Immigration Could Ease Utah's Demographic Decline

Researchers at a Sutherland Institute roundtable said immigration may help offset falling birth rates in Utah and across the U.S.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Immigration

Immigration Could Ease Utah's Demographic Decline

Live Poll

Should the U.S. admit more immigrants to offset an aging, slowing population?

Researchers presented immigration as a potential solution to Utah's demographic decline at a Sutherland Institute roundtable. Utah welcomed 152 refugees this year, down from a historical capacity of more than 1,000 per year.

Why it matters

Congress projects U.S. deaths will exceed births starting in 2030, and net international migration has already fallen 48% in 2025 after peaking at 2.7 million in 2024. Utah, one of the youngest states with some of the highest fertility rates, relies on migration for a large share of its growth.

Net international migration fell 48% to 1.3 million in 2025 from a 2024 peak of 2.7 million, while nearly 21% of Utah's 2024-2025 population growth came from international migration. Projections for how much migration would be required to offset the decline were not specified in the extraction.

The players

Sutherland Institute

A Utah-based public policy think tank that hosted the roundtable on immigration and population trends.

The details

At the Sutherland Institute roundtable, researchers argued that immigration could help counter falling fertility, as Utah has some of the highest birth rates in the country. The discussion also highlighted that immigrants paid about $652 billion in combined federal, state and local taxes in 2023.

2023: Immigrants paid an estimated $652 billion in combined taxes.
2024: Net international migration peaked at 2.7 million.
2024 to 2025: Nearly 21% of Utah's population growth came from international migration.
2025: Net international migration declined 48% to 1.3 million.

Roadmap

Congressional projections show U.S. deaths will exceed births starting in 2030, and the population is expected to stop growing in 2056. The roundtable framed Utah's situation within this national trend of slowing growth.

Residents and employers in Utah rely on population growth for labor supply, and a decline in migration may affect the state's workforce over time. Changes in refugee admissions also directly affect how many families are resettled locally.

The takeaway

Population growth in Utah and across the U.S. increasingly depends on immigration as birth rates decline. Readers following the issue should watch migration figures and refugee admissions in the coming years.