Carbon County Wellbeing Survey Report
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
The Utah Wellbeing Survey project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents, and to provide information to city leaders to inform their general planning processes. Questions include rating and importance of ten different domains or categories of wellbeing, participation in recreation and nature-related activities, perspectives on local population growth and economic development, the influence of landscape features on wellbeing, concerns for the future, and an array of demographic characteristic questions. Some cities added additional questions to their survey, particularly regarding housing and city amenities.
What is in this report?
This report describes findings from the 2022 survey from three cities in Carbon County: East Carbon, Helper, and Price. Please see the individual city reports on the Utah Wellbeing Project website for more details.
How was the survey conducted?
In early 2022, cities in Carbon County advertised the survey via social media, email lists, newsletters, and other local mechanisms. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
Who Responded?
- 438 viable surveys were recorded in this 2022 survey effort from Carbon County.
- East Carbon had 131 responses, Helper had 46 responses, and Price had 261 responses.
Additional Information
Reports summarizing city-specific results from the survey may be found on the Utah Wellbeing Project Website. This information may help cities refine their messaging with residents on key issues, affirm existing plans, support future planning, and have practical implications for spending and providing services.
This project benefits from the partnership with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, which is helping cities envision ways to use the findings from the wellbeing survey to inform their general planning processes. These cities all fall in the Traditional Rural or Rural Hub/Resort Communities cluster of cities according to the Utah League of Cities and Towns.
Key Findings in Carbon County
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing were above average in Helper, and below average in Price and East Carbon compared to other study cities.
Highest Rated Wellbeing Categories:
- Connection with Nature
Most Important Wellbeing Categories:
- Safety and Security
- Mental Health
- Living Standards
Red Zone Wellbeing Categories:
(High Importance, Lower Quality)
- East Carbon - Physical Health, Local Environmental Quality, and Safety and Security
- Helper - Physical and Mental Health
- Price - Living Standards and Leisure Time
Top concerns for the future of Carbon County cities:
- Opportunities for Youth
- Substance Abuse
- Water Supply
What do people value most about their Carbon County city?
Positive social climate and small-town feel, peace and quiet, and nature and natural beauty.
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing in Carbon County Study Cities
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing were above average in Helper, and below average in Price and East Carbon compared to other study cities.


Wellbeing Domains
The highest rated wellbeing domains for the three Carbon County study cities were:
- Connection with Nature (all 3 cities)
- Mental Health (East Carbon only)
- Leisure Time (East Carbon only)
- Living Standards (East Carbon and Helper)
- Safety and Security (Helper and Price)
- Local Environmental Quality (Helper and Price)
The most important wellbeing domains for the three Carbon County study cities were:
- Safety and Security (all 3 cities)
- Mental Health (all 3 cities)
- Living Standards (all 3 cities)
The Red Zone Domains (higher importance, lower quality) for the three Carbon County study cities were:
- East Carbon – Physical Health, Local Environmental Quality, and Safety and Security
- Helper – Physical and Mental Health
- Price – Living Standards and Leisure Time
Community Connectedness and Action
Helper had the highest score for both Community Connection and Perceived Community Action among all 2022 study cities and scored considerably higher than both East Carbon and Price.


Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities
Respondents in each Carbon County city were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in eight different recreation or nature-based activities in the past 12 months. Enjoying wildlife and birds in your yard or neighborhood (87%) was the most common activity for all Carbon County respondents, followed by non-motorized recreation on public lands or waters (69%) and gardening (67%).

Landscapes and Wellbeing in Carbon County Study Cities
The survey asked respondents to rate the influence of various landscape features on their wellbeing. Natural landscapes such as mountains, rivers, trails, city parks, lakes and farmland were all found to have highly positive impacts on wellbeing. Developed landscapes were mixed in their influence on wellbeing.

Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
Respondents in Carbon County study cities had different perceptions of the Rate of Population Growth and the Pace of Economic Development. On the Rate of Population Growth, respondents were evenly distributed in Price, and the majority felt it was just right in Helper and East Carbon. On the Pace of Economic Development, the majority felt it was just right in Helper, and felt it was too slow in Price and East Carbon.

Concerns for the Future of Carbon County Study Cities
Top concerns varied across the study cities in Carbon County as follows:
Moderate to Major Concerns by Over Two-Thirds of Respondents
- East Carbon
- Water Supply 91%
- Opportunities for Youth 86%
- Substance Abuse 85%
- Suicide 77%
- Employment Opportunities 71%
- Recreation Opportunities 71%
- Public Safety 71%
- Helper
- Water Supply 86%
- Affordable Housing 79%
- Opportunities for Youth 74%
- Substance Abuse 71%
- Employment Opportunities 71%
- Access to Public Land 69%
- Suicide 68%
- Price
- Opportunities for Youth 89%
- Water Supply 86%
- Substance Abuse 83%
- Affordable Housing 82%
- Suicide 79%
- Employment Opportunities 79%
- Roads & Transportation 76%
- Shopping Opportunities 67%
- Access to Quality Food 67%
Other concerns were raised by respondents who filled in the “other” category. The most frequently mentioned topics specific to each city included:
- Drugs and police/government in East Carbon
- Only two respondents provided information in Helper – please see individual report
- Roads need to be fixed and government in Price
Open Comments Relating to Value
Respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about their cities at the end of each survey. All responses have been read, compiled, and then shared with city leaders. The main themes in Carbon County in response to this question were valuing the small town feel and overall social climate. Many people also valued the peace and quiet in their cities as well as the nature and natural beauty.