Vision & Guiding Principles

Utah Rising

 - A Free Enterprise Vision for Utah’s Economy
The Salt Lake Chamber, in collaboration with chambers of commerce throughout Utah, presents Utah Rising: A Free Enterprise Vision for Utah’s Economy. This vision includes a statewide, business-led plan to ensure a prosperous future for all Utahns. Successful implementation of the plan will require a model partnership between the business community and the public sector to develop the workforce, support the business environment, enhance livability, optimize natural resources and the environment, and achieve signature projects.

Vision

Become and remain the top performing economy in the nation.

Mission

Lead private sector efforts and collaborate with public sector partners to secure statewide prosperity.

Guiding principles

Common ground and collaboration for a shared vision of sustainable growth and statewide prosperity.

Bold vision and pragmatic action to harness market forces and achieve results that reimagine the possible.

Quality of life and upward mobility that creates opportunity for all Utahns.

Culture of service and community building that gives Utah a distinct competitive advantage.

Private sector innovation and public sector support to unleash the power of free enterprise.

Utah's Private Sector Comprises Nearly Nine of Every Ten Dollars in the Utah Economy
Utah gross domestic product, 2023

State Total

$272.6B

89.5%

Private Sector 
($243.9B)

10.5%

Government
($28.7B)

Source:  U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Location
Utah Rising Statewide

Utah Rising is a statewide, collaborative effort between chambers of commerce throughout Utah. Scroll over this interactive map to view and learn more about the visions and efforts of chambers across the state that will ensure a prosperous future for all Utahns.

Workforce & Education

Utahns are healthy, talented, educated and industrious.

Strategic Goal

Become the number one best trained workforce in the nation.

Key Performance Indicators

Share of Utah Young Adults (ages 25-34) with a
Post-Secondary Degree or Certificate
Target: 70.6%

Note: 2020 data is unreliable due to sampling issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and is thus excluded from this graph.

Source: Lumina Foundation

    Supporting Measures

    Utah High School Graduation Rates
    2017-2025

    Source: Utah State Board of Higher Education

    Utah Higher Education Completion Rates
    Share of Entering Students who Complete their Programs within 150% of Expected Time

    Source: Utah System of Higher Education

    Technical College Enrollment
    Total Headcount, Utah, 2018-19 to 2024-25

    Source: Utah System of Higher Education

      Action Items

      • Support the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) goal to increase 3rd grade reading proficiency from 48.7% to 70% by July 2027.
      • Support the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) goal to increase 3rd grade reading proficiency from 48.7% to 70% by July 2027.
      • Increase postsecondary completion rates (by institution) within 150% of expected completion time (ushe.edu/attainment-dashboards).
      • Create and support any existing mental health information campaigns.
      • Advocacy support.

      Transportation

      Utah is the Crossroads of the West and becoming the Crossroads of the World.

      Strategic Goal

      Improve the Journey: Utah will achieve a statewide mobility index (includes measures of delay, reliability and transit ridership) no lower than 85.

      Key Performance Indicators

      Utah Mobility Index
      Target: Remain
      above an index
      score of 85.0

      Note: UDOT Mobility Index is calculated through three performance measures: delay, reliability, and transit ridership.

      Source: Utah Department of Transportation

      Supporting Measures

      UTA Passenger Rail Mileage
      FrontRunner, Trax, and Light Rail lines, 1999-2024

      Source: Utah Transportation Authority

      Corridor Preservation Spending
      2019-2026 YTD

      Source: Utah Department of Transportation

      Housing Units by Type Within a Quarter-Mile of a Fixed Route Transit Option Along the Wasatch Front by Decade
      Note: Fixed route transit includes Trax/S-Line, FrontRunner, and Bus Rapid Transit

      Source: Utah Housing Inventory Explorer, Wasatch Front Regional Council

        Action Items

        • Support the Unified Transportation Plan. (1) Complete Phase 1 of Utah’s Unified Transportation Plan by 2033. (2) Identify and create a funding/financing strategies proposal.
        • Complete expanded RAIL/BRT System by 2040. (1) Increase freight on rail by 10% by 2027. (2) Identify funding/financing strategies. (3) Plan expanded Rail/BRT System by 2027.
        • Business community to present a creative funding proposal to the Legislature in October 2025. (1) Business community to evaluate the feedback from the meeting and determine next steps.
        • Create an educational information campaign.
        • Housing and transportation working groups to meet and coordinate efforts.

        Business Environment

        Utah has a diverse private sector that is entrepreneurial, supported by efficient government that is business-friendly.

