South Jordan Wellbeing Survey Findings 2022
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
South Jordan City is one of 33 cities participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project in 2022. This 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 process. South Jordan also participated in a pilot study in 2019.
We are grateful to all participants who took the survey and to our city partners who helped to make this possible. Additionally, we are grateful to the Utah League of Cities and Towns and USU Extension for their financial support.
What is in this report?
This report describes findings from the 2022 South Jordan survey and some comparative information with other project cities. Feedback from city leaders, planners, and residents is welcome.
How was the survey conducted?
Starting in March of 2022, South Jordan City advertised the survey via social media and the city newsletter. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 467 viable surveys were recorded in this 2022 survey effort with 88.9% complete responses.
- The adult population of South Jordan was estimated at 49,738, based on the 2016-2020 American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 467 survey responses in 2022 represent 0.94% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 4.51%.
Key Findings
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing in South Jordan were above average among the 33 study cities. Wellbeing, domain ratings, and domain importance varied greatly by demographic characteristics with age, gender, religion and income playing key roles.
Highest Rated Wellbeing Categories:
- Living Standards
- Safety and Security
- Education
- Mental Health
Most Important Wellbeing Categories:
- Mental Health
- Safety and Security
- Living Standards
- Physical Health
Red Zone Wellbeing Categories:
(High Importance, Low Rating)
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
Many indicated that the Population Growth Rate was too fast, but respondents were more divided on the Pace of Economic Development.
Top concerns for the future of South Jordan were:
- Air Quality (89% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Water Supply (86% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Affordable Housing (80% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Roads and Transportation (76% Moderate or Major Concern)
The social climate, safety, and location.
Key Wellbeing Issues and Resource Areas
In addition to providing partner cities with the opportunity to take part in surveys, the Utah Wellbeing Project has worked to provide curated resources for community leaders and citizens that aim to improve specific aspects of wellbeing. These Wellbeing Resources can be found on the Utah Wellbeing Project Website, along with other useful tools and information.
Based on results of the 2022 Utah Wellbeing Project Surveys in South Jordan City, key wellbeing issues include: Physical Health, Mental Health, Water Supply, Affordable Housing, and Air Quality. Below you will find links to specific wellbeing resource areas we believe may be used to target some of these issues.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
Table 1.1
| Full Time Residents of South Jordan | 98.9% |
| Part Time Residents of South Jordan | 1.1% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 0- 58 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 11.1 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 8 years |
| Length of Residence 5 years or less | 38.5% |
Table 1.2
| Zipcode | Percent of Respondents |
| 84009 | 57.2% |
| 84095 | 41.3% |
| 84065 | 0.2% |
| Other | 1.3% |
Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey. As the table shows, 2022 survey respondents were not fully representative of South Jordan. People who are female, have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, and own their home were particularly overrepresented. People age 18-29 were particularly underrepresented. Not all respondents provided demographic information. Weighting was not used in any of the analysis for the findings presented below.
Table 2
Demographic Characteristics of Survey Respondents and U.S. Census Data for South Jordan
| Demographic Characteristics | South Jordan Wellbeing Survey | American Community Survey 2016-2020 Estimates |
|---|---|---|
| Online 2022 467 Respondents |
||
| Age 18-29 | 3.9% | 18.4% |
| Age 30-39 | 19.6% | 22.3% |
| Age 40-49 | 22.3% | 21.0% |
| Age 50-59 | 17.4% | 15.8% |
| Age 60-69 | 18.9% | 12.0% |
| Age 70 or over | 17.9% | 10.5% |
| Adult Female | 65.7% | 51.3% |
| Adult Male | 34.1% | 48.7% |
| Adult non-conforming or non-binary |
0.2% | NA |
| No college degree | 33.0% | 57.1% |
| College degree (4-year) | 67.0% | 42.9% |
| Median household income | NA | $106,824 |
| Income under $25,000 | 3.0% | 6.5% |
| Income $25,000 to $49,999 | 6.1% | 7.1% |
| Income $50,000 to $74,999 | 10.1% | 15.9% |
| Income $75,000 to $99,999 | 17.2% | 16.0% |
| Income $100,000 to $149,999 | 32.1% | 25.7% |
| Income $150,000 or over | 31.6% | 28.8% |
| Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 52.3% | NA |
| Other religion | 18.0% | NA |
| Agnostic/Atheist/No religious preference | 29.6% | NA |
| Hispanic/Latino | 4.2% | 8.1% |
| White | 93.0% | 87.6% |
| Nonwhite | 7.0% | 12.4% |
| Married | 77.5% | 63.1% |
| Children under 18 in household | 39.6% | 43.8% |
| Employed | 61.3% | 68.7% |
| Out of work and looking for work | 0.2% | 1.4% |
| Other | 38.5% | 29.8% |
| Own home/Owner occupied | 96.1% | 83.2% |
| Rent home/Renter occupied/Other | 3.9% | 16.8% |
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in South Jordan
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in South Jordan. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from very poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in South Jordan was 4.06 with 80% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in South Jordan was 4.02 with 79% of respondents indicating city wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.


