October 22, 2026(Hoodline) - …The scale of the challenge shows up in statewide figures. Utah has only about 3.3 million acre-feet of water available annually for human use, according to the Utah Foundation, with roughly 2.6 million acre-feet actually consumed. Of the 5.2 million acre-feet Utah diverts overall, 82% goes to agriculture while municipal and industrial uses account for 18%, and just 5% of the state’s total precipitation ends up available for any human use at all. The foundation … Continued
October 17, 2026(Salt Lake Business Journal ) - Utah’s quality of life — once an often-hailed advantage for business recruitment and source of local pride — remains strong but continues to slip. A report administered by the Utah Foundation in partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Utah Chamber indicates that the Utah Community Quality of Life Index has slipped from a high of 72.7 out of 100 in 2013 to 63.2 this year. It was 64.1 in 2002. Dragging the … Continued
October 16, 2026(Salt Lake Tribune) - In addition, those surveyed expressed concerns about dwindling job opportunities, said Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation. “The economy plays a big role in everyone’s lives, and a lot of voters two years ago were expecting some big change and everything to be rosy,” Teigen said. “When you look at the quality of life of Utahns compared to four years ago, it’s kind of the same, but maybe the same isn’t quite good enough,” … Continued
October 13, 2026(Utah Policy) - Utah remains a great place to live, with strong communities, remarkable natural surroundings, and abundant recreational opportunities, but growing economic pressures are challenging the quality of life Utahns have long valued. The 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index, administered by the Utah Foundation in partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Utah Chamber, measures Utahns’ perceptions of 20 factors affecting quality of life in their communities. The index finds Utahns continue to … Continued
October 19, 2026(Daily Herald) - Utahns’ perception of their quality of life is the lowest it’s been in 15 years, according to a new report. The report issued last week by the nonpartisan research nonprofit, the Utah Foundation, says Utah’s quality of life index measured an “all-time low” of 63 out of 100 based on a statewide survey that measures 20 factors of Utahns’ experience in their communities. “This is the lowest point since the survey began in 2011,” the … Continued
October 19, 2026(Utah News Dispatch) - Utahns’ perception of their quality of life is the lowest it’s been in 15 years, according to a new report. The report issued last week by the nonpartisan research nonprofit, the Utah Foundation, says Utah’s quality of life index measured an “all-time low” of 63 out of 100 based on a statewide survey that measures 20 factors of Utahns’ experience in their communities. “This is the lowest point since the survey began in 2011,” the … Continued
October 19, 2026(Missoula Current) - Utahns’ perception of their quality of life is the lowest it’s been in 15 years, according to a new report. The report issued last week by the nonpartisan research nonprofit, the Utah Foundation, says Utah’s quality of life index measured an “all-time low” of 63 out of 100 based on a statewide survey that measures 20 factors of Utahns’ experience in their communities. “This is the lowest point since the survey began in 2011,” the … Continued
October 19, 2026(Standard Examiner) - Utahns’ perception of their quality of life is the lowest it’s been in 15 years, according to a new report. The report issued last week by the nonpartisan research nonprofit, the Utah Foundation, says Utah’s quality of life index measured an “all-time low” of 63 out of 100 based on a statewide survey that measures 20 factors of Utahns’ experience in their communities. “This is the lowest point since the survey began in 2011,” the … Continued
October 17, 2026(Deseret News) - 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 … Continued
October 17, 2026(Yahoo) - 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 … Continued
October 13, 2026(Deseret News) - Utahns may love their mountains and communities, but affording a place to call home remains one of their greatest concerns, according to a new statewide report released Monday. The 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index was headed by the Utah Foundation, the Utah Chamber and the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and ranked housing affordability last among 20 factors affecting residents’ quality of life. While natural surroundings and religious activities received … Continued
October 13, 2026(Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute) - Utah remains a great place to live, with strong communities, remarkable natural surroundings and abundant recreational opportunities, but growing economic pressures are challenging the quality of life Utahns have long valued. The 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index, administered by the Utah Foundation in partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Utah Chamber, measures Utahns’ perceptions of 20 factors affecting quality of life in their communities. The index finds Utahns continue to … Continued
