Utah is a decently well populated state, with around 3.5 million people living throughout. But take a look at a map of the state’s population density and you’ll see that a significant majority of the state lives in and around Salt Lake City. North, south, east, and west of Salt Lake City is near empty, with several areas containing just 1 person per square mile. YouTube channel Geography by Geoff explored why so much of Utah is so devoid of people.
Why So Few People Live In Most Of Utah
Utah, with a population of about 3.4 million, sees 80% of its residents concentrated around Salt Lake City due to historical, geographic, and religious factors. The Mormon pioneers, led by Brigham Young in 1847, settled the Salt Lake Valley, transforming its arid land into fertile farmland through extensive irrigation. This established Salt Lake City as the spiritual and economic hub for Mormons, attracting more settlers.
Utah’s rugged terrain, including the Rocky Mountains and the arid Great Basin, limits development outside this region due to scarce water and harsh desert or semi-arid climates. The Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, is shrinking rapidly due to water diversion for agriculture and climate-driven droughts. This threatens air quality, ecosystems, and the livability of the Salt Lake region, where 2.7 million people reside, posing significant environmental and economic challenges for Utah’s future.
