About 73% of Utah’s cities, towns and metro townships gained residents last year, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
The rest lost between one and about 2,100 residents in 2023, those estimates show.
Those estimates didn’t contain anything surprising, said Mallory Bateman, who heads demographic research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.
There was “really strong growth” within Salt Lake City and in the southern end of Salt Lake County, she said.
Here’s where else Utah grew — and where cities lost residents:
Cities with most growth were almost all in the Wasatch Front
Six of the 10 cities that gained the most residents between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, were in Utah, according to Census Bureau estimates, and all but one was in the Wasatch Front.
Lehi had the most growth, adding 5,849 residents in one year. It was followed by:
Saratoga Springs with 3,219 more residents.
Eagle Mountain with 2,810 more residents.
St. George with 2,017 more residents.
Salt Lake City with 1,916 more residents.
West Haven with 1,663 more residents.
Payson with 1,529 more residents.
Syracuse with 1,484 more residents.
Spanish Fork with 1,415 more residents.
American Fork with 1,289 more residents.
Lehi, Payson, Saratoga Springs and West Haven also were among the cities with the largest proportional gains, growing by 6.9%, 6.8%, 6.5% and 7.4%, respectively.
Other cities that grew the most proportionally were mostly small and added fewer than 100 residents.
Cities losing the most residents were also in the Wasatch Front
While some cities in Utah and Salt Lake counties prospered, others saw more residents leave than they gained.
West Valley City lost the most residents, according to the Census Bureau estimates. Its population decreased by 2,125 people. It was followed by:
West Jordan losing 1,689 residents.
Sandy losing 1,047 residents.
Millcreek losing 796 residents.
Taylorsville losing 765 residents.
Holladay losing 508 residents.
Orem losing 471 residents.
Springville losing 378 residents.
Pleasant Grove losing 360 residents.
Provo losing 346 residents.
None of those cities lost the most residents proportionally, though. Cities and towns that lost the largest percent of residents are all smaller, and most are in Wasatch and Rich counties.
Some cities and towns that lost residents “don’t feel like it’s the reality in their community,” Bateman said.
In some cases along the Wasatch Front, those people might find validation in Utah Population Committee estimates, because those differ for cities just as they did for counties.
For other communities, though, the local and federal estimates both show population loss — or local estimates may show a loss where the Census Bureau estimated growth.
Megan Banta is The Salt Lake Tribune’s data enterprise reporter, a philanthropically supported position. The Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.
