Utah Population 2023 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs) (2024)

The last census in the USA was carried out in 2010, and this revealed that the Utah population stood at 2,763,885. This is a significant increase of over 20% from the numbers declared in 2000. Utah is currently the 4th fastest-growing state in the United States. Utah currently enjoys a growth rate of 1.64%, which ranks 4th in the country.

Utah Area and Population Density

Located in the central southern sector of the USA, the state of Utah is the 13th largest in terms of land mass, but it is very sparsely populated by comparison. Around 80% of Utah's residents live in the surroundings of Salt Lake City; therefore, there are vast areas which are simply uninhabited.

It's interesting to note that this is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the US, and although numbers are growing by significant percentages, large parts of Utah remain completely uninhabited.

The total surface area of Utah covers 84,899 square miles (219,887 square kilometers). For every square mile of Utah land, there is an average of 33.6 people, and there are only nine states in the country with a less dense population.

Most of Utah's population (more than 2 million) lives in the towns and cities along the Wasatch Front, a metropolitan area running north-south with the Wasatch Mountains, although growth outside this area is also on the rise. For example, St. George is currently the 17th growing metropolitan area in the country.

By far the largest metropolitan area in the state is the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, with 1.3 million residents as of 2016. This is followed by the Odgen-Clearfield area with 597,000 residents. While Utah as a whole has a very low population density, Salt Lake city proper has a density of 1,666 people per square mile.

Utah Gender and Religion Statistics

The median age across the population of Utah is approximately 30.3 years of age. When examining the ratio of females to males among the residents of Utah, females are at 49.7% and males are at 50.3%.

In terms of religious preferences among the current residents of the state, 73% are affiliated with a Christian based faith, 4% are affiliated with non-Christian based faiths, and 18% are not affiliated with any religion in particular.

Additionally, it's worth noting that Salt Lake City, Utah, is the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, almost half of Utah's counties are seeing significant declines in Mormon membership in recent years. About 60.68% of Utahans are members of the church. This has a large influence on the culture and life in Utah.

Utah Boundary, Census, and Statehood History

Utah was acquired from Mexico in 1848 and established as a territory in September 1850, including most of present-day Nevada and western Colorado. Colorado and Nevada were separated in 1861, with further transfers from Utah to Nevada in 1862 and 1866. Utah acquired its present boundaries in 1868, and was admitted as a State on January 4, 1896. Utah's 1850 census was taken as of April 1, 1851 and included almost no population outside the present State. The 1860 population includes some persons in present-day Wyoming, but excludes counties located in present-day Nevada. The 1870 population excludes Rio Virgin County, which was part of Nevada although enumerated as part of Utah.

Utah Population History

In 1850, the Utah population was recorded at 11,380 but some significant increases were to follow. Just ten years later, the census of 1860 revealed a leap in figures of over 250% to 40,273.

Further sustained growth was to follow and by the end of the century, the population of Utah had grown to 276,749. While the overall picture through the 1900s was one of further increases, it wasn’t until 1970 that numbers breached the one million mark for the very first time.

However, from that point onwards, percentage increases on a census by census basis have been quite significant, and in the present day, the Utah population is now climbing toward three million.

Utah Population Growth

While the Utah population may be relatively small, it is growing rapidly. By the time of the next census in 2020, figures should have comfortably exceeded three million. Utah's St. George is currently one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, and the state as a whole has the 4th highest growth rate. According to the Census Bureau, Utah's minority population is growing the fastest and quickly gaining on the white population as well.

Utah Population Projections

According to projections, Utah's rapid growth is expected to continue over the next few decades, and by 2060, the state should have a population of 6.84 million people. It's believed the state's fast growth is partially due to the quality of life and the strong economy, as the state and many of its cities are frequently rated as some of the best places to live in the whole country.

Utah is one of few states that has a significantly higher percentage of white residents -- surpassing 90%. The current estimate of 91.2% is significantly higher than the 86.1% recorded during the 2010 Census. Most people residing in the state are of Northern European descent, although there are also communities of Icelandic Americans and Italian Americans.

Utah has one of the lowest African American population percentages in the nation, ranking 43rd out of 50 states. The state does, however, have one of the highest percentages of Hispanic residents in relation to toal population, ranking 12th out of 50 states. It ranks 10th in its percentage of Mexican American inhabitants when compared to total population.

Utah's major ancestry groups include English (26%), German (11.9%), Scandinavian (11.8%), Mexican (9%), American (6.6%) and Irish (6.2%).

Population Rank

Growth Rate

Utah Square Miles

84,897 (13)

State Capital

Statehood Year

Red/Blue

Abbreviation

• Utah has the youngest population in the entire United States, as well as one of the highest birth rates.
• Utah's population is considered the healthiest in the entire country.
• The state also has the highest literacy rate, the highest number of high school graduates and the highest number of college graduates.
• The mountains near Salt Lake City see an average of 500 inches of snowfall annually.
• Gosiute, Paiute, Shoshone, and Ute Indians originally inhabited what is now the state of Utah. In fact, the name was derived from the Ute Indians.
• Salt Lake City has the second highest number of plastic surgeons per capita than any other city in the US.
• A higher number of Utahns are married than in any other state. In addition, the median age of marriage is lower than the nationwide average.