Small towns grow fast; Salt Lake slips a bit

Some of Utah's small towns have more than doubled in population since the decennial census was taken in the spring of 2000, but the state's capital city experienced a slight loss in population, according to a census report released today.

Salt Lake City grew by about 14 percent during the 1990s, but from April 1, 2000, to July 1, 2002, the city's population dropped from 181,767 to 181,266, a loss of 501 people and a 0.3 percent decline, according to population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

"I think part of that has to do with land prices," said Neil Ashdown, deputy director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. "Some people are moving out of cities to the fringe."

The fastest growth in Utah during the two-year period was found in small, newer developments, where residents can get more bang for their buck. Utahns have sought places within commuting distance to their jobs but where homes and land are more affordable.

For example, Saratoga Springs in Utah County saw an increase in population of 216 percent from 2000 to 2002. Eagle Mountain, another Utah County locale, increased by 183 percent.

Of the top 10 fastest-growing Utah towns, four were in Utah County, two in Davis County, two in Washington County, one in Weber County and one in Salt Lake County.

Although small Utah County towns appear to be booming, all of Utah County is not experiencing growth.

Provo, while growing by some 21 percent during the '90s, has leveled off since then. The city is reported to have gained two residents between 2000 and 2002. Neighboring Orem's population decreased by almost 1 percent.

Ashdown said in the '70s and '80s, people in Utah — and across the country — moved to the suburbs. In the 1990s, cities experienced growth again, but the trend may be reversing as developable land dwindles.

"I don't know if we'll start seeing this trend away from the cities again," he said.

The same pattern has happened in other Western states such as Nevada and Arizona, Ashdown said. In Nevada, for example, North Las Vegas, a nearby suburb of Las Vegas, was the nation's second fastest-growing city of more than 100,000 residents between 2000 and 2002.

Of the three Utah cities with more than 100,000 residents, West Valley City was the only one to experience growth and was the 106th fastest-growing place in the country since 2000 with a 2.2 percent increase.