October 12, 2026(KSL.com) - Measuring a place’s quality of life is tricky and certainly dependent on who you ask and what you ask about. That is the case for the Beehive State, which, this year, earned the title of the best state to live in in U.S. News & World Report’s annual best states index, while a different CNBC list named it one of the 10 worst states in which to live. The broad range of opinions makes sense … Continued
October 12, 2026(Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute) - In 2026, the Gardner Institute, Utah Chamber, and Utah Foundation administered the state-wide Community Quality of Life Survey. The survey asks respondents to rate 20 factors that contribute to their quality of life. Utah’s Community Quality of Life Index measured 63.2 out of a possible 100 points in 2026, dropping one point from 64.1 in 2022 and reaching the lowest point on record. Concerns around housing affordability, the cost of living, and opportunities for good … Continued
October 02, 2026(Salt Lake Tribune) - …Still, the development group responsible for the resort’s base has moved forward with that project, and — according to a Utah Foundation report first reported by KSL in April — Nordic Valley’s owner intends to expand the ski area’s terrain if it can secure federal permits…
September 16, 2026(Deseret News) - …Utah adopted vote-by-mail in part to encourage voter participation, and that has been a rousing success. The Utah Foundation, an independent research group, said Utah went from 44th in the nation in terms of voter turnout to 13th in 2018. “This is likely due in part to Utah’s expansion of vote-by-mail,” a Foundation report said…
September 03, 2026(The Daily Universe (BYU)) - Utah ranks among the nation’s strongest states in social capital, economic productivity and family stability, but continues to face significant challenges in mental health and affordability, according to new report by the Utah foundation. The findings were presented as part of the State of the States project, which evaluates states across dozens of indicators designed to measure overall well-being. While Utah outperformed the majority of the states on economic metrics, the report pointed to mental … Continued
September 02, 2026(The City Journals: Draper) - …The number one issue facing Utahns today is affordable housing, according to Utah Foundation’s 2024 Utah Priorities Project. It is estimated that the median home price is $535,000 in the Salt Lake Valley. The median household needs to make $140,000 annually to be able to afford an average home! This is not affordable housing! Housing prices are drastically outpacing working families’ incomes…
August 31, 2026(KPCW) - Christopher Collard of the Utah Foundation shares the findings of a new report titled, “A Tale of Two Ballots: Comparing Ranked-Choice and Simple-Plurality Voting in Utah” and its use in a Utah pilot program. Collard says ranked choice voting is hard to use under current law and the state’s municipal pilot program ended this year. He says the Utah Foundation examined the issue as a means of improving public understanding of how the voting method … Continued
August 29, 2026(Deseret News) - …A 2026 Utah Foundation study found that 69% of Utahns experienced at least one healthcare cost burden, and 63% have delayed or gone without care because of cost. Among those who received the care they needed, 45% struggled to pay their medical bills…
August 20, 2026(Deseret News) - …A few years ago, the Utah Foundation published a four-part series on water-related issues. Among its suggestions was that the state should tie water rates to property values in an effort to charge less to those who can afford it the least. State lawmakers have searched for ways to rewrite laws governing agricultural water use. As a result, such users now can join to form water banks. These let them lease out water they don’t … Continued
August 12, 2026(Daily Mail) - …A separate Utah Foundation analysis warned that slower growth or lower-than-expected revenue could eventually force the city to raise taxes, introduce fees or cut services…
August 11, 2026(St. George News) - Washington County is already home to a sizable population of older residents, and that number is expected to grow as Utah undergoes a major demographic shift. A new Utah Foundation report examining whether communities are prepared for an aging population found that only about a third of Utah counties have adopted “concrete aging strategies.” Meanwhile, the share of Utahns ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double by 2060…
July 29, 2026(Lehi Free Press) - …In the meantime, the Utah Foundation has kept publishing on the topic. A March 2026 report, “Appraising Utah’s Homeownership Approaches,” examined “shared-equity” programs, in which private investors help cover a buyer’s down payment or other costs in exchange for a share of the home’s future value, an emerging option as government subsidy programs remain limited relative to need…
