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 number down are housing affordability, living costs, traffic conditions, public transportation and environmental quality.
The index measures Utahns’ perceptions of 20 factors affecting quality of life in their communities.
“We developed the Utah Community Quality of Life Index 15 years ago as a way to gauge when Utah’s livability has gotten a bit off track,” said Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation. “Utah is amazing, but we’ve seen a decade of decline in our quality of life. To turn that around, we’ll need to maintain the support we provide to our neighbors, improve Utahns’ ability to earn enough to pay for their needs, and ensure that Utahns have opportunities for good jobs. By focusing on these, Utahns will enjoy future improvements, together.”…
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