Utah benefits from the Mormon work ethic

Nobody knows quite how the contagion that broke out in Wall Street

will affect the rest of America, nor how deep or how long the likely

recession will be. What is certain is that some places will suffer more

than others. So far Utah, a state best-known for Mormonism and pretty

rocks, is looking unusually healthy. “We’ve got a lot to be proud of,”

says Jon Huntsman, the governor. “Certainly more than many of our

neighbours.”

Indeed, Utah has more to be proud of than any other state in the

West. In September its unemployment rate was just 3.5%—less than half

of California’s and the second-lowest rate in the region after oil- and

gas-rich Wyoming. Last month the Milken Institute declared Provo, a

sprawling settlement south of Salt Lake City, America’s best-performing

city for technology output and job and wage growth. Salt Lake City

itself came third.