Each year, Utah Foundation writes a chapter on regional and national economic comparisons for the Economic Report to the Governor. This chapter compares Utah with other states, highlighting the Mountain states, covering population growth, wages, household income, employment and unemployment, and poverty rates. While Utah has fared somewhat better than its neighboring states, it has not been immune to the economic downturn. Utah had the fastest growing population in the nation in 2008, but like every other mountain state, its total personal income fell in the most recent 12-month reports. Also, while Utah still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, that rate has dramatically increased in the past 12 months. Interestingly, however, data show Utah’s poverty rate has decreased over time and, in 2008, was significantly lower than the national average.
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