We’re Growing, But People Are Still Moving Out Of Utah

It's no secret now that Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and Washington County is the fastest growing county in this state.

But did you know that there are still plenty of people moving OUT of Utah as well?

Wait, what? Moving OUT?! Where are they going?

It's true. A recent study found that more than 10,000 people moved from the state of Utah down to the Lone Star State, Texas. The top reason given for these moves -- jobs.

But some of the other reasons given include weather, proximity to the ocean, proximity to family, and diversity.

If you compare that to the number of people coming in from Texas to Utah -- 4,871 -- that means that Texas is one of the few states in America that imports more Utahns than it exports.

How do you explain that?

Here are some reasons Texas may be attracting Utahns:

• Cheap gas -- Gas in Texas is normally one of the best bargains in the country and generally is about a dollar less per gallon than in Utah (a quick check of the AARP website tells me that the average price of gas in Texas today is $3.15 per gallon. In Utah, it's $4.14).
• No state income tax -- Utah's state income tax is 4.85 percent, meaning a move to Texas could save you nearly $50 for every thousand dollars you earn (A person earning $100K a year would save $4,850!).
• Cheap housing -- The median cost of a house in Utah is around $500,000. In Texas, it's closer to $300,000.

Another state that imports more Utahns than it exports is Arizona. The study showed that in 2019 (most recent data), 8,917 Utah residents changed addresses to Arizona, while only 6,301 Arizonans moved to Utah.

A lot of Utahns relocated to California as well (8,504), but like rats off a sinking ship, many more Californians left that state for Utah (17,821).

The full 2019 study is below: