Local News
Utah County population will double by 2065
Rob Shelton | Lehi Free Press
Utah County is on track to add nearly 800,000 residents by 2065, according to the 2026 Economic Report to the Governor released by the Utah Economic Council.
That growth alone will reshape cities from Eagle Mountain to Payson. Roads will carry more commuters, classrooms will fill, and housing demand will intensify. The county will shoulder nearly half of the region’s long-term population surge.
“The projections indicate Utah County will double to 1.5 million residents between 2025 and 2065, an addition of nearly 800,000 people, driving 45% of total regional growth,” the report states.
That’s not a marginal bump: it’s a transformation. A transformation that Utah County has been experiencing for the past 10 years, and there is no slowing down in sight.
Utah’s population will climb from nearly 3.6 million in 2025 to 5.6 million in 2065 — a gain of 2 million residents. Much of that expansion concentrates along the Wasatch Front, particularly inside the Greater Salt Lake Economic Region, which includes Utah County.
For residents in North Utah County, the numbers signal what many already feel: steady pressure, congestion and increased housing costs.
Utah County currently is one of the lowest-funded counties in state transportation dollars per capita, but is the one experiencing much of the growth. State elected officials who represent Utah County will have their work cut out for them. The 2050 Mountainlands Association of Governments transportation plan shows a huge shortfall of $5.1 billion for regional transportation projects in Utah County.
Employers compete for workers. Builders will need to race to keep up with expected demand. Local governments debate infrastructure, density and transportation corridors. And yet, the economy continues to expand.
“Projections indicate Utah will continue to show strong job growth relative to the U.S.,” the report notes. Over the next 40 years, Utah adds 1.2 million jobs statewide, increasing total employment from 2.5 million in 2025 to 3.7 million in 2065.
In the short term, however, the labor market shows signs of cooling.
“Utah’s labor market exhibited both resilience and general cooling in 2025, with 1.5% job growth and a 3.3% unemployment rate,” the report states.
That cooling reflects broader national uncertainty. Rapidly changing federal trade policies slowed hiring in several industries. Job openings declined. The labor force participation rate edged downward. Layoffs ticked up modestly as companies took a cautious approach. Even so, wages kept pace.
Average annual wage growth reached 3.2% in 2025, slightly above the 2.7% inflation rate. Education and health services accounted for more than one-third of new jobs — a trend that matters in Utah County, home to major health systems and higher education institutions.
Entrepreneurship remains another bright spot.
Since 2000, Utah’s quarterly new business establishment birthrate has averaged about 4%, compared with roughly 3.2% nationally. In 2024, that rate climbed to 4.5%, well above the U.S. average of 3.4%. In August 2025, high-propensity business applications jumped 24%, outpacing the 20% national increase.
That momentum shows up locally. The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity highlights Utah Energy’s plan to invest in a new uranium enrichment facility, creating more than 900 jobs in Utah County over the next 20 years.
Public policy also shapes the outlook. Lawmakers cut the state’s individual and corporate income tax rate to 4.50% from 4.55% in 2025. Utah maintains a AAA bond rating from all three major agencies and carries less than $1 billion in outstanding general obligation bond debt, well below its constitutional limit.
That fiscal stability, the report argues, secures a low cost of borrowing for taxpayers and reduces long-term risk. But growth carries consequences.
Households will nearly double statewide by 2065, rising from 1.2 million in 2025 to 2.3 million. At the same time, household size shrinks as Utah’s population ages. The median age will increase from 32.8 in 2025 to 45.3 in 2065. The share of residents age 65 and older climbs from 12.8% to 22.9%.
In practical terms, that means Utah County won’t just grow larger, it will grow older. This means fewer children per household, more retirees, different housing needs, and increased demand for health care and transportation services.
Most of that growth occurs in metropolitan areas. Smaller rural counties see only minor increases while the Wasatch Front remains the economic engine, representing about 88% of the state’s employment.
And the 2026 outlook calls for continued, though moderate, expansion. The Utah Economic Council forecasts U.S. real GDP growth around 2%, inflation near 3%, and unemployment slightly above 4.5%. Utah mirrors that steady trajectory.
For Utah County residents, the takeaway is straightforward.
Jobs continue to grow, though at a tempered pace. Wages outpace inflation, at least for now. Businesses keep launching, the population climbs steadily, driven largely by migration. And over the next four decades, Utah County stands at the center of the state’s expansion.
Growth is coming. In fact, it’s already here.
The real question for residents is whether state and local officials are planning — and paying for — the infrastructure needed to handle that growth. Families watching new subdivisions rise along I-15 already know change is coming. What matters now is how well the State, County and cities prepare for what the data clearly shows lies ahead.