Overall personal wellbeing and community wellbeing were higher for those in zipcode 84065, but this difference was not statistically significant.
Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns classifies South Jordan as a City of the 1st & 2nd Class (and we have combined these with Mid-Sized Cities). Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the more urban city cluster, South Jordan was at the cluster average in terms of the average overall personal wellbeing score and above average in terms of the community wellbeing score. South Jordan was only statistically significantly higher than Tooele in terms of overall personal wellbeing, but not statistically different from any other city in the cluster. In terms of community wellbeing, South Jordan was significantly higher than all other cities in the cluster except Millcreek, Sandy, Bountiful, and Draper. Margins of error are particularly high for Delta, Helper, Midvale, and Santaquin due to low survey response.
. 

Wellbeing Domains in South Jordan
According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. In this survey, respondents rated ten domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent, suggesting how their wellbeing was doing in each area. They were also asked to indicate the importance of each domain to their overall personal wellbeing on a 5-point scale from not at all important to very important. The top two highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in South Jordan were Living Standards (89%), and Safety and Security (87%). The four most important wellbeing domains were Mental Health (98%), Safety and Security (97%), Living Standards (94%), and Physical Health (94%)


Wellbeing Matrix for South Jordan
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from South Jordan. Living Standards, Safety and Security, and Education were highly important and rated above average among the domains. Mental Health and Physical Health fell in the “red zone” of higher importance, but lower ratings. Local Environmental Quality and Leisure Time approached this zone.

How are Demographic Characteristics Related to Wellbeing?
The demographic variables for age, gender, college degree, religion, income, and length of residence were found to have varying relationships among South Jordan respondents as shown in the table below based on a generalized linear model with unweighted data. The +/- sign indicates whether the wellbeing score in the specific demographic group was significantly higher or lower than the reference group in each demographic variable (p<.05).
Table 3
Relationship Between Demographic Characteristics and Wellbeing Domains in South Jordan
| Domains Rated | Demographic Variables | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Highest Income ($150,000+) |
Resident 5 Years or Less | |
| Wellbeing Ratings | ||||||
| Overall Personal Wellbeing | + vs 40-59 |
+ |
+ |
|||
| Wellbeing in South Jordan | + vs A/A/NRP |
+ |
||||
| Connection with Nature | + |
+ |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
|||
| Cultural Opportunities | + |
+ |
+ |
|||
| Education | + |
+ |
+ vs Under $75,000 |
|||
| Leisure Time | + |
+ |
+ |
+ vs Other |
+ |
|
| Living Standards | + vs 40-59 |
+ |
+ | + | ||
| Local Environmental Quality | + vs A/A/NRP |
|||||
| Mental Health | + |
+ |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
+ |
||
| Physical Health | + vs 40-59 |
+ vs $75,000- $149,999 |
||||
| Safety & Security | + vs 40-59 |
- | + |
+ |
+ |
|
| Social Connections | + | + | + | |||
| Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Highest Income ($150,000+) |
Resident 5 Years or Less | |
| Domains | Domain Importance | |||||
| Connection with Nature | + | |||||
| Cultural Opportunities | + | |||||
| Education | + | + vs $75,000- $99,999 |
||||
| Leisure Time | - vs A/A/NRP |
|||||
| Living Standards | + | - vs Other |
||||
| Local Environmental Quality | + | |||||
| Mental Health | + vs 40-59 |
+ |
+ |
|||
| Physical Health | + |
+ |
+ vs Under $75,000 |
|||
| Safety and Security | + vs 18-39 |
|||||
| Social Connections | + |
+ |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
+ vs Under $75,000- $99,999 |
||
Community Action and Connection in South Jordan
Survey participants were asked about community actions and community connection in South Jordan. Both questions were scored on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5). When asked about the degree to which people take action together in response to local problems or opportunities in South Jordan, the average score was 3.27. When asked about the degree they feel connected to their community, the average score was 3.25.


