Perlich also sees the undercount. Based on influx of international immigrants and birth certificates to Hispanic mothers, she said, the state's Hispanic population grew by a conservative count of 40,000 — about 8,000 more than the census estimates.

Yapias said Utah is facing the challenge associated with immigration, such as education, but, in general, districts do seem to be stepping up to the challenge.

"Everybody has to rethink their ways of doing things," he said. "I'm trying to emphasize to the schools to do a better job of getting our kids involved."

Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch NAACP, is also noticing the minority growth, especially in smaller communities.

"Utah is really unique," she said. "People know Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo. But (small communities) people really have to make a good faith effort to go there, they don't just go."

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