Big boom in Utah 'burbs: 10 have doubled — or more — since 2000 Census

New census estimates released Wednesday reveal that 10 Utah cities have doubled their populations — or more — since the 2000 Census. Saratoga Springs in western Utah County has outpaced them all, growing 14-fold since then, from 1,162 residents in 2000 to 16,053 in 2008.

"We're a new city. A group of landowners who wanted to develop their land incorporated in 1997 — so there was nothing here then," says city manager Ken Leetham. "When you go from essentially nothing to 16,000, the percentage looks really big, But we're still a small concern."

That "small concern" could change, however, as the city is projecting growing to a population of maybe 75,000 to 85,000 by 2030 — which could even put it among the top 10 largest cities in the state by then.

It is just one example of phenomenal growth in recent years among what had been smaller, somewhat remote suburbs in Utah.

For example, four neighbors of Saratoga Springs in northern Utah County were among the 10 cities that at least doubled in size since 2000. Eagle Mountain grew by 805 percent; Cedar Hills by 206 percent; Lehi by 142 percent; and Highland by 102 percent.

Suburbs elsewhere where populations doubled or more included: Herriman, 683 percent; Syracuse, 131 percent; Washington (near St. George), 116 percent; Nibley (near Logan), 113 percent; and West Haven (near Ogden), 110 percent.

Why such growth in the once out-of-the-way suburbs?

"People tell me they move here because they love the view and they like the idea of getting out of the city," Leetham said about Saratoga Springs, which is on the western shores of Utah Lake. Most residents commute to either the Provo-Orem or Salt Lake metro areas.

"People like the lake. The housing market is more reasonably priced here versus the east side," he added. Leetham said keeping up with increasing demands for water, sewer, power and roads has been a challenge with that fast growth. "But we've kept ahead of things, mostly depending on developers to provide them."

The booming population there also just attracted a new Wal-Mart, several shopping centers, a new high school, an under-construction middle school and three elementary schools into what were nothing but fields a decade ago.

Nearby Eagle Mountain, west of Saratoga Springs in Cedar Valley, is even bigger than Saratoga Springs with an estimated population of 22,309, up from a 2000 population of 2,464. That is a nine-fold increase.

"But because we all have to drive through Saratoga Springs, most of the new stores and businesses are located there," so they can serve both communities, said Eagle Mountain city administrator John Hendrickson.