Some of the most important things in life are the hardest to measure. Economic growth we can count. Jobs, wages and investment show up clearly in the data. But the deeper question — whether Utah is still a great place to build a good life and flourish — is harder to capture. The 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index provides a clear answer: Utah remains a remarkable place to live, but the qualities that sustain that distinction require our focused attention.
The Utah Chamber, Utah Foundation and University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute have joined forces to strengthen and sustain the Utah Community Quality of Life Index. Together, we are providing a clear, credible measure of what makes Utah worth calling home — and where we must do better.
The latest results sharpen that picture. Utah’s Community Quality of Life Index stands at 63 out of 100, its lowest level since measurement began in 2011. The score is down slightly from 64 in 2022, but the longer-term trend is more concerning: the index has fallen 10 points since reaching 73 in 2013.
That decline is not an abstract statistic. It reflects growing pressure on the everyday conditions that allow people and families to thrive. At some level, Utahns feel a sense of loss over the past decade.
Housing affordability remains the most serious concern and Utahns’ lowest-rated community factor. Other living costs rank second lowest. Confidence in opportunities for good jobs also fell significantly since 2022. Together, these findings tell a straightforward story: Too many Utahns feel the rising cost of building a life in Utah is outpacing the opportunities available to them.
The index also shows what Utah continues to get right. Associational life (including faith practices), natural surroundings and parks and recreation spaces earn the highest ratings. Community support — the degree to which people help one another — ranks as the factor most closely tied to how Utahns assess their overall life quality. These strengths are more than points of pride. They serve as assets we must protect and build on.
This kind of measurement matters. Livability contributes to Utah’s economic competitiveness and is a reason people and companies choose to be here. The index tracks 20 factors across economic opportunity, affordability, education, health care, public safety, transportation, the natural and built environment, and strength of our communities. Looking at these measures together helps us see where Utah is succeeding, where it is losing ground and where focused action can make the greatest difference.
The findings point to a practical agenda. Utah must expand access to quality, affordable housing; ease cost-of-living pressures where possible; strengthen opportunities for good jobs; improve air and water quality; invest in transportation; and reinforce the networks that help neighbors support one another. State and local governments, businesses, nonprofits, community organizations and individuals all have a role to play. We must build life quality together.
The Utah Chamber will use the index to help guide Utah Rising, its statewide, business-led economic vision, to work toward a prosperous future for all Utahns. The Utah Foundation and Gardner Institute will continue to put forward independent and rigorous research that serves decision-makers.
But these results belong to everyone. We invite leaders and residents across Utah to engage with what the data reveal, bring their own experience to the conversation and turn shared understanding and action into measurable progress.
We believe Utah’s best days are ahead. The index makes clear that preserving Utah’s quality of life requires deliberate choices, purposeful actions and shared accountability. We have the evidence, the strengths and the capacity to respond. Now we must build those better days together.
By Natalie Gochnour, Derek Miller, Shawn Teigen
Derek is the president and CEO of the Utah Chamber. Shawn is the president of the Utah Foundation. Natalie is the director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and an associate dean in the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.
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