Utah Seeing More People Move out than Move into the State

[zoomin6]

I will be moving TO Utah next month! Visited Thanksgiving 2016 and LOVED it. Bye bye Florida lol

Been looking at Sandy/Draper, seems rent is high and rentals are scarce atm. How is Herriman? I’m thinking of making a separate post asking this. But if anyone here has any thoughts or opinions of the area compared to Sandy/Draper that would be awesome.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

Worth noting is that 2010 to 2017 is not 2016 to 2017. Much of the nation experienced economic turmoil for the first 2-3 years of that greater period, while Utah's economic issues were significantly muted. As the economy has reverted to the mean, a lot of people who moved to Utah for work (especially recent grads), are finding they can find work elsewhere, with a lifestyle that better fits their interests, needs, or happiness.

Statistics aren't lies, they can be interpreted to push any perspective one wants to push, and i'm certainly guilty of this myself (who isn't?), but the number itself is not a lie; instead you should judge if the interpretation of the number creates a scenario you believe plausible or of interest. If it doesn't, then it's not an important statistical analysis, but the stat itself is still valid (unless of course someone is purposefully collecting bad data). I don't believe anyone has any reason to interpret either the Census data or the United data as bad data, and neither present data at odds with each other nor do I believe either side of this story is a "lie". The two sets simply present different data, telling aspects of the same story.

Then let's look at 2015-2016 stats, the most recent available from the US Census.

Utah grew by 60,585, of which 34,997 (58%) were from natural increase. This means that Utah's population growth from net in-migration has actually increased from 6-7 years ago. From 2010-2016 Utah had a net in-migration of 65,017, while in 2015-2016 had a net in-migration of 25,412. Looking at just domestic in-migration, there were 32,858 from 2010-2016, but 19,778 just in the last year. Interestingly, while international in-migration to Utah has plummeted, domestic in-migration to Utah has increased quite dramatically.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by zoomin6

I will be moving TO Utah next month! Visited Thanksgiving 2016 and LOVED it. Bye bye Florida lol

Been looking at Sandy/Draper, seems rent is high and rentals are scarce atm. How is Herriman? I’m thinking of making a separate post asking this. But if anyone here has any thoughts or opinions of the area compared to Sandy/Draper that would be awesome.

Herriman would probably be cheaper. In general, neighborhoods on the west side of I-15 are less expensive than those on the east side. Have you looked in Cottonwood Heights? Where will you be working? Are you looking for an apartment, condo, duplex or house? Herriman's kind of a long drive from the city.

[Geo-Aggie]

I'm not going to dispute that's what the census has reported as part of their annual estimates. The annual estimates have been known to be wildly off, but they have also been known to be very accurate. They represent one way of tracking year over year population movement, just as the moving company study does. The moving company's estimates have also been shown to reflect decennial census data very closely, or to be off their mark.

Ultimately the decennial census gives us the most accurate population change decade over decade, but we've got a few years before that data is out. I expect this will show population growth in Utah since 2010, both natural and migratory; however, based on sources like this United survey and anecdotal observation, I also believe there's a lot of reality behind the idea that Utah is an outlier in the great western migration going on today, in 2018. The state is likely not attracting new residents in the way it was during and immediately after the recession and the 3 reasons I stated in my first post on the topic play into this: religion, air quality, cost vs. pay.

[Beernik]

Therefore, why are more people moving out of Utah than moving into Utah? It is the only state in the western USA that is seeing this trend.

I can answer that one for you. Wages in Utah are low. The high birth rate and people historically unwilling to relocate keep them low.

I moved from SLC in 11/2015 for a job in NW Washington that paid slightly more money. For the last 5 months I’ve been recruited by another company and they just offered me $42k more than what I was making in SLC. Not much on my resume has changed in 2.5 years. But I had to move out of state to find someone to pay me what I’m worth.

[det2011sb]

Also more people aren't moving out than moving in

[b.adams]

I live in Colorado but my oldest daughter moved out last summer and has been attending UofU in SLC ... loves it.

The thing I notice the most after many visits now -- the drivers are quite a bit worse than even in Denver, where they are not good either ... but step it up to another level of bad drivers and the high percentage of them. It often feels like "the rules don't apply to me" folks are everywhere.

The schools are a heck of bargain in Utah by comparison to Colorado ... and tbh, housing and taxes in CO are worse!
You can attend a very nice school in Utah for a lower cost than some of the WORST universities in CO. The housing is more reasonable, and the tuition and ability to attain resident tuition ... makes UT a deal compared to going bankrupt in CO.

Utah reminds me of the way Colorado used to be ... kind of wild west in places, roads still have crazy things (perhaps unsafe) in many places ... and combined with crazy drivers who don't follow rules often ... it can be frustrating. Less common are overbearing HOA(s) ... sure it looks like crap ... but being one who lives under an HOA ... the freedom in Utah is quite refreshing!!

Personally, I like the LDS people a lot ... I am non LDS but there are so many in Colorado also and they are good people and more like me than not. They tried to convert me here for a while, but it wasn't for me.

So my daughters who don't drink or party ... they find Utah good, perhaps old fashioned. The natural beauty can't be matched. The pollution is bad, but we have that in CO also ... maybe just not quite as bad. The traffic in CO since the pot law passed ... going through the roof. Roads that used to be an easy drive ... are just gridlocked most of the time.

My goal in either place -- to work from home as much as possible.

[Hrothgar]

My wife and I are part of those evil Heathens that left Utah. The biggest issue for us was the pollution and inversions. People can try spinning and downplaying it but the pollution is horrible, especially during winter. We are youngish in our 30's, not elderly, and spent the last several winters sick with endless sinus infections and headaches. There were also otger reasons, including the recurring themes....

Cost of living: The cost of living is out of control. For what you get in Utah, for us wasn't worth the money. When we left we were renting a 1 bedroom basement apartment, not a lot of space, no AC and far from our work for $1,100 per month.

Wages: The other part of that equation. Utah's wages have ALWAYS sucked and been behind everywhere else. The problem is the business owners want to continue 1988 wages with 2018 costs of living. Personally I grew tired of job hunting and applying for companies wherein I show up at their Office or home Office with $300,000 worth of new cars parked out front and during the interview continuously get the CEO hard luck story about they really cannot afford to pay more than 1988 payscale, or offer a benefits package.... But really really wish they could. You can. You choose not to. Anyways I left and make 3 times what I was making in Utah.

Taxes: Utah's taxes are high and I am sick of paying large chunks of my low wages for the opportunity to drive on crumbling roads while corrupt politicians pay themselves obscene salaries on my dime.

Politics: Agree with the others, the Politics in Utah are garbage. Corrupt, one party RINOS practicing hardcore Corporatism and screwing the little guys. Before I get the inevitable, I am a Conservative Republican. Utah's Government isn't that. Conservatism believes in free markets and Utah's economy is about as free as China's.

Pretty standard stuff. Seems like many of those leaving agree and about the only one I am missing is taking aim at the LDS. Personally I don't care. It is annoying at times but I can navigate around differing religious views as long as I can have mine and be left alone. About the only issue on this goes back to the Politics, I find Utah Mormons far too naive. As long as to a politician puts an R behind the name and is Mormon they love them and support them no matter what or how corrupt. See: Hatch, Orrin. Romney, Mitt. Other than that don't much care about the Mormon factor. The left coast morons flocking to Utah are far worse of an issue than Mormon Families wanting clean, crime free neighborhoods.

[DOUBLE H]

closed for mod review