        Strategic Goal

        Grow the number of middle market (100 to 999 employees) Utah companies by 25% (2,419 to 2,600) by 2027.

        Key Performance Indicators

        Middle Market Companies in Utah
        Nonagricultural Establishments With Employment Ranging From 100 to 999 Employees
        Target: 3,024 Middle Market Companies by 2034

        Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.

        Source: Utah Department of Workforce Services, Workforce Research & Analysis, Utah Employers, Employment, and Wages by Size, 2023.

        Supporting Measures

        Business Taxes per Employee by State
        State and Local Business Taxes per employee, FY 2024 (Thousands of USD)

        Source: Ernst & Young LLP and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

        Utah’s Regulatory Framework
        State-Level Regulatory Restrictions, 2023

        Note: Regulatory restrictions refer to the sum of regulatory restrictions in a state’s regulatory text. Regulatory counts for Arkansas and West Virginia are omitted due to limitations in analysis.

        Source: Mercatus Center at George Masion University

         

        State Spending per $1,000 of Personal Income
        Utah, 2017-2025
        Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change. Federal funds are included in state spending totals.

        Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Gardner Institute Analysis

        Number of Business Establishments Opening and Closing
        Utah, 2018-2023

        Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

        U.S. and Utah Middle Class Population, 1980-2022
        Single-Year Share of Population, Selected Years

        Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

        U.S. and Utah Cumulative Per Capita
        Personal Income Growth

        Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

          Action Items

          • Attract and retain sub 1000 companies to stay and come to Utah.
          • Identify, make improvements and/or remove top national regulatory business environment restraints by 2027.
          • Advocacy support.

          Housing

          Utah is a place where all who call it home can have a home.

          Strategic Goal

          Maintain the median housing cost to 30% of the median household income.

          Key Performance Indicators

          U.S. and Utah Housing Price Index
          All-Transactions, January 1975–January 2024

          Note: Index 1980: Q1=100, Not Seasonally Adjusted.

          Source: Garner Institute Analysis

          Utah Median Multiple, 2017-2024
          Note: The median multiple ratio is a commonly used measure of housing affordability. The ratio measures the severity of housing affordability by dividing the median sales price of a home by the median household income.
          Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; UtahRealEstate.com; Gardner Institute Analysis

            Supporting Measures

            Housing Densities in Metro Counties
            New Units per Acre, Select Utah Counties, 2018-2022

            Source: Gardner Institute Analysis

            Number of Deed-Restricted, Affordable Rentals
            Utah, 2018-2025

            Source: Utah Housing Corporation

              Action Items

              • Create a framework for community building by 2026.
              • Create a $2B State Infrastructure Fund by 2026.
              • Create a plan to accelerate starter home deliveries to 7,500 by 2026.
              • Identify permanent affordable housing (dollars) as a policy by 2026.
              • Create an educational information campaign.
              • Advocacy support.

              Livability

              Utah provides opportunity for individuals, families and communities to thrive.

              Strategic Goal

              Create and launch Utah’s livability index.

              Key Performance Indicators

              Utah Livability Index (Conceptual Only)
              2018-2023

              Notes: The Utah livability index was developed by Gardner Institute analysts. It was created by accounting for how Utah scores in three areas that contribute to livability: amenities, safety, and convenience.

              Source: Gardner Institute

              Supporting Measures

              Share of Utah Students Reporting Opportunities for
              Prosocial Involvement at School
              6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, 2019-2023

              Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change. The SHARP survey is conducted every other year.

              Source: Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention Survey

              Share of Utah Population Reporting Social Isolation
              2019-2023

              Note: Share of respondents that noted "always" or "usually" when responding to the question
              "How often do you feel socially isolated from others?"

              Source: Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

              Average Utah Commute Times
              2018-2023

              Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.

              Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Commuter Survey. 2018-2022 from
              PUMS; 2023 from Table S0801.

              Miles of Developed Trails
              2024-2026

              Note: "Developed" trails include existing, paved shared-use paths and trails.

              Source: UDOT Trails Division analysis of Utah Trails and Pathways GIS data

                Action Items

                • Launch the Utah Livability Index developed by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
                • Evaluate and support local downtown goals.
                • Meet action leaders and focus groups (on the areas of safety, health, affordability and amenities and convenience) to determine the business and community role in meeting goals.
                • Create an educational information campaign.
                • Advocacy support.

                Natural Resources

                Utahns are wise stewards of our environment and natural beauty.

                Strategic Goal

                Utah will maintain energy affordability and reliability, reduce per capita water consumption, and improve air quality in the years leading up to 2034.

