8% 92% Weber County 267,066 4,238 1.6% 1,388 2,831 33% 67% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2021 Population Estimates I 411 East South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 I 801-585-5618 I gardner.utah.edu Utah and Washington counties had the most growth, adding 21,843 and 9,302 new residents, respectively, driving over half (55.3%) of statewide growth. Absent from this list is Salt Lake County, which experienced high net out-migration (-6,759) and only saw 0.02% growth since July 1, 2020, contributing almost no growth to the state. Weber, Cache, Davis, Tooele, and Iron counties contributed over 5% each to statewide growth. In the 2021 estimates, the fastest-growing counties were Washington, Iron, Tooele, and Kane. All had growth rates of over 4%, with Washington County highest at 5.1%. While the growth in Kane was significant in relation to its size, it was the smallest absolute growth of the four counties at 319 people. Three counties experienced population decline: Carbon, Grand, and San Juan counties. As seen nationally, net in-migration is the primary growth contributor to most of Utah's counties this year. Utah's fastestgrowing counties, especially those located in Southwestern Utah and those surrounding the Wasatch Front core, are experiencing most of their growth from net migration. However, two highly populated counties, Salt Lake and Davis, had more natural increase than net migration. Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area Logan Metro Area Cache Box Elder Ogden-Clearfield Metro Area Weber Morgan Davis Salt Lake Tooele Salt Lake City Metro Area Rich Daggett Summit Heber Micro Area Wasatch Uintah Duchesne Utah Vernal Micro Area Provo-Orem Metro Area Juab Micropolitan Statistical Area Carbon Price Micro Area Sanpete Millard Grand Emery Sevier Beaver Iron Wayne Piute Cedar City Micro Area Garfield San Juan Washington St. George Metro Area Kane Metropolitan areas include at least one urbanized area with 50,000 or more inhabitants. Micropolitan areas are smaller and include at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 inhabitants. For Logan, St. George, Provo-Orem, and Salt Lake, growth was driven by a single county of the metropolitan area. However, Tooele County drove the Salt Lake metro area's growth this year rather than Salt Lake County. With four contributing counties, Ogden-Clearfield had two counties (Weber and Davis) that dominated the region's growth. Of the four micropolitan areas, Cedar City had the largest absolute and percentage growth with a 5.0% increase (2,879 people). Heber increased by 1,782 people (2.3%), and Vernal experienced an increase of several hundred people. Price is the only micropolitan statistical area to experience a population decline (-0.5%, or 93 people). Table 2: 2021 Census Bureau Estimates, Utah Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Table 3: County Share of Metropolitan Statistical Area Growth, 2020-2021 Metropolitan Statistical Areas Associated County(s) Metropolitan and micropolitan areas are statistical boundaries delineated by the United States Office of Management and Budget and named after the largest city (or cities) in the region. County boundaries provide the basis for both types of statistical areas, with some of the larger metropolitan areas including multiple counties. Source: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER Database Utah's Metropolitan and Micropolitan Area Highlights St. George metropolitan area ranked first in the national percentage growth rankings with a high growth rate of 5.1% (9,302 people) increase. Provo-Orem and Logan also made the national rankings at eighth and tenth place, respectively. Salt Lake had the lowest percent change, increasing by only 0.3%. Provo-Orem had the largest increase in population between 2020 and 2021, followed by Ogden-Clearfield and St. George. Area What are Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas? Ogden-Clearfield 2021 Estimate 2020 to 2021 Change Weber 42.1% Absolute Davis 37.6% Percent Logan, UT-ID Cache, Franklin (ID) 152,083 4,287 2.9% Morgan 2.6% Ogden-Clearfield, UT Weber, Davis, Morgan, Box Elder 706,696 10,076 1.4% Box Elder 17.7% Provo-Orem, UT Utah, Juab 697,141 22,174 3.3% St. George, UT Washington 191,226 9,302 5.1% Salt Lake City, UT Salt Lake, Tooele 1,263,061 3,544 0.3% Provo-Orem Utah 98.5% Juab 1.5% Micropolitan Statistical Area Area Cedar City, UT Associated County Iron 2021 Estimate 2020 to 2021 Change Absolute 60,519 Heber, UT Summit, Wasatch 79,266 Price, UT Carbon Vernal, UT Uintah 2,879 Percent 5.0% 1,782 2.3% 20,372 -93 -0.5% 36,204 586 1.6% Salt Lake City Salt Lake 5.2% Tooele 94.8% Note: Logan and St. George are not included. Source: Analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2021 Population Estimates by Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2021 Population Estimates Authored by: Emily Harris, Senior Demographer I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM (DE) 2021CountyMSAFactSheet Mar2022 2 gardner.utah.edu I March 2022