SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s population reached an estimated 3,551,150 as of July 1, 2025, according to new estimates released today by the Utah Population Committee (UPC), chaired and staffed by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The state added 44,351 residents since July 1, 2024, reflecting a continued moderation in growth, with the annual growth rate slowing to 1.3% from 1.5% in the previous year.

“Our 2025 estimates reveal a moderation in Utah’s population growth,” said Emily Harris, senior demographer at the Gardner Institute and lead author of the report. “A significant shift occurred this year, with natural change contributing the majority of new Utahns, making it the primary driver of growth for the first time this decade. This represents a return to Utah’s historical growth patterns seen before the recent period of high levels of net migration.”

Key findings from the population estimates include the following:

Overall Growth – Utah’s population increased by 44,351 residents, or the approximate size of Bountiful, bringing the total to 3,551,150.

Growth Rate – The state’s growth rate decelerated to 1.3% in 2025, down from 1.5% in 2024, continuing a two-year trend of moderation.

Drivers of Growth – Natural change generated 57% of the state’s growth, while net migration contributed 43%. This is a notable reversal from the past four years, when net migration was the major driver.

Fastest Growing Counties (by percentage) – Tooele and Iron counties experienced the fastest population growth at 3.0% each. Washington (2.3%), Utah (2.1%), Grand (2.1%), and Wasatch (2.0%) counties also saw growth rates of 2.0% or more.

Most New Residents (by absolute number) – Utah County added the most people, totaling 15,914 new residents, accounting for approximately 36% of the state’s population growth. Salt Lake (8,281), Washington (4,751), and Tooele (2,466) counties also saw significant absolute increases.

County Declines – Five counties experienced population declines in 2025: Daggett, Piute, Garfield, Wayne, and San Juan.

The research brief is now available online.

ABOUT THE KEM C. GARDNER POLICY INSTITUTE

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute serves Utah by preparing economic, demographic, and public policy research that helps the state prosper. We are Utah’s demographic experts, leaders on the Utah economy, and specialists on public policy and survey research. We are an honest broker of INFORMED RESEARCH, which guides INFORMED DISCUSSIONS, and leads to INFORMED DECISIONS™. For more information, please visit gardner.utah.edu or call 801-587-3717.

ABOUT THE UTAH POPULATION COMMITTEE

The Utah Population Committee (UPC) prepares state and county-level estimates of the usual resident population for the state of Utah. The U.S. Census Bureau produces annual national, state, and county-level estimates, but their methods lack a contextual understanding of each state. This motivates many states, including Utah, to calculate their own estimates to create a more precise view and explanation of population change each year. State statute determines the composition of UPC membership and the utilization of committee-produced population estimates. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute chairs and provides technical staff for the committee.

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