Utah Quality of Life Index takes a dip

Utahns feel that their quality of life is declining, according to a newly released report from the Utah Foundation. The study, “2022 Utah Personal Quality of Life Index: Is the Well-Being of Utahns in Decline?,” showed a decline in the index to 76 out of a possible 100 points. In 2018, the last time the index was measured, Utah scored an 82.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}

The report focuses on personal quality of life and is based on a survey where residents of the Beehive State rate their well-being on a series of seven factors. In this report, the Utah Foundation compares 2022 data with the 2018 iteration of the survey; analyzes responses by population group; compares Utahns’ personal quality of life with their community quality of life; and suggests targeted ways that policymakers might improve quality of life for Utahns.

All seven factors reported in the Personal Quality of Life Index decreased from 2018 to 2022, with being “secure financially” being far and away the poorest performing measure among the personal quality of life questions. Although the financial security question scored the lowest in the survey, it dropped the least of the seven factors since 2018.

Utahns with higher incomes indicated a higher rating on all seven factors. They also show a much higher overall personal quality of life. Survey respondents with more education indicated a higher rating on six of the seven factors, according to study authors.

Utah Foundation Vice President Shawn Teigen said that financial concerns are taking a toll.

“Given recent inflation, we figured that we’d see the financial factor decline in performance,” Teigen said. “But we were surprised to see all of the other six factors with an even greater decline in performance.”

The Quality of Life Index is part of the Utah Foundation’s 2022 Quality of Life project. Complete results of the survey are available at the foundation’s website, www.utahfoundation.org.{/mprestriction}