                Key Performance Indicators

                Utah Electricity Prices Compared to Other States
                Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector,
                10 lowest states, May 2024 (cents per kilowatt hour)
                State Commercial State Residential State Industrial
                North Dakota 11.93 North Dakota 7.4 New Mexico 5.37
                Idaho 12.25 Texas 8.19 Louisiana 5.88
                Nebraska 12.52 Nebraska 8.56 Oklahoma 6.13
                Louisiana 12.74 Oklahoma 8.65 Iowa 6.36
                Montana 12.82 Nevada 9.13 Tennessee 6.43
                Utah 13.07 Idaho 9.41 Arkansas 6.53
                Missouri 13.12 Wyoming 9.47 Texas 6.63
                Arkansas 13.22 Utah 9.62 South Carolina 6.71
                Oklahoma 13.34 Missouri 9.97 Georgia 6.83
                Tennessee 13.47 Virginia 10.28 Washington 6.84

                Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Electric Power Industry Report

                Average Duration of Power Outages per Customer
                System Average Interruption Duration Index, All Events,
                Utah, 2018-2022

                Note: SAIDI = System Average Interruption Duration Index, or the minutes of non-momentary electric interruptions per year the average customer experienced.

                Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Electric Power Industry Report
                Residential Potable Gallons Per Capita Per Day
                Select Utah Basins, 2017-2022

                Note: Jordan River basin covers Salt Lake County; Bear River covers Cache and Rich counties;
                Weber River covers Davis, Weber, Summit, and Morgan counties; Kanab Creek/Virgin River
                covers Washington County and part of Kane County

                Source: Municipal and Industrial Water Use Data, Utah Division of Water Resources

                Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold per Acre-Foot of Water Used
                2017-2024

                Note: The Census of Agriculture is released every four years. The market value of agriculture products between 2018 and 2022 was linearly interpolated.

                Source: 2022 Census of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Utah Water Budget 2022, Utah Division of Water Resources

                Number of Days in Select Utah Counties Exceeding National Poor Air Quality Standards
                Daily Air Quality Index Values, 2018-2023
                Note: The U.S. AQI is the EPA's index for reporting air quality. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is unhealthy.
                Source: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Index Report
                Great Salt Lake Surface Elevation
                North and South Arm, 1966-2023
                Target: 4,198 - 4,205 ft

                From 1903-1959, daily elevation was collected once a month. In 1960, the elevation was collected twice monthly. Starting in 1990, the data were collected daily. Recently, data are collected multiple times a day but averaged for a single daily average value

                Source: US Geological Survey Historical Elevation at Saltair Boat Harbor and Saline, UT

                  Supporting Measures

                  Relative Economic Efficiency of State Energy Regulations
                  2014

                  Source: 50 State Index of Energy Regulation; Pacific Research Institute

                  Annual Net Capacity Factor for Utah Power Plants
                  2018-2024

                  Note: The net capacity factor of a power plant is the ratio of its actual output over a period of time to its potential output if it were possible for the plant to operate at full capacity continuously over the same period of time

                  Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Utah Geological Survey

                  M&I Commercial and Industrial Water Use
                  GDP per Acre-Foot of Commercial and Industrial Water Use, Utah, 2017-2024

                  Source: Commercial and Industrial Water Use, Utah Division of Water Resources

                  Secondary Water Use
                  Utah, 2017-2024
                  Source: Municipal and Industrial Water Use Data, Utah Division of Water Resources
                  Estimated Annual Water Savings from Agriculture
                  Optimization Projects Funded by the State
                  Utah, 2022-2024

                  Note: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food provides funding.

                  Source: Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan, Utah Division of Water Resources; Agricultural Water Optimization Task Force

                  Water Dedicated and Deliverd to Great Salt Lake
                  2021-2025

                  Note: Acre-feet is a unit of volume used to measure water capacity. Dedications/deliveries for 2025 are preliminary and are expected to increase upon final calculation.

                  Source: Great Salt Lake Distribution Accounting Tool, Utah Division of Water Rights

                  Percent of Secondary Residential Connections that are Metered in the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District
                  2019-2024

                  Source: Utah Division of Water Rights

                    Action Items

                    • Support Utah’s Operation Gigawatts’ goal to double the state’s power production by 2034.
                    • Support the statewide goal of reducing municipal and industrial (M&I) per capita water consumption by 16% by 2030.
                    • Create an Energy Task Force by 2026.
                    • Improve Utah’s state regulatory ratings with both S&P (State Regulatory Certainty Ratings) and Moody’s (Outlook Regulated Electric and Gas Utilities - US) by 2030.
                    • Create a Business Leader Energy Literacy Campaign: Increase information awareness by 2027.
                    • Advocacy support.