Tremonton Wellbeing Survey Findings 2022
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
Tremonton 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.
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 Tremonton 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, Tremonton City advertised the survey via social media, the city newsletter, and the city website. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 337 viable surveys were recorded in this 2022 survey effort with 78.6% complete responses.
- The adult population of Tremonton was estimated at 5,787, based on the 2016-2020 American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 337 survey responses in 2022 represent 5.8% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 5.18%.
Key Findings
Overall Personal Wellbeing in Tremonton was above average among the 33 study cities, while Community Wellbeing was below average.
Domain ratings varied by demographics characteristics, with age and income particularly influential.
Highest Rated Wellbeing Domains:
- Physical Health
- Mental Health
- Living Standards
- Safety and Security
Most Important Wellbeing Domains:
- Mental Health
- Safety and Security
- Living Standards
- Physical Health
COVID-19 had greatest impact on Social Connections, Cultural Opportunities, and Mental Health. Overall personal wellbeing declined in last year for 33% of respondents and community wellbeing declined for 56%.
The majority of respondents felt Population Growth and the Pace of Economic Development were too fast.
Top concerns for the future of Tremonton were:
- Water Supply (91% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Roads and Transportation (84% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Affordable Housing (79% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Public Safety (77% Moderate or Major Concern)
What do people value most about Tremonton?
Positive social climate, peace and quiet, agriculture, sense of safety, and the small, rural feel of the town.
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 Tremonton City, key wellbeing issues include: Water Supply, Affordable Housing, and Roads and Transportation. 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
Full Time Residents of Tremonton | 96.7% |
Part Time Residents of Tremonton | 3.3% |
Length of Residency — Range | 0.5- 74 years |
Length of Residency — Average | 19.6 years |
Length of Residency — Median | 15 years |
Length of Residence 5 years or less | 23.4% |
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 Tremonton. People who are female, age 40-49, have at least a 4-year college degree, have children in the household, are married, are employed, own their home, and those with household incomes between $75,000 and $149,999 were particularly overrepresented. People age 18-29, are Hispanic/Latino, and those with household incomes between $25,000 and $49,999 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 Tremonton
Demographic Characteristics | Tremonton Wellbeing Survey | American Community Survey 2016-2020 Estimates |
---|---|---|
Online 2022 337 Respondents |
||
Age 18-29 | 10.6% | 22.7% |
Age 30-39 | 29.4% | 24.4% |
Age 40-49 | 29.4% | 16.0% |
Age 50-59 | 16.6% | 12.9% |
Age 60-69 | 8.3% | 11.1% |
Age 70 or over | 5.7% | 12.9% |
Adult Female | 67.8% | 46.3% |
Adult Male | 31.1% | 53.7% |
Adult non-conforming or non-binary |
1.1% | NA |
No college degree | 63.0% | 82.9% |
College degree (4-year) | 37.0% | 17.1% |
Median household income | NA | $59,488 |
Income under $25,000 | 4.2% | 13.0% |
Income $25,000 to $49,999 | 10.4% | 25.8% |
Income $50,000 to $74,999 | 23.2% | 31.5% |
Income $75,000 to $99,999 | 28.6% | 14.2% |
Income $100,000 to $149,999 | 21.6% | 10.9% |
Income $150,000 or over | 12.0% | 4.6% |
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 68.0% | NA |
Other religion | 13.5% | NA |
Agnostic/Atheist/No religious preference | 18.5% | NA |
Hispanic/Latino | 3.8% | 14.0% |
White | 97.2% | 92.6% |
Nonwhite | 2.8% | 7.4% |
Married | 89.7% | 61.5% |
Children under 18 in household | 68.7% | 43.4% |
Employed | 77.7% | 62.6% |
Out of work and looking for work | 0.0% | 1.6% |
Other | 22.3% | 35.8% |
Own home/Owner occupied | 88.7% | 67.7% |
Rent home/Renter occupied/Other | 11.3% | 32.3% |
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Tremonton
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Tremonton. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from very poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Tremonton was 4.10 with 82% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in Tremonton was 3.33 with 44% of respondents indicating city wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.
Perceived Changes to Wellbeing in the Last Year
The COVID-19 Pandemic has dominated the last couple of years. Survey respondents were asked if their overall personal wellbeing or community wellbeing changed in the last year. Survey findings show that 33% of respondents indicated that their personal wellbeing declined in that time and 26% of respondents indicated that their personal wellbeing had improved in that time. For community wellbeing, 56% of respondents indicated it had declined in the last year and 13% indicated it had improved.
Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns classifies Tremonton as a Rural Hub/Resort Community (and we have combined these with the Traditional Rural Communities). Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the Rural city cluster, Tremonton fell above the cluster average in terms of the average overall personal wellbeing score and below average in terms of average community wellbeing score. Tremonton was statistically significantly higher than East Carbon and Moab in terms of overall personal wellbeing. In terms of community wellbeing, Tremonton was statistically significantly higher than Moab, but significantly lower than Ephraim, Beaver, Bluff, and Helper. Margins of error are particularly high for Delta, Helper, Midvale, and Santaquin due to low survey response.
Wellbeing Domains in Tremonton
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 four highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Tremonton were Physical Health (68%), Mental Health (66%), Living Standards (64%), and Safety and Security (63%). The four most important wellbeing domains were Mental Health (96%), Safety and Security (96%), Living Standards (92%), and Physical Health (89%).
Wellbeing Matrix for Tremonton
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from Tremonton. Physical Health, Mental Health, Living Standards, and Safety and Security were highly important and rated above average among the domains. No domains fell in the “red zone” of higher importance, but lower ratings. However, Education and Leisure Time approached this zone.
How did the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact Wellbeing Domains?
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s impact was most strongly felt regarding Social Connections, Mental Health, and Cultural Opportunities. Improvements were reported in Connection with Nature for 22% of respondents.
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 Tremonton 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 Tremonton
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 | ||||||
Wellbeing in Tremonton | ||||||
Connection with Nature | ||||||
Cultural Opportunities | + |
|||||
Education | + | + |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
|||
Leisure Time | + | + | + vs A/A/NRP |
+ vs Under $75,000- $99,999 |
||
Living Standards | + | + | ||||
Local Environmental Quality | + vs 18-39 |
+ vs Under $75,000 |
||||
Mental Health | + | + vs Under $75,000 |
||||
Physical Health | ||||||
Safety & Security | + |
+ vs Under $75,000- $99,999 |
+ | |||
Social Connections | + |
+ |
+ vs A/A/NRP |
+ vs Under $75,000 |
||
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 | + | |||||
Leisure Time | ||||||
Living Standards | ||||||
Local Environmental Quality | ||||||
Mental Health | + |
+ | ||||
Physical Health | + | + | ||||
Safety and Security | ||||||
Social Connections |
Community Action and Connection in Tremonton
Survey participants were asked about community actions and community connection in Tremonton. 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 Tremonton, the average score was 3.12. When asked about the degree they feel connected to their community, the average score was 2.92.
Latter-day Saints reported higher levels of community connection and higher perceptions of local action than those who indicated Agnostic/Atheist/No Religious Preference. 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 Tremonton take action? | + vs A/A/NRP |
|||||
Do you feel connected to your community? | + 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. Tremonton was in the lower 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. Gardening (76%) was the most common activity for respondents, followed by enjoying wildlife and birds in your yard or neighborhood (75%) and non-motorized recreation on public lands or waters (70%).
For Tremonton respondents, participating in city recreation programs was positively and significantly related to overall personal wellbeing.
Participating in city recreation programs and walking a pet in the city were positively and significantly related to community wellbeing.
Participating in motorized recreation on Utah public lands or waters, participating in city recreation programs, recreating in city parks, and enjoying wildlife and birds in yard or neighborhood 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, farmland, 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 Tremonton survey respondents indicated they felt population growth was too fast (83%). On the pace of economic development, 56% indicated it was too fast, 21% just right, and 16% too slow.
The graphs below show how Tremonton 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 Tremonton
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Tremonton. Water Supply, Roads and Transportation, Affordable Housing, and Public Safety were the top three concerns with at least 79% of respondents indicating these were moderate or major concerns.
Other concerns were raised by 56 respondents who filled in the “other” category. Responses identical to the categories above are not included in the table.
Table 5
Other Concerns Mentioned |
|
---|---|
Education, overcrowded schools (15) | Restaurants (3) |
Common courtesy, values (4) | Infrastructure (3) |
High density housing (4) | Swimming pool |
Government, city council (4) | Animal control |
Overdevelopment (4) | Parking |
Overpopulation (4) | Inability to receive city communication timely or understand the city issues |
Open Comments
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about Tremonton and to provide any additional comments about wellbeing. Comments have been shared with city leaders. In summary, residents of Tremonton overwhelmingly valued the social climate, this includes comments about the small, rural feel of the town. Peace and quiet found in Tremonton were of value to residents, as well as agriculture and the sense of safety. In the additional comments section many residents shared concerns about the growth and development, worried that it is currently too fast. There were also comments about the government, with many residents worried about not being heard. There were also comments about housing, specifically about the loss of single-family homes.