To inform local decision-makers and community partners, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute recently launched “Northwest Valley Datapoints,” a series of fact sheets designed to provide important data about Northwest Salt Lake County. This second installment provides a demographic overview of the region.
“Northwest Salt Lake County, which encompasses West Valley City, Kearns, Magna, Taylorsville, and the west side of Salt Lake City, is home to 1 in 10 Utahns,” said Heidi Prior, public policy analyst at the Gardner Institute and lead author of the series. “The region features rich racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity and stands out for its large households, including many families with children and a high share of multigenerational households.”
Key findings from the research include the following:
Population Growth and Distribution – Northwest Valley’s population grew by 2.7% between 2020 and 2024, adding 8,725 new residents This growth rate was slower than the state’s overall 6.8%. Magna experienced rapid growth at 23.4%, three times the state average, while West Valley City, Kearns, and Taylorsville saw slight declines.
Young Population – Northwest Salt Lake County reflects Utah’s young demographics, with 29.1% of its population under 18 years old. However, like the rest of the state and nation, the region’s population is aging, with median ages increasing across communities.
Foreign-born Population – Over one-fifth (21.5%) of Northwest Valley residents are foreign-born, with West Valley City having more than any other city in Utah (nearly 32,000 residents, or 23.2% of the city’s total population). Most foreign-born residents (69.6%) originate from Latin America, and most have lived in the U.S. for over a decade.
Multilingual Communities – Northwest Valley residents speak more than 95 unique languages, with English (61.8%) and Spanish (28.9%) being the most common. Spanish is notably prevalent among youth, spoken by 35.1% of children aged 5 to 17.