Latter-day Saints reported higher levels of community connection and higher perceptions of local action than those who indicated Agnostic/Atheist/No Religious Preference. Respondents age 60+ reported higher levels of community connection than those age 40-59 and higher perceptions of local action than those age 18-39. Respondents who are female reported higher perceptions of local action than those who are male or gender non-conforming or non-binary. Respondents in the highest income category reported higher levels of community connection than all other income categories and higher perceptions of local action than those with household incomes under $75,000 and between $100,000 and $149,999. Respondents who have lived in South Jordan for 5 years or less reported lower levels of community connection than those residing in South Jordan for over 5 years. This was based on a generalized linear model with unweighted data (p < 0.05).
Table 4
Demographic Characteristics and Community Questions
| Community Questions | Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Highest Income ($150,000+) |
Resident 5 Years or Less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do people in South Jordan take action? | + vs 18-39 |
+ |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
+ vs Under $75,000 and $100,000- $149,999 |
||
| Do you feel connected to your community? | + vs 40-59 |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
+ |
- |
A significant, positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing.

Comparing Community Action and Connection Across Cities
The graphs below show how Wellbeing Project cities compare on the degree to which people take action in response to local problems and opportunities and how connected people feel to their city as a community. South Jordan was in the upper half on perceived community action and community connection based on the number of people indicating a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. Margins of error are particularly high for Delta, Helper, Midvale, and Santaquin due to low survey response.


Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities
Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in eight different recreation or nature-based activities in the past 12 months. Recreating in parks in the city (78%) was the most common activity for respondents, followed by enjoying wildlife and birds in your yard or neighborhood (76%) and gardening (71%).

For South Jordan respondents, participating in non-motorized recreation on Utah public lands or waters and gardening were positively and significantly related to overall personal wellbeing and community wellbeing.
Participating in city recreation programs, recreating in city parks, enjoying wildlife and birds in yard or neighborhood, and gardening were positively and significantly related to community connections.
Influence of Landscape on Wellbeing
Survey participants were asked about the influence of landscape features on their wellbeing. Natural landscapes including mountains, rivers and streams, city parks, and lakes were found to have an overwhelmingly positive influence on wellbeing. In terms of development and industry in the landscape, respondents were more divided.

Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
The majority of South Jordan survey respondents indicated they felt population growth was too fast (70%). On the pace of economic development respondents were more evenly distributed, with 43% indicating it was too fast, and 41% indicating it was just right.


The graphs below show how South Jordan compares to other participating cities in the Wellbeing Project on these perceptions of population growth and economic development in 2022. Margins of error are particularly high for Delta, Helper, Midvale, and Santaquin due to low survey response.

Concerns in South Jordan
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of South Jordan. Air Quality, Water Supply, and Affordable Housing were the top three concerns with at least 80% of respondents indicating these were moderate or major concerns.

Other concerns were raised by 60 respondents who filled in the “other” category. Responses identical to the categories above are not included in the table.
Table 5
Other Concerns Mentioned |
||
|---|---|---|
| High density housing (7) | Immigrants (2) | Taxes |
| Overpopulation, overcrowding (6) | Disability (2) | Higher standard of housing |
| Local businesses (3) | Diversity (2) | Childcare |
| Traffic, traffic safety (5) | Community events, entertainment (2) | Xeriscaping |
| Government and politics (5) | Clean neighborhood | Intelligence |
| Inflation (3) | Equity | Bicycle infrastructure |
| Green space, open space (3) | Quality of life | Public transit |
| Zoning (3) | Public health | |
Open Comments
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about South Jordan and to provide any additional comments about wellbeing in South Jordan. Comments have been shared with city leaders. In summary, residents of South Jordon highly valued the social climate, commenting on their neighbors and community. Safety and location were also of high importance to South Jordan residents. City image was also brought up by many, specifically how people appreciated and valued the clean appearance and upkeep of South Jordan. Additional comments from South Jordan residents included concerns about housing as well as growth and development, many wished both would be limited. Comments about the social climate in South Jordan were made, some commenting how they love their community while others commenting how they don’t feel welcome. The government in South Jordan was also commented on, bringing up a variety of topics.