Hyrum Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
Hyrum is one of 51 cities participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project in 2024. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents and to provide information to city leaders to inform general planning processes. Additional analysis is underway and this report may be updated over time.
We are grateful to all those who took the survey and to our city partners who helped to make this possible. We are grateful to a number of entities for funding: the Utah League of Cities and Towns, USU Extension, USU’s Institute for Land Water and Air, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, and the cities of Alpine, Cedar Hills, Draper, Millcreek, Nephi, North Salt Lake, Ogden, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Providence, Springdale, Tremonton, West Bountiful, and West Valley City.
This report describes findings from the 2024 Hyrum survey and comparative information with other project cities. In April and May 2024, Hyrum City advertised the survey for residents largely through social media. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 306 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
- The adult population of Hyrum was estimated at 6,374, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 306 survey responses in 2024 represent 4.8% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 5.47%.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Resident Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Residents of Hyrum | 98.4% |
| Part Time Residents of Hyrum | 1.6% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 0.4-88 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 17.4 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 10 years |
| Length of Residency 5 Years or less | 34.4% |
Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. In the graph below, gray bars indicate differences between the American Community Survey estimates and the Utah Wellbeing Project surveys. The wider the gray bars, the larger the differences. Also note that estimates for religious affiliation, adult non-conforming or non-binary gender, disability, and chronic conditions are unavailable from the census data. There can also be a variable margin of error in the American Community Survey estimates, and caution should be used when comparing estimates. Not all respondents provided demographic information. As the graph shows, 2024 survey respondents were not fully representative of Hyrum. People who are adult females, have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, and have children under 18 in their household were overrepresented while those who are age 18-29, are adult males, and do not have a college degree were underrepresented.

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Hyrum
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Hyrum. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Hyrum 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 Hyrum was 3.76 with 67% of respondents indicating community wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.


Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns clusters cities and towns into five different categories based on size and growth rates. We utilize these clusters in our analysis. Hyrum is classified as a Rapid Growth City. Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the Rapid Growth city cluster, Hyrum was slightly below the average overall personal wellbeing score and slightly below the average overall community wellbeing score.


Wellbeing Domains in Hyrum
According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. Survey respondents rated twelve domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent. 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 highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Hyrum were Family Life (86%), Safety and Security (76%), Mental Health (74%), and Living Standards (73%). The most important wellbeing domains were Mental Health (99%), Safety and Security (97%), Family Life (95%), and Living Standards (94%).

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

Community Connection in Hyrum
Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to Hyrum on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 3.14.

A positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and mental health, and to some extent between community connection and overall personal wellbeing.


The graph below shows how Wellbeing Project cities and towns compare on feelings of community connection based on the percentage of respondents who answered 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale from “not at all” to “a great deal” connected to their city or town. Hyrum ranked 27 out of the 51 cities that participated.

Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities
Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in various activities in the last 12 months. The most popular activities were walking or biking in your neighborhood or city (93%), gardening at home (84%), and recreating in parks in your city (83%).

Participating in community events and using trails in or near your city were significantly related to higher ratings of personal wellbeing.
Participating in community events and recreating in parks in your city were significantly related to higher ratings of community wellbeing.
Participating in community events was significantly related to higher ratings of community connection.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
The majority of respondents in Hyrum indicated that they felt the population growth was too fast (75%). For the pace of economic development, respondents were split between opinions that it was too slow (32%), just right (30%), and too fast (26%).


The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for Hyrum compared to other participating cities and towns in the Rapid Growth Cities cluster.


The graph below illustrates how many respondents perceived the pace of economic development as too slow, just right, too fast, or had no opinion, with additional breakdowns for the number of respondents who provided comments.

The 32% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too slow” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they would like to see more of in Hyrum. The dominant theme in the comments was a desire for more retail and business in Hyrum, particularly restaurants and a new grocery store. There were also comments suggesting a need for other amenities and services in Hyrum.
Additionally, the 26% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too fast” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they feel are growing too quickly in Hyrum. Comments focused mostly on housing, particularly apartments and multi-family housing. Sentiments expressed concern about stress on resources such as water and power as well as loss of green space and open space. There were quite a few comments about the loss of small town feel in Hyrum with new housing developments.
Transportation in Hyrum
Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in Hyrum. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (100%) and walking (30%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in Hyrum. The most problematic barriers were Travel time (38%) and Cost (34%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in Hyrum. The most important development to respondents were Enhancing safety (65%), Improving road surfaces (62%), and Improving walkability (57%).

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of Hyrum to another city or town. The most commonly indicated reasons for traveling to another city or town at least sometimes or once a month were Groceries (98%), Eating Out (94%), and Friends and Family (87%).

Concerns in Hyrum
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Hyrum. Open Space/Green Space (75%), Water Supply (74%), and Opportunities for Youth (72%) were the top concerns.

Additional Questions for Hyrum
Amenities and Services in Hyrum
Survey participants were asked how important certain possible amenities in Hyrum would be to the wellbeing of their household. The most important amenities were Indoor Recreation Facility (76%) and Athletic Fields and Courts (outdoor) (76%).

Respondents were also asked about their preference regarding taxation to fund potential these same amenities in Hyde Park. The most supported amenity was an Indoor Recreation Facility (49%).

Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments about Hyrum City amenities or services. There were many comments related to recreation. Quite a few comments expressed desire for an indoor recreation facility (with a pool) and additional recreation opportunities in general, though there were a few comments against an indoor facility. Some would value more walking or bike paths. There were comments requesting more attention to the needs of those with disabilities or special needs. There was appreciation for the new skate park and new playground equipment. There were a few frustrations about locked baseball fields and safety issues in crosswalks.
Open Comments
All open comments collected in the survey were shared with city leaders. General observations and themes are shared here.
What Respondents Value Most in Hyrum
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about Hyrum. The most common words and phrases from all city comments are included in the word cloud below. It is possible that negative or unrelated words may appear since these words have been taken out of context, and they may not indicate the respondent’s intended meaning. Appreciation about the small-town feel of the town was the most common theme. Comments also recognized the positive social climate and community in Hyrum.

Local Environmental Quality in Hyrum
The 45% of respondents who rated the Local Environmental Quality domain as 1, 2, or 3 (Poor, Fair, or Moderate) were further asked if there are specific aspects of local environmental quality that they feel are problematic. Trash, cleanliness, and odors from the JBS plant and mink farms were major concerns that detract from local environmental quality in Hyrum. Air Quality was also a main concern, as well as preserving green and open space as growth continues.
Improving Wellbeing in Hyrum
Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in Hyrum. Many comments expressed the desire to slow or stop the rapid growth in the area. Several comments also expressed concerns about the road conditions and many indicated a need for more sidewalks. Many comments expressed the desire for more local recreational facilities and local opportunities, especially for children in the winter months.
Additional Comments
Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in Hyrum. The most frequent concerns revolved around the rapid growth of the town, with many residents calling for a slowdown in building new houses and townhouses to preserve open spaces and prevent overcrowding. Transportation improvements were also mentioned, including better road maintenance, enhanced road signage, more sidewalks, and safer pedestrian paths to address traffic congestion and speeding issues.