| OCR Text |
Show POPULATION GROWTH Utah's total population increased between 1951 and 1993 at a rate substantially above that of the nation's. The Utah percentage change in population has fluctuated dramatically during this period. The fluctuations in Utah's migration patterns (Figure 2) suggest the changing economic conditions which influence population growth. Since 1991, the state's in-migration rate has been similar to that noted during the economic boom of the late 1970's and 1980's (Figure 1). The recent rebound in in-migration is an indication of the relative strength of the recent Utah economy. Utah experienced net out-migration of some 59,000 people during the mid-to-late 1980's, when there was a decline in jobs in Utah's mining, manufacturing, and construction industries. However, even as residents left the state, Utah's population still grew at a faster rate than the rest of the U.S. Utah's high birth and fertility rates have resulted in a large population of young families. This is important in understanding health status, since generally speaking a population's youth portends good health. Figure 1 5T 4-- Percentage Change in Population 1951 1954 1957 1960 1963 1966 1969 1972 1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 Figure 2 60,000 j 50,000 - -40,000 - -30,000 - -20,000 - -10,000-- 0 -10,000---20,000 - - 1951 Annual Population Increase in Utah Net Migration ~ Natural Increase Total Population Increase 1957 1963 1969 1975 1981 1987 1993 DEMOGRAPHICS |
