Utah Economy Resilient Amid Falling Consumer Sentiment

A new economic dashboard from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Utah Chamber shows job growth despite weaker consumer confidence.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Employment

Utah Economy Resilient Amid Falling Consumer Sentiment

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The University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and the Utah Chamber released an economic dashboard describing the state's economy as resilient. Utah consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level since 2022 as higher prices and economic uncertainty weighed on residents.

Why it matters

The dashboard points to a split between household confidence and labor market performance in Utah, with job growth continuing even as residents feel less optimistic about the economy. Utah's business community is preparing for a strong 2027, according to the report.

Utah's year-over-year job count grew 1.4%, the fourth-fastest rate among states, while consumer sentiment fell 6.5% compared with a 10.4% national decline. Whether labor force gains will hold through the coming months has not been addressed in the dashboard.

The players

Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute is a research center at the University of Utah that analyzes economic and demographic trends in the state.

Utah Chamber

The Utah Chamber is a business advocacy organization that represents employers and promotes economic development across Utah.

The details

Construction, education and health services led Utah's job growth, while the information sector lost roughly 1,700 jobs year-over-year and government employment declined. Labor force participation hit a 14-year low in August before rebounding to 66.5% in September.

August: Utah labor force participation reached a 14-year low.
September: Utah labor force participation rose to 66.5%.
October: Consumer sentiment in Utah and the U.S. declined from the prior month.
2027: Target year for the business community's planned strong performance.

Economic Context

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute's ongoing dashboard tracks Utah's labor and consumer indicators against national benchmarks. This edition shows Utah job growth outpacing many states even as its consumer sentiment declined more steeply than the national figure.

Utah households face a weaker outlook on prices and the economy even as local job growth continues. Residents in construction, education and health services are seeing the strongest hiring, while information and government roles have contracted.

The takeaway

Utah's job market and consumer mood are moving in different directions, so households should track both labor data and their own budgets when planning for the year ahead.