The University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, housed in the David Eccles School of Business, is Utah’s premier economic and public policy research institute. We develop and share economic, demographic, public finance, and public policy research that sheds light and helps state leaders make informed decisions. We serve as a vital gathering place for policy leadership that benefits all Utahns.
The University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, housed in the David Eccles School of Business, is Utah’s premier economic and public policy research institute. We develop and share economic, demographic, public finance, and public policy research that sheds light and helps state leaders make informed decisions. We serve as a vital gathering place for policy leadership that benefits all Utahns.
Recent Research
Navigating Utah’s Demographic Dip: Strategically Positioning Utah Higher Education Amid College-age Population Declines
Pending college-age population declines provide opportunities for state and institutional policymakers to strategically transform, conserve, and realign.
September 2024 Utah Consumer Sentiment
Utah’s consumer sentiment decreased by 6.1% in September (from 83.0 in August to 77.9 in September), according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment.
Utah Economic Council Forecast, September 2024
The Utah Economic Council, convened by the David Eccles School of Business and Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, publishes regular economic forecasts related to the Utah and U.S. economies. This includes potential risks to both the state and national economies that the council assesses and weighs.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2024 (Tri-Fold Brochure)
Visitors spent a record $12.71 billion in Utah’s economy in 2023, generating 159,800 total jobs and a record $2.35 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Fiscal Contrast: An Analysis of State and Federal Fiscal Processes
States and the federal government both employ sovereign fiscal powers to tax, spend, and borrow, although their fiscal approaches differ starkly.
Recent Insights
Demographic Insight: Demographic Characteristics of Salt Lake City In-Migrants
In 2022, Salt Lake City attracted approximately 44,000 in-migrants. These new residents represent 21% of the city’s total population (204,653). This is much larger than the 3% statewide share of in-migrants.
Demographic Insight: Utah’s California In-Migrants
Utah’s largest source of domestic in-migrants come from California, surpassed only by international migrants. One of every five Utah in-migrants moved from California in the most recent data.
Policy Insight: Utah’s Diverse Energy Portfolio
Utah possesses diverse energy resources ranging from crude oil and natural gas in the Uinta and Paradox Basins to renewable energies such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and biomass.
Health Insight: Medical Inflation – Where Are We Now?
Given concerns about overall economic inflation, it may be surprising to learn that medical inflation is slowing and is currently approaching some of the lowest levels in history.
Demographic Insight: New 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Released
The Census Bureau recently released the newest 5-year estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS).