Utah At A Glance

Known throughout the world for its diverse seasons and landscapes, the state of Utah entices year-round visitors wishing to enjoy this recreational paradise. Whether seeking an alpine adventure on the “greatest snow on earth” around Salt Lake City, or in search of the breathtaking red rock scenery of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks in Southwest Utah, visitors are able to satisfy their desires.

Utah has a growing economy and is quickly getting a reputation for its fast-growing, innovative technology companies. Our capital, Salt Lake City, was recently named one of the 30 fastest cities in the world for its urban innovation by Fast Company. Our education institutions rank among the best in the nation and cost of living is well below the national average. Utah is safe, clean, and affordable, creating excellent quality of life for its residents.

Highlights:

• The U.S. Census Bureau projects that Utah’s labor force will increase at twice the national average between 2003 and 2030.


• One-half of the U.S. population is located within a 2.5-hour flight of Salt Lake City


• Utah’s cost of living is well below national levels, according to most indicators.


• In 2003, USA Today ranked Utah the best-managed state in the country.


• Utah’s unemployment rate in 2007 was 2.8 percent, compared to the national rate of 5.0 percent


• Southern Utah has the nation’s greatest concentration of national parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion and Capitol Reef.

Fun Facts

• Utah's Great Salt Lake is three to five times as salty as any ocean.


• The dry, powdery snow found at Utah’s 13 Alpine ski resorts is widely considered to be “the greatest snow on earth.”


• Rainbow Bridge, in the national monument of the same name, is the world's largest natural stone bridge. It is 290 feet high and 275 feet across.


• In the U.S., Utah has the youngest population; the highest birth rates; the second lowest death rate; the healthiest population; the highest literacy rate; the highest percentage of high school graduates; and the highest number of people with a college education.


• The largest quarry of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones ever discovered is the source of the 200,000-acre Dinosaur National Monument's name. Visitors can still see over 2,000 dinosaur bones exposed in the sandstone walls.