Vision & Guiding Principles

Utah Rising

 - A Free Enterprise Vision for Utah’s Economy
The Utah Chamber and Salt Lake Chamber present 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 Nominal Gross Domestic Product, 2025

State Total

$315.9B

89.9%

Private Sector 
($283.9B)

10.1%

Government
($32.1B)

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 3rd Graders Reading on Grade Level
2017-2025
Note: Measured as the share of students scoring above benchmark on the end-of-year Acadience assessment. There is no 2020 data due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Utah State Board of Education
Share of Utah Young Adults (ages 25-34) with a
Post-Secondary Degree or Certificate
2017-2023
Note: Measured as the share of students scoring above benchmark on the end-of-year Acadience assessment. There is no 2020 data due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Lumina Foundation

Share of Adults with any Mental Illness Reporting an Unmet Need for Treatment, by State
2023

Note: Unmet need is defined as seeking treatment or thinking they should receive treatment but not receiving it. Data survey years include 2022-2023.

Source: SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health

    Supporting Measures

    Utah High School Graduation Rates
    2017-2025
    Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.
    Source: Utah State Board of Education
    Utah Higher Education Completion Rates
    Share of Entering Students who Complete their Programs within 150% of Expected Time, 2019-2025
    Note: Data includes only Utah System of Higher Education institutions. The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.

    Source: Utah System of Higher Education

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

    Source: Utah System of Higher Education

      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
      2017-2025
      Target: Remain
      above an index
      score of 85.0
      Note: UDOT Mobility Index is calculated through three performance measures: delay, reliability, and transit ridership. The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.

      Source: Utah Department of Transportation

      Supporting Measures

      UTA Passenger Rail Mileage
      FrontRunner, Trax and Light Rail lines,
      1999-2026

      Note: FrontRunner service between the Ogden and Pleasant View stations was suspended in 2018, reducing the total number of rail miles in use.

      Source: Utah Transit Authority

      Corridor Preservation Spending
      FY 2018-FY 2026 YTD
      Note: Spending totals include spending for closed/finalized properties and obligated spending approved by the UDOT Corridor Preservation Advisory Council and UDOT Transportation Commission.

      Source: Utah Department of Transportation

        Cumulative Housing Units by Type within a Quarter-Mile of a Fixed Route Transit Option along the Wasatch Front by Decade
        1990-2020
        Decade Apartments Single
        Family        		 Duplex Condo Townhome Mobile
        Home        		 Mixed Townhome /
        Single Family        		 Single Family
        ADU
        1990 8,802 5,087 1,317 2,747 54 1,118 28 158
        2000 11,990 5,555 1,326 3,847 562 1,118 132 160
        2010 28,455 5,802 1,498 4,543 1,093 1,118 132 160
        2020 38,731 6,633 1,502 4,651 1,680 1,118 161 162
        Note: Fixed route transit includes Trax/S-line, FrontRunner, and Bus Rapid Transit services. 2020 decadal data includes 2021-2026.

        Source: Utah Housing Inventory Explorer, Wasatch Front Regional Council

        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 3,024) by 2027.

        Key Performance Indicators

        Middle Market Companies in Utah
        Nonagricultural Establishments With Employment Ranging From 100 to 999 Employees,
        2017-2025Q1
        Target: 3,024 Middle Market Companies by 2034
        Source: Utah Department of Workforce Services, Workforce Research & Analysis, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, First Quarter 2025

        Supporting Measures

        Business Taxes per Employee by State
        State and Local Business Taxes per employee,
        FY 2024 (Thousands of USD)
        Source: Ernst & Young LLP estimates based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau State and Local Government Finances and Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
        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: Patrick A. McLaughlin, Jonathan Nelson, Thurston Powers, Walter Stover, and Stephen Strosko, State RegData 4.0 (dataset), QuantGov, Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Arlington, VA, 2020

        State Spending per $1,000 of Personal Income, Utah
        2017-2025
        Note: e=estimate. The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change. State appropriation data includes operating and capital budgets and expendable funds and accounts, not including appropriations to proprietary, fiduciary, and capital projects funds as well as transfers among funds and accounts.
        Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis
        Number of Business Establishments Opening and Closing, Utah
        2017-2023
        Note: Data are seasonally adjusted.

        Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

        U.S. and Utah Middle Class Population
        1980-2022 - Single-Year Share of Population, Selected Years
        Note: Averages from 2019 and 2021 used to avoid pandemic-related data collection issues in 2020. The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.
        Source: Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey IPUMS
        U.S. and Utah Cumulative Per Capita
        Real Personal Income Growth
        2017-2024
        Note: Per capita personal income is total personal income divided by total midyear population. Personal income data adjusted for inflation to 2025 dollars.

        Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

          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–July 2025
          Note: Index 1980: Q1=100, Not Seasonally Adjusted.
          Source: U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency
          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
            Median New Units per Acre, Select Utah Counties,
            2017-2025

            Source: Wasatch Front Regional Council, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Analysis

            Number of Deed-Restricted, Affordable Rentals, Utah
            2017-2025
            Note: The graph is plotted with a non-zero y-axis origin to highlight change.

            Source: Utah Housing Corporation

              Livability

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

              Strategic Goal

              Utah’s livability index will increase by 2034.

              Key Performance Indicators

              Utah's Community Quality of Life Index
              2011-2022
              Source: Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index

              Supporting Measures

              Miles of Developed Trails
              Utah, 2026

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

              Source: UDOT Trails Division, Utah Geospatial Resource Center
              Share of Utah Students Reporting Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement at School
              6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders,
              2018-2025

              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 Utahns (age 18+) Reporting Social Isolation
              2019-2025
              Note: The BRFSS question wording changed in 2023. Percentages reflect the age-adjusted rates of Utah adults who responded "always" or "usually" to "How often do you feel lonely?" (2023-2024) and "How often do you feel socially isolated from others?" (2019-2022). 2020 data unavailable due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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

                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's Electricity Prices Compared to Other States
                Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector,
                10 lowest states,
                November 2025 (Cents per Kilowatt hour)
                State Residential State Commercial State Industrial
                North Dakota11.93 North Dakota7.4 New Mexico5.37
                Idaho12.25 Texas8.19 Louisiana5.88
                Nebraska12.52 Nebraska8.56 Oklahoma6.13
                Louisiana12.74 Oklahoma8.65 Iowa6.36
                Montana12.82 Nevada9.13 Tennessee6.43
                Utah13.07 Idaho9.41 Arkansas6.53
                Missouri13.12 Wyoming9.47 Texas6.63
                Arkansas13.22 Utah9.62 South Carolina6.71
                Oklahoma13.34 Missouri9.97 Georgia6.83
                Tennessee13.47 Virginia10.28 Washington6.84

                Note: Values for 2025 are preliminary estimates based on a cutoff model sample. Utah ranked 21st nationally in average electricity prices for the industrial end-use sector in 2025.

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

                Utah's Average Duration of Power Outages per Customer
                System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), All Events,
                2017-2024
                Note: SAIDI, or System Average Interruption Duration Index, is the minutes of non-momentary electric interruptions, per year, that the average customer experienced. SAIDI calculations utilize IEEE reliability indices and factors.
                Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Electric Power Industry Report
                Average Residential Potable Gallons Per Capita Per Day, Utah
                2017-2024
                Source: Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis of Utah Population Committee and Utah Division of Water Resources data.
                Real Cash Receipts of Agricultural Products Sold per Acre-Foot of Water Used, Utah
                2017-2024
                Source: Farm Income and Wealth Statistics Report, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Utah Water Budget 2024, Utah Division of Water Resources
                Great Salt Lake Elevation Level Compared to Target Range
                Elevation of Great Salt Lake North and South Arms, Water-Year End,
                1903-2025
                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: U.S. Geological Survey Historical Elevation at Saltair Boat Harbor and Saline, UT
                Number of Days in Select Utah Counties Exceeding National Poor Air Quality Standards
                2017-2025
                Note: The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) is the EPA's index for reporting air quality. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is unhealthy. Data represents the number of days when AQI values exceeded 100 at any monitoring site within the geographic area. Air pollution levels measured at a particular monitoring site are not necessarily representative of the air quality for an entire county or urban area. Data may not be suitable for rank ordering geographic areas.
                Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Index Report

                  Supporting Measures

                  Relative Economic Efficiency of State Energy Regulations
                  2014

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

                  Average Annual Net Capacity Factor for Utah Power Plants
                  2017-2024
                  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: Utah Geological Survey analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data

                  Value of Commercial and Industrial Water Use
                  GDP per Acre-Foot of Commercial and Industrial Water Use, Utah,
                  2017-2024
                  Source: Utah Division of Water Resources, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis
                  Secondary Water Use, Utah
                  2017-2024
                  Source: Municipal and Industrial Water Use Data, Utah Division of Water Resources
                  Cumulative Annual Water Savings Through
                  Agriculture Water Optimization Projects, Utah
                  FY 2019-FY 2024
                  Note: Savings calculated by comparing pre-project baseline water flow data against actual flow meter measurements post-project.
                  Source: Agricultural Water Optimization Program, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
                  Water Dedicated and Delivered 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